Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Temporary Captain

Unit:

F Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government

Awarded on:

August 30th, 1945

Citation:
"This officer started valuable resistance work in 1942 in the Bordeaux region, with a British organiser. During this mission he tracked down a notorious double agent and narrowly escaped arrest. He eventually became comprimised with the Gestapo and escaped to this country through Spain.
Captain Corbin volunteered for further work and was landed in rance on 9th April 1944 by Lysander to organise a circuit based on La Rochelle. Finding his contacts in this area comprimised he moved to Angoulème, where he made contact with a number of local groups, trained them in sabotage and guerilla methods, armed them by means of supplies recieved by parachute, and planned concerted D Day attacks on enenemy communications.
These operations were carried out according to plan and Corbin personally led successful attacks on the Angoulème-Ruffeo railway. He also organised and led sabotage attacks on high tension pylons in the Angoulème area. In addition a number of enemy vehicles were sabotaged by means of emery powder mixed with th oil.
With a group of 75 men, Corbin participated in the operations leading to the capture of Angoulème on August 23rd and successfully ambushed a German column retreating from the town. In this operation 20 Germans were killed, and 35 wounded, 7 enemy vehicles and a quantity of equipment captured.
For his courage, his leadership, his loyalty and his devotion to the Allied cause, it is recommended that this officer be awarded the Military Cross."