Knowland George Arthur [V.C.]

This memorial is part on the base that surrounds the Commando Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire

Lieutenant 323566, Royal Norfolk Regiment attached to No1 Commando killed in action on Hill 170, on the 31st January 1945 aged 22.Son of Arthur Philip and Mary Elizabeth Knowland, of Catford, London; husband of Ruby Knowland. Buried at Taykkyan War Cemetery, Burma

The following details are given in the London Gazette of April 10th, 1945 : In Burma on 31st January 1945, near Kangaw, Lieutenant Knowland was commanding a forward platoon subject to very heavy attacks throughout the whole day. In spite of the ferocity of the attacks he moved about encouraging his men and throwing grenades at the enemy, often from completely exposed positions. When the crew of one of his forward bren guns had been wounded, he manned the gun himself, standing on the top of the trench firing and keeping the enemy at a distance until another crew took over. Later he took over a 2-inch mortar and in spite of heavy enemy fire stood in the open firing from the hip, inflicting heavy casualties. When all bombs had been expended he continued to fight the enemy at close quarters with rifle and tommy-gun fire, stemming the assault and killing and wounding many of the enemy, until he himself was mortally wounded. Such was the inspiration of his magnificent heroism, that, though fourteen out of twenty-four of his platoon became casualties at an early stage, and six of his positions were overrun by the enemy, his men held on through twelve hours of continuous and fierce fighting until re-inforcements arrived. If this Northern end of the hill had fallen, the rest of the hill would have been endangered, the beach-head dominated by the enemy, and other units farther inland cut off from their source of supplies. As it was, the final successful counter-attack was later launched from the vital ground which Lieutenant Knowland had taken such a gallant part in holding.