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On the 21st May 1940, Lance
Corporal Nicholls was commanding a section in the right-forward platoon of his company when the company was ordered to counter-attack. At the very start of the advance he was wounded in the arm by shrapnel, but continued to lead his section forward; as the company came
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Lance
Corporal Nicholls, realising the danger to the company, immediately seized a Bren gun and dashed forward towards the machine-guns, firing from the hip. He succeeded in silencing first one machine-gun and then two other machine-guns, in spite of being again severely wounded.
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He was wounded at least four times in all, but absolutely refused to give in. There is no doubt that his gallant action was instrumental in enabling his company to reach its objective, and in causing the enemy to fall back across the River
Scheldt.
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Lance-Corporal
Nicholls then went on up to a higher piece of ground and engaged the German infantry massed behind, causing many casualties, and continuing to fire until he had no more ammunition left.
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The announcement and accompanying citation for the decoration was published in supplement to the London
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His
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The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS to:—
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Lance-corporal
Nicholls has since been reported to have been killed in action.
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over a small ridge, the enemy opened heavy machine-gun fire at close range.
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He was born on 21 April 1915 and was 25 years old, and a
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Lance
Corporal Harry Nicholls, 1st Bn, Grenadier Guards
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British World War II recipients of the
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358:(Supplement). 26 July 1940. pp. 4659–4660.
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223:when the following deed took place during the
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16:English Victoria Cross recipient (1915-1975)
183:(21 April 1915 – 11 September 1975) was an
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383:The Register of the Victoria Cross
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258:'War Office, 31st July, 1940
94:Southern Cemetery, Nottingham
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21:Harry Nicholls (comedian)
230:On 21 May 1940 near the
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211:in the 3rd Battalion,
19:For the comedian, see
404:UK National Archives
385:(This England, 1997)
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304:Wellington Barracks
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132:British Army
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432:1975 deaths
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350:"No. 34909"
306:in London.
219:during the
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310:References
100:Allegiance
60:Nottingham
53:1915-04-21
334:31 August
238:north of
236:Esquelmes
199:forces.
141:Corporal
118:Service/
244:Belgium
240:Tournai
193:British
185:English
298:Legacy
292:Poland
166:Awards
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90:Buried
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336:2012
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