Beschreibung:

A superb Second World War Imphal operations M.C. group of six awarded to Captain J. M. “Tim” Carew, Devonshire Regiment, late Parachute Regiment and Gurkha Rifles, who later wrote several well-known military histories: in winning his M.C. with the Gurkhas, Carew led three separate charges against the Japanese on the “Scraggy” feature - and collected as many wounds Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, S.E. Asia 1945-46, Malaya (Lieut., M.C., Devon.), generally good very fine (6) £2500-3000 Footnote M.C. London Gazette 5 October 1944. The original recommendation states: ‘On the evening 9 June 1944, in the area of Shenam on the Palel-Tamu Road, after heavy artillery fire had destroyed the forward platoon position on the “Scraggy” feature, knocking out all three L.M.Gs and causing many casualties, the enemy attacked with approximately one platoon behind a heavy grenade barrage. Our own forward platoon area was overrun and the Japs, carrying grenades in sandbags, continued their advance down hill towards the main positions. 2nd Lieutenant Carew, who had with him at the time one section which was not in action, immediately led them forward with great dash and spirit and succeeded in halting the enemy’s advance, though every man in the section was either killed or wounded, 2nd Lieutenant Carew himself being hit. Realising the need for hitting the enemy before he could dig himself in securely, 2nd Lieutenant Carew organised another party of about a dozen men and again led them forward against the enemy. In spite of heavy casualties caused by the incessant grenade throwing of the enemy, the latter was driven back to our original forward line. Unable to make further headway with his much depleted force, 2nd Lieutenant Carew returned to his company and organised yet another counter-attack force of about two sections. Although himself wounded in two places, he led this third assault, again through showers of enemy grenades, in which he was wounded once more. The counter-attack penetrated into the enemy occupied positions, but Jap reinforcements and the heavy casualties caused to our own small force compelled it to withdraw. 2nd Lieutenant Carew was one of the last to leave and came back carrying a badly wounded man. It was only after receiving a direct order from his Company Commander, that 2nd Lieutenant Carew eventually proceeded, very reluctantly, to the R.A.P. for medical attention. Throughout the action he showed himself to be completely fearless and willing to accept any odds and was a magnificent example and inspiration to the men.’ Mention in despatches: unverified. John Mohun “Tim” Carew was born in Bury St. Edmunds in July 1921, the great-nephew of Sir John Fortescue, and was educated at Marlborough, where he enjoyed ‘an outstandingly undistinguished career’. Having joined Exeter City Police as a cadet in 1938, he enlisted as a Trooper in the Royal Horse Guards soon after the outbreak of hostilities, suffering a drop in salary to ‘fourteen shillings a week (less barrack damages)’, following which he rose to the rank of Corporal in the 4th Battalion of newly established Parachute Regiment. In early 1943, however, while attending a pre-O.C.T.U. in the U.K., Carew volunteered for the Indian Army, and one year later was serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Gurkha Rifles on the Burma front. And it was for his magnificent bravery in the heavy fighting of 9 June 1944, on the “Scraggy” feature, Imphal, that he was awarded his M.C. His own modest account of the action in question appears in his entertaining wartime memoirs, All This And A Medal Too: ‘I spoke to the Colonel on the field telephone. That wise and kindly veteran of another world war and a dozen frontier skirmishes said: “Dig your toes in boy. They’ll come to you.” The next afternoon the Colonel’s prophecy was proved only too right. At about three o’clo