page_title: Richard Annand
section_title: Victoria Cross
hierarchical_section_title: Richard Annand / Military career / Victoria Cross
caption_attribution_description: English: Bridge over the Dyle River at Gastuche, Belgium where Second Lieutenant Richard Annan on the bridge won the V.C. in May 1940
context_page_description: Captain Richard Wallace Annand VC, ERD, DL was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
context_section_description: "Dickie" Annand was 25 years old, and a second lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, British Army during World War II when a deed took place on 15 May 1940, near the River Dyle, Gastuche, Belgium for which he was awarded the VC. This was the first Victoria Cross awarded to a member of the British Army in World War II. He was invested with the Victoria Cross by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 3 September 1940.
  The entry in the London Gazette concerning his Victoria Cross appeared in a supplement on 23 August 1940. It read as follows:
  For most conspicuous gallantry on the 15th–16th May 1940, when the platoon under his command was on the south side of the River Dyle, astride a blown bridge. During the night a strong attack was beaten off, but about 11 a.m. the enemy again launched a violent attack and pushed forward a bridging party into the sunken bottom of the river. Second Lieutenant Annand attacked this party, but when ammunition ran out he went forward himself over open ground, with total disregard for enemy mortar and machine-gun fire. Reaching the top of the bridge, he drove out the party below, inflicting over twenty casualties with hand grenades. Having been wounded he rejoined his platoon, had his wound dressed, and then carried on in command.
  Richard Annand's platoon sergeant said later "Mr Annand came to me at platoon headquarters and asked for a box of grenades as they could hear Jerry trying to repair the bridge. Off he went and he sure must have given them a lovely time because it wasn't a great while before he was back for more.
  During the evening another attack was launched and again Second Lieutenant Annand went forward with hand grenades and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. When the order to withdraw was received, he withdrew his platoon, but learning on the way back that his batman was wounded and had been left behind, he returned at once to the former position and brought him back in a wheelbarrow, before losing consciousness as the result of wounds.
caption: The Bridge over the Dyle
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