Lieutenant-Colonel Scrappy Hay
5th/7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

Lt Col Hay commanding the bn, during the whole of this time was always where the fighting was at its thickest. With complete disregard to his own safety he moved from one defensive position to another under heavy fire extolling the men and encouraging them. During the whole of the time of the action which last 48 hours he had hardly any sleep at all.

(D.S.O. citation, 31 Aug 1944)

Born on 31 May 1912 Surrey, England, James Eric Goldwin Hay took a commission with the Gordon Highlanders after attending the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He commanded a battle training school before the 51st Division embarked for North Africa. During the Second Battle of El Alamein on 25 October 1942, Hay took command of the 1st Gordon Highlanders when Lieutenant-Colonel Horatius Murray was put out of action and another major also named James Hay was badly wounded in a mine blast.

Continue reading →