St. Aubyn, Oliver Piers

Date of birth:: July 12th, 1920 (St Michael's Mount/Cornwall, Great Britain)
Date of death:: May 24th, 2006
Service number:: 132149
Nationality:: British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Biography

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Mentioned in Dispatches

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: Headquarters, 156th Parachute Battalion, 4th Parachute Brigade, 1st Airborne Division, British Army
Awarded on:: August 24th, 1944

Military Cross (MC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: Headquarters, 156th Parachute Battalion, 4th Parachute Brigade, 1st Airborne Division, British Army
Awarded on:: November 9th, 1944
Awarded for:: Operation Market Garden

This officer displayed conspicuous gallantry and great powers of leadership at Arnhem during the period 20th-25th September 1944. On 20th September 1944, he assisted in rallying the remnants of the Battalion and leading them in a bayonet charge on an enemy position in a wood which was preventing the remainder of the Brigade making contact with the Division. After clearing this position he led a patrol to clear a neighbouring wood of the enemy and remained with this patrol exposed to enemy fire all the afternoon to protect the rear of the Brigade Group.

On rejoining the Division he commanded a composite platoon of the Battalion on the divisional perimeter with great skill and gallantry for the remainder of the battle.

Sources

- O'REILLY, J., From Delhi to Arnhem, Thoroton Publishing Limited, Thoroton, Nottinghamshire, Great Britain, 2009.
- Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36668 published on the 22 August 1944
- Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36785 published on the 7 November 1944
- The Pegasus Archive - The Battle of Arnhem Archive