Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant

Unit:

2nd Battalion Warwickshire Regiment, 185th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, British Army

Awarded on:

March 1st, 1945

"Lieutenant Mavin was selected to carry out a long and perilous patrol to the Reichswald – a patrol requiring answers to a large number of vitally important questions concerning woods, approaches, tracks, mines, defences, marshland and so on. It involved going through the enemy front line and exploring through areas of enemy occupation behind it. Lieutenant Mavin, left our lines with one other rank at 2100 hours, 5th Oct 44 and returned, having successfully accomplished his task, in the early hours of 7 Oct 44. He moved by night, and during the day of 6th Oct 44 lay up, with his companion, within three-hundred yards of the Reichswald which he observed throughout that day. Twice he narrowly escaped being captured or a casualty, once by a German patrol and once by a German Post. Firing occurred on both occasions and on one Lt. Mavin killed or wounded a German with his revolver. His initiative, courage and determination to complete his task, were quite exceptional under conditions which were most nervewracking throughout."