CRAFT, Alfred James
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Lance Corporal Alfred Craft MM was killed in action during operations at Agnone, Sicily, and the bridge at Malati (3 Commando Bridge) [1][1a].
A veteran of the Vaagso raid in Norway, Alfred had later been awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the combined attack at Dieppe, France [2][3].
Recommendation
Yellow 2 Dieppe-18th-19th August, 1942.
These two soldiers*, batman and runner to the senior officer at Y2, reconnoitred the approach to Berneval Village and guided their party forward from the beach without its being discovered. They set a fine example to the rest of the soldiers by pushing on through the village with great dash, showing a tactical sense, which was most useful in a party not trained to work as a team, and knowing little of infantry work.
They exposed themselves most willingly in carrying messages, particularly when the party was sniping the Battery from the cornfields. They were among the last group to leave the beach, covering their officers, whom they guarded most watchfully throughout, as they came down the cliff.
They previously did excellent work in the raid on Vaagso, December 1941, where the former* was wounded.
[Both recommended for MID, both awarded MM] [3].
[1] CWGC.
[2] London Gazette 35729, page 4328.
[3] Award Recommendations / National Archives file WO373/93/841.
*Other Commando - Pte. Sidney Charles Clark.
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