captain december december english recipient victoria_cross highest award gallantry face enemy awarded british commonwealth forces served italy second world war twice decorated bravery action killed mortar fire early life born december farm priest near thomas née began education village school elder sister named born younger sister born october family moved farm near john grew older fearless nature apparent week read comic featured instructions teach swim day asked canal went farmland sister stop taken clothes jumped canal finally arrived home mother wanted know clothes john responded teaching swim got older attitude occasion found swinging dutch barn feet old enrolled streak quickly apparent slipped tea remembered school contracted resulting need wear glasses enthusiastic played cricket hockey rugby water polo wrestling pupil school tackle playing rugby injuring older man knee process family moved school holidays young john known village come home reckless individual thought highly helped train assisted father spent days helping hop harvest military career joined british_army left school training private queen received commission second lieutenant january posted north_africa commissioned served instead posted having friendly captain officer boat africa september regiment landed italy given command platoon company unit subsequently moved south east establish base farm near river military cross december january commanded battle patrol saw near constant action early hours december received orders destroy enemy post based houses yards north efforts break enemy line crossed crossed river times troops took calling brook intense minute bombardment led section assault houses contained enemy soldiers house provided resistance grenades tommy guns managed kill enemy troops outside house inside belonging thirty minutes intense fighting patrol withdrew having man killed wounded rest section pulled remained sergeant private retrieve wounded soldier actions awarded january sick bed rear hospital pleaded doctors allowed leave attack given permission leading patrol heavy fire hospital hours later concussion piece split helmet carried fighting non commissioned officer forcibly led away line end campaign said commented friends won victoria_cross resting syria egypt returned italy july having promoted temporary captain appointed second command company early december regiment operating near fighting german troops retreating north italy night december regiment began attack town evening december taken village near heavy fighting established defensive positions actions engagement awarded victoria_cross citation award appeared supplement london gazette february reading morning having won battle acclaim regiment captain eager return offensive keeping alert trouble breakfast prepared men meal hours standing doorway platoon headquarters having tea friends stray german mortar bomb landed feet killing outright celebrated 22nd birthday days buried war cemetery italy commonwealth war grave victoria_cross announced posthumously february victoria_cross presentation december king presented parents buckingham palace father met sir 15th commander ceremony said expect know men awarded medal alexander replied unexpected day son legacy sister gave birth boy named honour heroic uncle september kent arms public house kent named honour pub changed horse local outrage original restored pub small housing development called built military career awarded star british war medal display lincolnshire collections lincoln altar rail soldiers chapel george dedicated memory regiment july victor comic featured cover story named page strip based actions won opened funds raised college holds photograph copy citation displayed outdoor plaque memory unveiled
John Brunt