Lieutenant Edward Gordon Pool
Unit : No.5 Platoon, "B" Company, 7th Parachute Battalion
Service No. : 288331
Awards : Military Cross
When Pool joined the British Army as a common soldier he had intended to join the Brigade of Guards, however the Recruiting Sergeant he met with decided otherwise and posted him to a battalion of the Middlesex Regiment. He had earned a promotion to Corporal when his commanding officer, noticing his education, recommended that he apply for a commission. This he did and, after several attempts, via the Royal Ulster Rifles, he successfully joined the Parachute Regiment and was posted to the 7th Battalion. During a training exercise with an Army battle school in the New Forest, Pool was amongst a group of men taken out into the countryside and abandoned several miles from a rendezvous, which they had to reach whilst other troops attempted to capture them. His fellow students, and indeed the officers of the school, were determined to beat any wearer of the flashy red beret, however they were disappointed on this occasion as Pool reached the rendezvous well in advance of the remainder. The Colonel of the school, however, wrongly suspected that Pool had cheated and made use of roads and railway lines to speed his passage, and as a result when the party prepared to return to camp he left Pool where he was and told him to find his own way back. Pool silently refused to obey this order and hitched a ride back to camp, clinging to the rear of the Colonel's staff car. The speed with which he "ran" the five miles was surely noticed, however the Colonel made no objection and gave Pool a glowing report.
Unlike many other parachutists on the 6th June, Lieutenant Pool and the vast majority of No.5 Platoon landed successfully and quickly arrived at the rendezvous. During the advance to relieve Major Howard's men at the bridges, Pool heard German voices behind a nearby hedgerow and quickly threw a grenade behind it, resulting in some of the enemy fleeing and one wounded man being left behind. No.5 Platoon held a number of houses in Le Port on the 6th June, which they held throughout despite constant enemy pressure. As a result of his actions on this day, Pool was awarded the Military Cross:
Lieutenant Pool's platoon were required to hold an outpost on the western bridgehead held by the airborne troops over the Caen Canal at Benouville. He held this outpost for 21 hours on 6th June 44, during which time he was almost continuously attacked by superior forces. Lieutenant Pool's personal example, cheerfulness and bravery were an inspiration to all who served under him. In addition he led numerous offensive patrols which played a material part in the successful action of his battalion.
On the 18th June, with the Battalion now based in the Bois de Bavent, "B" Company was ordered to carry out an attack on a farmhouse that was known to be held by the Germans. The farm was later christened "Bob's Farm" by the men of the 7th Battalion, named after Pool's new company commander, Major Keene. As the Company was preparing to advance, after a barrage put down by the 53rd Airlanding Light Regiment ceased, Lieutenant Pool reported to Keene that a German machine-gun outpost had been spotted on the Company's left flank and was, therefore, a clear danger to the attack. Keene quickly reorganised his strategy and ordered Pool to take out the machine-gun whilst the remainder of "B" Company proceeded as planned. Despite heavy losses, the remainder of the Company successfully attacked the Farm whilst Pool and his runner dealt with the gun. This they did, however a German multi-barreled mortar opened fire on the area shortly after and both men were hit. His runner was killed, and Pool lost a foot as well as suffering further wounds to his legs and right hip. He was taken back to the Main Dressing Station and evacuated from Normandy.