Lieut. Joah Selwyn 'Joe' Denham MM
Served North Africa, Italy and NW Europe. Corporal 3 Troop Italy/Sicily. Sergeant of 6 Troop D-Day. Immediate Commission from C.O. 6th Airborne Div 02/08/44 to 4 Troop. MM for Cape Spartivento for capturing an Italian Regiment and holding it for two days with only the assistance of one other commando behind enemy lines.
Update 13/3/12 by Pete R.
Citation for his Military Medal
Corporal Joab Selwyn Denham
14241763, Sherwood Foresters, No.3 Commando
Military Medal (Immediate)
Cape Spartivento Italy 27th August - 5th September 1943
This NCO was part of a patrol of one officer and 6 OR's detailed to report by wireless on enemy activities around Cape Spartivento, between 27th August and 5th September 1943. On 28th August the wireless having become useless the patrol was ordered by their officer to fend for themselves as the party was too large to subsist. On the 1st September Cpl. Denham, together with L/Cpl. McClelland, was concealed in some scrub on the side of a mountain. Three Italian soldiers came towards them searching the ground and firing into the bushes. These NCOs shot them dead. On the 3rd September they saw an Italian Corporal come out of a farm, and followed him for 5 miles, when he entered a a valley full of Italian soldiers. Soon after they captured a Sgt, 3 Privates and an Officer who could speak English. The Italian Sgt was sent to inform his Colonel of this and returned asking them to go to him. The NCOs said the Colonel was to come to them alone which he did. He surrendered to them 6 Officers and approximately 400 men of the 143 Infantry Regiment. The NCO's took it in turns to guard the prisoners until they handed them over to the Canadians 48 hours later on the 5th September. In the meanwhile they were able to keep them quiet by giving them a short talk on British Policy. Throughout these operations this NCO behaved with coolness and boldness. [L.G.27.1.44]
[Citation details from the book Commando Gallantry Awards of WW2 by George Brown]
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