Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant-Major

Unit:

No.12 Platoon, "B" Company, The Highland Light Infantry of Canada, 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Recommendation:
On 24 March 1945 Lance Sergeant Cornelius Jerome Reidel was a section leader in 12 platoon, "B" Company, The Highland Light Infantry of Canada.
The Highland Light Infantry of Canada had been ordered to capture Speldrop, Germany, a strongly defended nodal point which was preventing the development of the 51 Highland Division Bridgehead North of the Rhine. "B" Company, the leading company, was ordered to attack across 1000 yards of open ground and to secure a foothold in the west half of the town.
12 Platoon, the leading platoon, came under intensive fire from enemy 20 millimetre and machine guns located in an orchard and a group of fortified buildings beyond, which were the objective of 12 platoon. The platoon commander was killed, and the platoon scattered to cover.
Lance Sergeant Reidel, realizing that this initial bite into the town was vital to the success of the battalion battle, immediately took command of the platoon, ordered the men to fix bayonets, and taking a bren gun, led the platoon into orchard in the face of heavy small arms fire. The platoon captured the orchard, and cleared the buildings beyond, killing ten Germans and capturing fifteen prisoners and three 7.5 centimetre infantry guns.
Lance Sergeant Reidel's initiative and great courage so inspired his men that they were able to destroy a force of German paratroops superior in number to themselves. The success of the platoon action enabled the battalion to gain a foothold in the town and eventually to capture the nodal point.