1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 1944-45 - Awards and Citations
Sergeant Edward STUPPLE, B.E.M. (6284291)
In July 1944 Sergeant Edward Stupple, was recommended for an Immediate Military Medal by the Commanding Officer Lieut.-Col. A. R. Harrison for his actions at Cheux and Mouen, France.
Military Medal (London Gazette 19th October 1944)
Citation:
“On 28th June 1944 during the occupation of CHEUX this NCO, a Platoon Sergeant, set a magnificent example to the men of this Platoon by walking around and calming then during their first experience of intense shelling. Further during the attack on MOUEN on 30th June 1944, he set the same high standard and with the Platoon Commander brought the Platoon through with few casualties. Leading Platoon H.Q. he himself silenced the Machine Gun position with a 36 Grenade. Further during the night of 30th June 1944, he calmed the men of his Platoon when a counter attack was anticipated. He himself stopped desultory rifle firing which broke out under the strain. By his extreme calmness and cheerfulness, he has been an outstanding example to the men of his Platoon.”
Background:
Edward Stupple was from Swansea. He enlisted in the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) in 1929. He transferred to the Worcestershire Regiment in 1937 and served with the 1st Battalion in Palestine, the Sudan, Abyssinia and North Africa (Tobruk) from 1938 to 1942, during which period he received two mentions-in-despatches (London Gazette 15th September 1939 and 30th December 1941).
From 1942 to 1943 he served with the South Staffordshire Regiment but rejoined the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment early in 1944 as a Lance Sergeant in ‘B’ Company. He landed with ‘B’ Company in Normandy in June 1944. He was wounded in the attack at Mount Pinçon.
He was awarded the British Empire Medal (B.E.M.) in 1944 (London Gazette 8th June 1944).
After the war he remained with the 1st Battalion until being discharged in 1950.
Edward Stupple died at Swansea, on 23rd April 1993, aged 81.