Bombardier Henry Herbert Reed
GC (1911 – 20 June 1941), of No. 2 Battalion, 1 Maritime Anti-Aircraft Regiment,
Royal Artillery, was posthumously awarded the
George Cross
The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...
for the "gallant and utterly selfless action" he showed after the merchant ship SS ''Cormount'' was attacked by German
E-boats and planes on 20 June 1941.
20 June 1941
The ship was raked by machine-gun fire from the attacking planes, and Reed, who had volunteered to man anti-aircraft guns on merchant shipping, had suffered a mortal stomach wound. Despite his injuries, he rescued the injured Chief Officer from the badly damaged bridge and carried him down two sets of ladders to safety. He also managed to move an injured steward to cover before dying minutes later of his wounds. The ship survived the attack, despite being struck by an air-launched torpedo.
He was also posthumously awarded the
Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea
The Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea is one of the four Lloyd's Medal types bestowed by Lloyd's of London. In 1939, with the coming of the Second World War, Lloyd's set up a committee to find means of honouring seafarers who performed acts of e ...
.
George Cross citation
Reeds' George Cross citation appeared in the
London Gazette
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
on 23 September 1941:
Gunner Reed's George Cross is currently held by the
National Army Museum in
Chelsea, London.
H. H. Reed GC
/ref>
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, Henry Herbert
Royal Artillery soldiers
Military personnel from Sunderland
British recipients of the George Cross
British Army personnel killed in World War II
1911 births
1941 deaths
Military personnel from County Durham