Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Carew Pole
5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment

At one time his wireless was knocked out, but he continued to personally direct the advance from a tank despite the fact that they were under very accurate fire from enemy A tk guns. His courage was an inspiration to all.

(D.S.O. citation, 1 Mar 1945)

Born on 4 March 1902 in London, John Gawen Carew Pole was educated at Eton College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was the son of Lieutenant-General Reginald Pole-Carew (1849–1924), and became 12th Baronet of Shute House in 1926. Commissioned into the Coldstream Guards since 1923, Carew Pole served as aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief, India in 1925 and aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief, South Africa in 1935. He retired from the Guards in July 1939.

Continue reading →