An excellent Sicily landings Military Medal group awarded to Private J.H. Smith, 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment who having fought in North Africa, took part in the landings on the island of Sicily which took place on 10thJuly 1943 where as part of the leading platoon during the advance from the beaches to Syracuse his unit came under fire from three pill boxes and an anti-tank gun. Finding that platoon’s radio set wasn’t working, he worked as a runner under enemy fire to maintain communications between his platoon and the company. Again, when pinned down in front of Priola on the following day he ran frequent messages under fire with complete disregard to his safety, the maintaining of communications being of the greatest value to his platoon and company.
Military Medal, GVI 1st type bust; (5781506 PTE. J.H. SMITH. NORTH’N. R.) 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal. Court mounted for wear
Condition: Good Very Fine
John Henry Smith saw service as a Private (No. 5781506) with the 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment and would have taken part in their campaign in North Africa before the Battalion took part in the landings on Sicily on 10th July 1943, it was during the landings there that Smith would perform the act that led to the immediate award of the Military Medal in the London Gazette of 18th November 1943. The original recommendation for this award reads:
‘This man’s platoon was leading platoon during the advance from the beaches to SYRACUSE. When his platoon came under fire from three pill boxes and an Anti-Tank gun it was found that the platoon 38 set was not working. Communications between the platoon and its company then depended on Pte Smith who fulfilled his duty as runner with complete disregard to the enemy fire through which he had to move. On July 11 in front of Priola this man’s platoon was pinned to the ground very close to the enemy positions. The platoon was in this position for some time and frequent messages had to be passed back. Pte Smith as runner took them all with complete disregard for his own safety. His contempt of enemy fire both on the 10and 11 July was an inspiration to the platoon and the communications he maintained of the greatest value to his platoon and company.’
Having completed the invasion of Sicily, Smith’s battalion would have taken part in the landings in Italy and the subsequent fighting there, before in February 1945 it was transferred to North West Europe where it fought with 21st Army Group until the end of the war
