His courage and coolness in a situation which seldom confronts
the gunners kept his detachment on the gun and continued to produce the
essential fire required by the other batteries.
Later on “tank alert” was ordered when information was received
that tanks were entering the town from the NORTH.
Sgt. Knight, again with utter contempt for the mortars and machine guns, moved his
gun up into the town to a position where he could cover the main cross-roads so that
he could take on any tanks which might threaten the battery position and as a
result force the guns stop firing.
During the whole engagement this Non-Commissioned-Officer's
conduct was almost beyond comprehension.
His cool, stout-hearted steadiness and courage, the example
he set for his detachment
and the rest of the unit undoubtedly kept the remainder of his battery
in action and during which action the attack of a brigade in strength
was successfully beaten off.
E.46592 Gnr. BOUCHARD, R received the MM and his citation
read as follows:
During the night 16/17 April 1945 the enemy attacked and over-ran
76 Battery command post, setting the building on fire and knocking
out the wireless sets.
Gunner Bouchard realizing that word of a full scale attack must get back to the
infantry as soon as possible, jumped into his veh
and headed for the infantry battalion headquarters.
By this time the enemy was dug-in on both sides of the 400 yard stretch of road.
With utter disregard for his own personal safety, displaying absolute
contempt for the enemy fire, inspired only by the thought that something
had to be done, he headed down the road.
Sheets of flame swept both sides of the vehicle as he proceeded on his
self-appointed task and soon it was burning fiercely.
Utterly oblivious to all this he arrived at battalion headquarters
and presented the first clear picture of how serious the situation was.
This man, by his own personal
initiative, complete devotion to duty, contempt for danger, set such an
example to his comrades and produced clear and concise information that
the attack on OTTERLOO was successfully repulsed.