36774 5015.

SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette Of TUESDAY, the 315* of OCTOBER, 1944 by Registered as a newspaper

THURSDAY, -2 NOVEMBER, 1944

. War Office, 2nd November, 1944. i'ne next morning this drove off • three more tanks /by the fearless use of his The KING has been graciously pleased to Piat, on each occasion leaving cover and approve awards of the taking up position in open ground with com- to: — plete disregard for his personal safety. Captain (temporary ) Henry Cain During the following days, Major Cain ^129484), The Royal Northumberland was everywhere where danger threatened, Fusiliers, (attd. The South Staffordshire Regi- moving amongst his men and encouraging ment) (i Airborne Division) (Salcombe, them by his tearless example to hold out. Devon). He refused rest and medical attention in In Holland on igth September, 1944, spite of the fact that his hearing had been Major Cain was commanding a rifle com- seriously impaired because of a perforated pany of' the South Staffordshire Regiment eardrum and he was suffering from multiple during the battle of when his com- wounds. pany - was cut off from the rest of the On the 25th September the enemy made battalion and during the next six days was a concerted attack on Major Cain's position, closely engaged with enemy tanks, self-pro- using self-propelled guns, flame throwers and pelled guns and infantry. The Germans infantry. By this time the last Piat had been made repeated attempts to break into the put out of action and Major Cain was armed company position by infiltration. and had with only a light 2" mortar. However, by a they succeeded in doing so the whole situa- skilful use of this weapon and his daring tion of "the Airborne Troops would have been leadership of the few men still under his jeopardised. command, he completely demoralized the Major Cain, toy -his outstanding devotion enemy who, after an engagement lasting to duty and remarkable .powers of leader- more than three hours, withdrew in disorder. ship, was to a large extent personally re- . . Throughout the whole course of .the Battle sponsible .for saving a vital sector from of Arnhem, Major Cain showed superb falling into the hands of the enemy. gallantry. His powers of endurance and On 20th September a Tiger tank leadership -were the admiration of- all his approached the area held by his company fellow officers and stories of his valour were and Major Cain went out alone to deal with being constantly exchanged amongst .the it armed with a Piat. Taking up a position troops. His coolness and courage under in- he held his fire until the tank was only 20 cessant fire could not be surpassed. , yards away when he opened up. The tank Lieutenant Tasker Watkins (187088),- The immediately halted and turned its guns -on (Dagenham). - . him, shooting away a corner of the house In North-West Europe on the evening, of near where this officer was lying. Although i6th August, 1944, .Lieutenant Watkinsywas wounded by machine gun bullets and falling commanding a .company of the Welch.Regi- masonry, Major Cain continued firing until ment. . The • battalion was ordered' to .attack he had scored several di-rect hits, immobilised objectives near the railway at Bafour. the tank and supervised- the 'bringing up of Lieutenant .Watkin's company..had .tp. cross .a .7.5 mm. howitzer which- completely • .open cornfields in -which booby,-traps :had destroyed it. Only then would he consent been set-.. . It was not yet dusk and. the,,com- to.have his wounds dressed. pany soon came under heavy "machine-gun