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Signalmal Eric George Tolhurst
Unit : "C" Section, No.1 Company, 1st Airborne Divisional Signals
Army No. : 2325487
Awards : Military Medal
Signalman Tolhurst is a lineman at Divisional Headquarters. After the 22nd September Divisional Headquarters was in the basement of a house and Headquarters Royal Artillery in an air raid shelter about 150 yards away. The whole area in between was being constantly shelled and mortared and was covered by enemy snipers. Tolhurst was made personally responsible for the telephone line between the two Headquarters. Over this line was arranged the supporting artillery fire required as a result of information received from Brigades. It was thus vitally important that it should be kept through. Tolhurst went out innumerable times to repair the line, which was being constantly cut by the mortar bombs and shells, and the line was never out of order for longer than 15 minutes. During one sortie he spotted the position of an enemy sniper; he at once stalked him successfully with a Bren gun.