Richard Wallace Annand VC

Name: Richard Wallace Annand

Conflict: Second World War

Gazetted: August 23, 1940

Service: Army

Place/date of birth: South Shields, Co Durham/November 5, 1914

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Second Lieutenant (later Captain)

Date of bravery: May 15, 1940

London Gazette citation:

Second Lieutenant Richard Wallace Annand, The Durham Light Infantry. (Supplementary Reserve.)

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.

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.

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Other decorations: N/A

Place/date of death: Durham, Co Durham/December 24, 2004

Grave/memorials: Durham Crematorium, Co Durham

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased privately, 2010

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum