George Arthur Knowland

George Arthur Knowland was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

He was 22 years old, and a Lieutenant in the The Royal Norfolk Regiment, British Army, attd. No. 1 Commando during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 31 January 1945 near Kangaw, Burma (now Myanmar), Lieutenant Knowland was in command of a forward platoon of a troop which was being heavily attacked – some 300 of the enemy concentrating on his 24 men. When all the crew of one of his forward Bren guns had been wounded, the lieutenant manned it himself, standing up to fire at 10 yards range, until the casualties had been evacuated. For 12 hours he held his ground, until he was eventually mortally wounded.

Further information

The medal

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Reference

• British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

Medal Stolen

See also

External links

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.