Adam Herbert Wakenshaw
Private, 9th Battalion. Durham Light Infantry
- Register No.
- 1258 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 9th Battalion. Durham Light Infantry all Durham Light Infantry VCs →
- Date of action
- 27 June 1942 on this day → all of 1942 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 11th September 1942 on this day → all of 1942 →
- Born
- the 9th June 1940 at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland
- Died
- in action on 27th June 1942 at Mersa Matruh, Egypt
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at El Alamein War Cemetery and on a plaque at St Aloysius Secondary School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland
Digest of citation
On 27th June, 1942 in the Western Desert, South of Mersa Matruh, Egypt, Private Wakenshaw was a crew member of a two pounder anti-tank gun, during an attack by the enemy who silenced the gun and killed or seriously wounded all crew. In the action Private Wakenshaw lost his left arm but he managed to crawl back to his gun. With one arm he loaded the gun, firing five more rounds with some considerable effect. An enemy shell blew him away from the gun and he was again seriously wounded. He managed to crawl back once more, and was preparing to fire again, when a direct hit on the ammunition killed him and destroyed the gun
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
WAKENSHAW, Adam Herbert. (reg No. 1258).
Private. 9th Battalion. Durham Light Infantry.
London Gazetted on 11th September 1942.
VC medal not necessarily available to the public.
Born on the 9th June 1940 at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.
Killed in action on 27th June 1942 at Mersa Matruh, Egypt.
Memorial on grave at El Alamein War Cemetery and on a plaque at St Aloysius Secondary School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.
Digest of Citation reads: On 27th June, 1942 in the Western Desert, South of Mersa Matruh, Egypt, Private Wakenshaw was a crew member of a two pounder anti-tank gun, during an attack by the enemy who silenced the gun and killed or seriously wounded all crew. In the action Private Wakenshaw lost his left arm but he managed to crawl back to his gun. With one arm he loaded the gun, firing five more rounds with some considerable effect. An enemy shell blew him away from the gun and he was again seriously wounded. He managed to crawl back once more, and was preparing to fire again, when a direct hit on the ammunition killed him and destroyed the gun.
VC medal not necessarily available to the public.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at El Alamein War Cemetery and on a plaque at St Aloysius Secondary School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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