Lieutenant-Colonel J.F. Higson
2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment

This comparatively young officer, who has only 8 yrs service, was acting 2 i/c of the Bn during the operations on Ed Duda. Throughout the whole period of operations he was if the greatest value, both in the Bn HQ area … also in the forward areas he was of the greatest value, visiting and directing the work of forward Coys under fire, in organising the defences and co-ordinating the work of the various arms. All of this was done under considerable strain and with very little sleep.

(M.C. citation, 24 February 1942)

Born in Norwich, Norfolk on 21 November 1913, John Frederick Higson was a commissioned officer in the Essex Regiment since 1933. He served with the 1st Battalion in the Western Desert campaign and as second-in-command earned the Military Cross for “conspicuous gallantry” in late November 1941 at Ed Duda near Tobruk. In one instance, he attacked two enemy trucks but when his Bren gun jammed, “he jumped out of the carrier, rushed up alone, stopped one lorry and took the driver prisoner.”

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