COUTTS, John Davies
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Rank:
Corporal
Unit / Base:
52ME Commando
Regiment/Corps:
York and Lancaster Regiment
Service:
Army
Number:
4746052
P.O.W. camps:
Honours & Awards:
Corporal John Coutts was awarded the Military Medal for gallant and distinguished service during his escape from a Prisoner of War Camp at Salonika, Greece [1][2].
Cpl. Coutts had been captured at Sphakia, Crete, on 1st June 1941. After the escape he and two other escapees, Tpr. Nicholas and Cpl. Ward, made their way down to the Agion Oros penninsular. Trooper John Harry Nicholas became ill with malaria and through weakness and lack of medical attention died on 7th October 1941 [more....]. Cpl. Coutts and Cpl. Ward then stole a boat near Smerna and made for Imbros but bad weather forced them back after 10 miles. The effort was too much for Corporal Ward who died on the 10th November 1941 [see notes below]. Corporal Coutts eventually reached allied lines in May 1942 [2] .
On the 21st December 1944 it was announced that 4746052 Lance Sergeant John Davies Coutts, M.M., The York and Lancaster Regiment, had been awarded a bar to the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in NW Europe [3].
Sources
[1] London Gazette 35715, page 4158.
[2] National Archives file WO373/61/945.
[3] London Gazette 36850, page 5857.
Notes
At present we have found no trace of a Cpl. Ward who died on this date.
The middle name in the LG @[3] above is spelt DAVIES, rather than DAVIE as [1] and [2].
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