Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lance-Corporal

Unit:

No. 3 Commando, 1st Commando Brigade, 11th Armoured Division, British Army

Awarded on:

January 24th, 1946

L/Cpl Wadge is a medical orderley in No.3 Commando. At Amfreville on 12th June 1944 although wounded by shellfire he refused to have his wounds attended to until he had dressed and evacuated 5 of his wounded comrades. Throughout the campaign in Holland and Germany his conduct has been consistently excellent. At Linne in January 1945 he re-entered the town after a fighting patrolhad withdrawn and with the asistance of a comrade managed to evacuate one of four wounded men left behind.At leese after the crossing of the River Weser he walked out with the medical officer over completely open ground on two separate occasions and helped carry back a wounded officer and OR, during this time being under continual rifle fire from enemy troops some 400 yds away. After the crossing of the River Allerand whilst the initial fighting was in progress he voluntarily went out through woods infested by the enemy to attempt the evacuation of two wounded men of his troop. Subsequently on hearing at 0200 hrs 13th April that a wounded Sgt of the Commando Unit was in an enemy Regimental Aid Post in a village some 3 miles away , he immediately went out, through the enemy lines to look for the Sgt,but was unsuccessful. he returned at first light, despite the fact that SS troops were holding the village , found the wounded Sgt, carried him back through the German Linesand saw him evacuated. By this action L/Cpl Wadge was largely instrumental in saving the amputation of one of the Sgt's Legs. Again on the crossing of the River Elbe , L/Cpl Wadge distinguished himself by walking out under heavy fire from, cliffs above and across ground which was being mortared enemy and shelled, successfully brought to cover , and then evacuated two wounded men who had been hit on disembarking from their Buffalo, and who were lying in the open. L/Cpl wadge's bearing, devotion to duty and completye disregard for his personal safety have been an inspiration to allthroughout the entire campaign.