Corporal Edward Joseph Landau
Unit : "K" Section, 6th Airborne Divisional Signals, attached to Headquarters, 5th Parachute Brigade
Army No. : 2595637
Awards : Military Medal
On 24th March 1945 Corporal Landau dropped by parachute with Headquarters 5th Parachute Brigade behind the enemy lines near Hamminkeln. He was senior NCO in the first party to reach the Brigade Headquarters rendezvous. A very heavy responsibility for establishing communications thus fell on his shoulders. The area was under very heavy shelling and mortar fire, but Corporal Landau moved fearlessly about in the open. He went from set to set, taking up batteries, checking communications and encouraging the signallers. During the whole of this time he was completely exposed to the full fury of the enemy's first reaction to our landing. He never hesitated or allowed his men to falter in their most vital task.
It was very largely due to the courage and devotion to duty of this NCO that Brigade Headquarters was successfully established and control of the battle gained early, with far reaching results on subsequent operations.