Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Second-Lieutenant

Unit:

2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, 11th Indian Infantry Brigade, 2nd South African Infantry Division, South African Army

Awarded on:

January 31st, 1940

"On 22 October, he and his men were ordered to test the strength of the enemy in a raid on an Italian position near Sidi Barrani. They found vehicles rather than the expected enemy fortifications, and destroying the vehicles, withdrew to base on board the last remaining one. Their interpreter was a Libyan prisoner conversant in Italian. As soon as they started their withdrawal, they were shelled and mortared by enemy positions. The Libyan driving the vehicle proceeded very slowly stuck in bottom gear, forcing them to abandon the lorry in a wadi. Cochrane ordered his men to disable the vehicle under heavy shelling and tracer rounds."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Second-Lieutenant

Unit:

2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, 11th Indian Infantry Brigade, 4th Indian Infantry Division, Indian Army

Awarded on:

July 18th, 1941

Recommendation:
"At Keren on February 3 Second Lieutenant Cochrane was ordered to take his platoon and secure a feature named "Cameroon Ridge". During the advance the hill was found to be very strongly held by an Italian grenadier company and by native Eritrean troops. Although he realised the opposing force was vastly superior to his own, and that strong reinforcements were being sent forward, he, in order to prevent the enemy gaining any advantage decided to continue the advance, and systematically dealt with the opposition until he finally captured the objective. During the advance Second Lieutenant Cochrane personally attacked and destroyed two machine-gun posts single-handed killing 13 of the enemy and destroying the guns with grenades; he held the ground gained although subjected to counter-attacks and heavy bombardment by mountain artillery and mortars until reinforcements arrived and captured the main peak. Throughout the operation 2nd Lieut. Cochrane displayed courage, leadership and powers of endurance of the highest order."


Cochrane's own recollection:
"The main defence consisted of two light machine-gun positions... one of them was overlooked by a crag and it looked as though it would be simple to lob grenades into it if one could perch on top… I clambered up and pulled some Mills bombs from my haversack, pitching them down with real malice... Unfortunately there was an overhang of rock off which my grenades bounced harmlessly. I could see Corporal Watson of 14 Platoon... he brought his section under cover of some thorn bushes... gave a copy book five order, 'enemy in sangar [a fortified position]... Fire!' and hit eight of the nine men in it... We then had to climb fast again to knock out the second gun."