Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Driver

Unit:

Royal 'Regiment of Artillery

Awarded on:

September 24th, 1942

Citation:
"When the guns were knocked out about twenty vehicles made their way to the coast west from TOBRUCH, where they were destroyed. Dvr. HOSSACK went East, though the rest went West. After walking for hours he joined a South African private with whom he walked down the coast and then together made a raft of German petrol tins. They sailed at 2100 hours, and landed at dawn on the East side of TOBRUCH harbour.

They walked to MERSA LUGCH where they met an officer and sergeant of a South African Rifle Regiment and two Cameron Highlanders.

The whole party walked to six and a half miles from SAVANI(?) OGIRIN where two Italians in a tank gave them selves up. They left them with food and water, having destroyed their tank.

The rest of the party were now in a very weak state, so they remained in this district and Dvr. HOSSACK continued alone.

Ten miles East of SIDI BARRANI he found Lt. NICOL's batman in a slit trench, and carried on with them. Soon after, on 23.7.42, they lost the batman, and Dvr. HOSSACK continued alone with Lt. NICOL (who has also been recommended for an award).

The same day a German truck appeared, salvaging. Lt. NICOL AND Dvr. HOSSACK hid under an abandoned Indian vehicle. When the Germans approached they seized them, took tmen two miles into the desert and left them. They drove about in the German vehicle looking for the batman, but as there were several German salvage parties near, finally moved off.

On 24.7.42 they reached the Italians at 18.30 hours, but having removed cap and badge of rank, drove fearlessly past sentries and staff cars till they reached the centre of the box. Here they could not escape as there were sentries all around, so they abandoned the lorry and slept in a slit trench.

At 0600 hours they slipped from the box and hid in a wide trench. Three Italians looked at them, but thought they were Germans as they continued talking nonchalantly. In the evening, though there were groups of Italians moving out, Lt. NICOL and Dvr. HOSSACK worked their way to the wire. A sentry shouted "Arresta" and rushed forward, but they walked away from him without increasing their pace. Just as they thought he would shoot, or they be forced to give themselves up, he turned his attention to a working party and they escaped through a hole in the wire.

They continued our lines next morning, 25.7.42.

Dvr. HOSSACK covered roughly 50 miles with the South African private, 50 with the large party, 37 alone and 200 with Lt. NICOL, of which 130 were covered in the vehicle. He had neither map nor compass when he set out, and lost his four days' food supply at the start when the raft capsized.

It was through sheer dogged courage and devotion to duty that this driver eventually reached our lines."

LG 35715/4158