| Citation: | Citation for C de G with Bronze Star: At dawn on 26 June 1944 the battle of FONTENAY was in full progress, with the EAST end of the village still in enemy hands, the WEST held by our own troops. It was therefore decided to push a Bn of the reserve Bde through the WEST side of the village at dawn on the 27 June to seize a commanding feature SOUTH of the village. On the morning of 26 June Sgt ALSOPP was detailed to set out with an officer of the Bde concerned to recce a route across country through FONTENAY by which the Bn could move up. This recce was carried out successfully as far as FONTENAY, but the battle was raging in the streets and it was impossible to continue through the village to the SOUTH side. At 20.00hrs on the evening of 26 June Sjt ALSOPP set out once more to mark the route with coloured lights, The whole of the area was being heavily shelled and mortared, and FONTENAY itself was on fire. Unperturbed, Sgt ALSOPP marked the route right up to the village, and was then faced with the task of completing the route through FONTENAY and to the SOUTH, over the ground he had been unable to recce that morning. The village was under extremely heavy enemy shelling and mortaring, and spandaus were firieng down the street. Enemy tanks were known to be operating. With complete disregard of his own personal safety, Sjt ALSOPP moved forward by bounds over completely unknown ground, marking the route through the orchards surrounding the houses until he reached the objective given. Then, realising the extreme likelihood of the lights being extinguished either by shell fire or enemy patrols Sjt ALSOPP did not return to his HQ, but for the rest of the night moved along the route he had marked, checking and rechecking the lamps, heedless of the enemy mortaring and the extreme danger that accrued from the proximity of enemy fighting patrols. Three hours before dawn the Bn for which he had marked the route moved up in complete darkness, without a man straying from the route. At dawn the Bn had reached its forming up area and soon after the attack went in. The success of that extremely difficult night move across unknown country was almost entirely due to Sgt ALSOPP's bravery and selfless devotion to duty in marking and maintaining the route despite the most difficult and dangerous conditions. Date of Citation 19 Dec 44.Maj Gen Comd 49 Inf Div. National Archive WO 373/186.War Diary WO 171/4240 49 (WR) Division Pro Coy April 45 The OC heartily contratulates 3384928 Sgt G Allsop on being awarded the Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star. Name spelt Alsop and Allsopp in citation, award not found in London Gazette. |
