A fine Deacon Self-Propelled gun Battle of the Mareth Line Military Medal awarded to Acting Serjeant J.S. Williams, 234th Battery, 73rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery for his gallantry at Djebel Remtzia on 19th March 1943 when he was the last one of a troop of four to bring his gun into action in front of the hill, under heavy fire he manoeuvred his gun into a hull down position with the turret facing the enemy so that even if the vehicle became damaged he could continue to fire. Both he and his crew were wounded as a result of a very close sell burst, but in spite of this he got his gun into action before turning to the wounded. He then half carried a wounded man through open ground swept by machine-gun and small arms fire to his troop HQ, he then repeated this with another man, in all crossing the bullet swept ground four times under intense fire including that of snipers. He spent the rest of the day without attention to his wound lying in the open beside his gun watching the enemy and indicating targets. He would later go on to serve in Sicily where he would be wounded in action during the capture of the island.
Group of 6: Military Medal, GVIR, 1st type bust; (1544878 A. SJT. J.S. WILLIAMS. R.A.); 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star, loose bar 8th Army and loose numeral '8' ; Italy Star; Defence Medal; War Medal.
Condition: Good Very Fine
Jack Seymour Williams, lived in Buckland, Portsmouth, Hampshire and enlisted into the 59th Anti-Tank Regiment on 12th December 1939, seeing service in North Africa with the 8th Army in the drive through Libya and Tunisia, it would be during the fighting in Tunisia where he would be awarded the Military Medal, this later confirmed in the London Gazette of 26th August 1943, the recommendation for the award, won as an Acting Sergeant (No. 1544878) with 234th Battery, 73rd Anti-Tank Regiment covers the act as follows:
‘On 19th March 1943 near DJEBEL REMTZIA Sgt Williams was in command of his Anti-Tank gun, the last one of a troop of four to come into action in front of this hill. The enemy had excellent observation facilities and brought down fire from guns, MG’s and mortars at ranges in some cases of only 800 yards. Sgt Williams nevertheless brought his Deacon forward, fearlessly keeping his gun turret towards the enemy so that he could still fire on them should the vehicle become damaged. As he turned into a Wadi to obtain a hull down position he and all his detachment were wounded by a very close shell burst. In spite of this his one thought was to get his gun into action and not until he was satisfied that it was sited in a position best suited to its role did he turn to the wounded whom he tended as best as he could. Sgt Williams then helped one of the more seriously injured, half carrying half supporting him across an open piece of ground swept by Brida, MG and small arms fire, to his troop HQ. He returned across the same ground and similarly helped another man across. Having made arrangements for the evacuation of both men he returned to command his gun. In all he crossed the bullet swept zone four times and on each occasion braved the most intense fire not only of MGs of all calibres but also of enemy snipers. He spent the rest of the day without attention to his wound, lying out in the open beside his gun watching the enemy and indicating targets. His great courage and coolness under fire, his devotion to duty and his complete disregard of his own wound and personal safety are a magnificent example and inspiration to his men.’
The Deacon self-propelled gun was a 6 pounder gun on a wheeled carriage. 175 of these vehicles were built in 1942 and sent to North Africa where the terrain gave the greatest scope for the employment of wheeled vehicles, they remained in service until the end of the North African campaign, when they were then handed over to the Turkish Government.
The fighting at Djebel Remtzia on 19th March 1943 was part of Operation Pugilist, Montgomery’s attempt to breach the Mareth Line in southern Tunisia.
The Battle of the Mareth Line or the Battle of Mareth was an attack in the Second World War by the British Eighth Army (led by General Bernard Montgomery) in Tunisia, against the Mareth Line held by the Italo-German 1st Army (led by General Giovanni Messe). It was the first big operation by the Eighth Army since the Second Battle of El Alamein 4+1⁄2 months previously. On 19 March 1943, Operation Pugilist, the first British attack, established a bridgehead but a break-out attempt was defeated by Axis counter-attacks. Pugilist established an alternative route of attack and Operation Supercharge II, an outflanking manoeuvre via the Tebaga Gap was planned. Montgomery reinforced the flanking attack, which from 26 to 31 March, forced the 1st Army to retreat to Wadi Akarit, another 40 mi (64 km) back in Tunisia.
Williams would later fight during the campaign in Sicily and would be wounded on an unknown date during the campaign, the injury likely preventing him from serving again as his regiment would later serve in North West Europe landing on D-Day.
Williams would subsequently be discharged 31st January 1948.
