Corporal Harry Houghton
Unit : Royal Army Medical Corps, attached to Battalion Headquarters, 12th Parachute Battalion
Army No. : 7346272
Awards : Military Medal
12th Parachute Battalion dropped by parachute East of the Rhine on 24th March 1945. The collection of the battalion at its rendezvous was being accomplished under heavy and accurate fire. Casualties were numerous, and Corporal Houghton, in charge of a stretcher party, was continually crossing and recrossing the dropping zone which was swept by fire. On one occasion, his party was bringing in a seriously wounded man, under a positive hail of 88mm shells. After several near misses, one shell burst within a few feet, killing the bearer at the rear of the stretcher. Corporal Houghton calmly continued with his task. He drove on his party who had gone to ground, and by his inflexible determination inspired them to the completion of the job. Throughout a most harassing day Corporal Houghton showed selfless and untiring devotion to duty. His bearer party rendered yeoman-service to the Battalion, when under less determined leadership they might have faltered.