Colonel Osmond Luxmoore Jones
Unit : Brigade Headquarters, 1st Airlanding Brigade.
Awards : Distinguished Service Order
Colonel Jones was Deputy Commander of the 1st Airlanding Brigade. His arrival in Sicily was somewhat precarious; his glider landed on the edge of a cliff and soon came under fire from an Italian searchlight position, 100 yards away. After pushing inland with some other members of Brigade HQ, he encountered No.2 Section of the 1st Border's Reconnaissance Platoon. Now with 14 men, Jones marched the force towards the Santa Teresa railway station, which they reached, after a short skirmish, at 04:00. Jones intended to attack the station, but understanding that it was too perilous for them to attempt it in the dark, he ordered his men to shelter in a nearby farm building until dawn.
Three hours later, the Royal Navy began to shell the invasion areas, and their fire was answered by an Italian gun battery very near to Jones' party. As a consequence, the British guns brought down counter-battery fire on the area, and some shells landed very close to the farm building. An hour later, Jones sent out the Reconnaissance Section to locate the battery, which they found to the south of the railway station. It consisted of 5 guns in an area measuring some 100 x 40 yards, inside which were numerous dugouts and sand bag emplacements. Colonel Jones decided to attack at 11:15.
In the first phase of the assault, Private Cox was sent forward to create a smokescreen by throwing grenades to set alight an area of long, dry grass next to the battery position. This accomplished, 4 men with two Bren guns put heavy fire down on the Italian positions whilst the assault group, who had managed to work their way to within 40 yards of the battery, surged forward. The first wave of the assault was led by Lieutenant Budgeon, with two British and one American glider pilot armed with Sten guns. These were followed by Colonel Jones, Major Tomkins and 4 riflemen of the Reconnaissance Platoon. Grenades were thrown into dugouts and tents, and such was the shock of this aggressive attack that the garrison surrendered almost immediately.
Incredibly, nobody in Jones' party had been hurt, although it was subsequently found that a captured glider pilot, held in one of the dug-outs, had been wounded. Of the Italians, approximately 6 were killed, a further 6 wounded, and 40 taken prisoner. Having rounded up the survivors, Jones ordered his men to dismantle what they could of the guns to render them unserviceable, ranging tables were thrown into the fires which had broken out around the battery, while Major Tomkins indulged in what the official report [See here] described as a "career of arson", setting alight to tents and anything remotely flammable. At about this time, a Company of infantry of the 2nd Battalion The Northamptonshire Regiment arrived on the scene, to carry out their pre-arranged orders to silence the battery, only to find that their work had been done for them.
For this action, Colonel Jones was awarded the Distinguished Service Order:
Colonel Jones landed about five miles south of the appointed landing area in the barbed wire covering the beaches. Although attacked by Italians while in the wire he extricated his small force with the exception of a padre and one signaller who were captured.
He then led his party consisting of five officers and five other ranks inland and started to move towards the bridge south of Syracuse. After about two hours and a half, a platoon of the Border Regiment joined up and the augmented party proceeded. At about 0830 it was apparent that a coastal battery was in action close at hand. Colonel Jones halted his men and made a recce; he returned with a plan to destroy the battery which was obviously firing on the shipping assembled near the beaches.
The Battery was assaulted with complete success and no casualties. Colonel Jones with complete disregard for his own safety personally led the assault which resulted in 45 prisoners being captured and a considerable number of Italians being killed and wounded. The battery was blown up.
The skill, determination and offensive spirit shown by this small body of men under the leadership of Colonel Jones resulted in a five gun coast defence battery being put out of action at a critical time on the beaches. The action was made possible by the initiative and personal gallantry of Colonel Jones, who throughout the action inspired all ranks with the greatest confidence. Subsequently Colonel Jones rejoined the Brigade and assumed command until the arrival of the Brigade Commander.