I must announce the passing away of a real British Hero from WWII. He is: Captain Richard Wallace Annand V.C. of the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry. I just got word today that my friend, the Captain, had passed away on December 25th.
A little about him. He was a Lieutenant in the DLI, and in 1940, at the River Dyle, is where he did his deed that earned him the highest combat bravery award of the U.K.--the Victoria Cross.
He had been leading a Platoon of men when he noticed that about a multi-Company-sized unit of German Soldiers were making an attempt to cross the river. Captain Annand took it upon himself alone--and attacked the German force. He ordered his men to stay undercover as he went out ahead. He threw many handgrenades and inflicted some 100? or so German casualties. He not only stopped their attempt to cross, but their attack in the entire sector of this part of the Western Front. All this and under heavy heavy enemy fire.
My sympathies go out to his Wife Shirley & the family of my friend, Captain Richard Wallace Annand V.C. of the DLI, as well as to the fine people of the U.K.
The Captain was the only living man of the DLI, who had won the V.C. The only other one who had lived past 1940, was Adam Wakenshaw--who earned his V.C. while fighting Rommel's Africa Korps.
Best regards--Carl.
Hello Hondo and thank you for the wishes. I will definately pass them along to Shirley through my friend Paul who lives near them.
