Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 65 John La’fave (Yarmouth), Erwin Munroe (Port Medway) and Millard Patterson (Hantsport) and Lieutenant Donald Rae MacPherson (Westville). Private Munroe Private Patterson Lt. MacPherson continued ... Sergeant Austin Bennett, DCM, of North Sydney, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions of 2 March. On 19 January Sgt Bennett had been presented with a Commander-in- Chiefs’ Certificate for gallantry for his part on the Wyler raid. He was decorated with the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 10 November. His act of gallantry is detailed in the regimental history as well as in the book “Valour in the Victory Campaign” by T R Fowler: “During the clearing of Balberger Wald on 2 March, 1945, Sgt Austin Bennett was in charge of a platoon of “D” Company of the NSR. On the second day of the operation, all of the officers and the sergeant-major of the company became casualties. As the leading platoon commanded by Sgt Bennett approached the enemy objective, they were held up by six snipers. The attack bogged down and Sgt Bennett worked around to a flank where he killed 3 snipers and took the remainder prisoner. Sgt Bennet then took over the company and disposed them on the objective. As this was going on the company came under extremely heavy fire from a fortified house which was well beyond their objective. This non-commissioned officer, on his own initiative, then took a party of men and led the attack on the house. The brilliant attack, supported by the only available fire power, a group of Piats, allowed Sgt Bennett to seize 34 prisoners and was a deciding factor in the battalion attack. The initiative, courage and quick action on the part of Sgt Bennett permitted the following brigade to push through and continue the attack.” Austin Bennett died in 1997. On 26 March the regiment attacked the town of Milligen, Germany. Private Baxter Humby (Sydney) was killed in action. The commanding officer of the regiment was killed two days later. In early April the NSR prepared to do battle with the ‘young madmen’ (14-16-year-old soldiers training as paratroopers) defending the Zutphen canals. Lance-Corporal Percy Robicheau (Yarmouth) was killed in action on 5 April and Private Peter Cavanagh (Barney’s River) was killed on 6 April. continued ... Private Humby
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