Acting Troop Sergeant Major James England, 47RM Commando 'B' Troop, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry, leadership and undaunted devotion to duty during the assault on the Island of Walcheren [1][2]. Prior service in 43RM Commando and later service as RSM 46RM Commando [3][6].

"On 2 November, TSM England was TSM of one of the troops of 47 RM Commando detailed to attack one of the strongly defended battery positions S.E. of Zouteland which commanded the Scheldt estuary. The defences included concreted casemates and pillboxes and unusually thick belts of wire covered by machine guns. The advance was over 1500 yards of deep soft sand.

By the time the attacking troops had reached assaulting distance they had become very depleted and disorganised and it seemed as if there would be insufficient weight in the attack to storm the enemy defences.

At this critical time TSM England came under heavy fire at close range from an enemy machine gun. Seizing a Bren gun lying on top of a dead marine, and firing from the hip as went, this brave NCO plodded up the soft sandy slope and charged this heavily bunkered position alone. He shot and killed 2 of the occupants and, running out of bren ammunition, he turned the German machine gun with good effect on 3 more Germans who had fled.

Still alone, he worked forward to a second position 30 yards further on where he killed 3 more Germans, 2 others surrendering. Here he was later joined by men from another troop. In a situation where the odds were strongly against him, and knowing that he was unsupported, the courage and determination of this NCO was above praise.

Later, in the growing darkness when it was impossible to give our forward troops any close support, the enemy counter-attacked and our men were driven off the enemy position on which they had gained a foothold.

The next morning another attack was put in on this enemy battery and TSM England's troop was given the task of mopping up behind the assaulting troops. The enemy was putting up the most desperate resistance and soon attacking and mopping-up troops became intermingled. The enemy opened concentrated and sustained cross fire from the position which TSM England had rushed the previous evening and from a concrete fire control position known as the 'umbrella' on the seaward side of the dunes.

On his own initiative and with total disregard for his safety he threw a smoke grenade to screen himself from the view of the 'umbrella' and rushed the machine-gun post in front of him.

Killing or capturing the occupants, he continued to work through the network of trenches and tunnels.

Throughout the course of the battle for Walcheren, especially in the fluctuating and bitter fighting, his immense courage and total disregard for his safety had a decisive influence" [2].