Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Gunner

Unit:

Royal Regiment of Artillery (Aberystwyth)

Awarded on:

March 23rd, 1945

Citation:
"On 30 Oct 1944, Gnr Davies and L/Bdr Humphreys were billeted in s/Hertogenbosch close to a house which at about 2000hrs was seen to be burning furiously. As the enemy had been shelling the town just previously it was imperative that action should be taken as quickly as possible. The sauce of the fire was in the basement, and ammunition of sorts was exploding inside. The only available entrance to the basement was via a narrow grating. Two water trucks were fetched and Gnr Davies volunteered to go into the basement. The fire by this time had spread to the ground floor and the heat and smoke were intense. In spite of this Gnr Davies with face blanketed, entered the basement and by relay of buckets, from outside, stayed below and got the fire under control by his personal action and that of L/Bdr Humphreys working on the ground floor. Unrelieved they were in constant danger for 45 minutes until the fire had abated. by their bravery a serious fire of the neighbourhood, which might well have been a target for the enemy was averted"