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George Harold Eardley

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George Harold Eardley
Born(1912-05-06)6 May 1912[1]
Congleton, Cheshire, England
Died11 September 1991(1991-09-11) (aged 79)[2]
Congleton, Cheshire, England
Buried
Macclesfield Cemetery, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
Years of service1940–1950
RankCompany Sergeant Major
Service number6092111
UnitQueen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
King's Shropshire Light Infantry
Battles / warsWorld War II
Awards

Company Sergeant Major George Harold Eardley VC, MM (6 May 1912 – 11 September 1991) was a British Army soldier and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Brother of Arnold Eardley and Elgin Eardley.

Eardley was 32 years old, and an acting sergeant in the 4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, British Army during the Second World War when he was awarded the VC.

On 16 October 1944 east of Overloon, the Netherlands, Sergeant Eardley's platoon was ordered to clear some orchards where a strong opposition was holding up the advance, but 80 yards (73 m) away from the objective the platoon was halted by automatic fire from machine-gun posts. Sergeant Eardley spotted one of these posts and moving forward under heavy fire killed the officer at the post with a grenade. He went on to destroy two more posts single-handed, under fire so intense that it daunted those who were with him, but his action enabled the platoon to achieve its objective and thus ensured the success of the whole attack.[4]

He later was appointed company sergeant major (CSM).

Eardley was interred at Macclesfield Cemetery in Cheshire.[5]

His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London. A statue was erected in his home town of Congleton on 18 April 2004.[6]

See also

Statue in Congleton

References

  1. ^ "George Harold Eardley VC - Lord Ashcroft Medal Collection". Lord Ashcroft Medals. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  2. ^ Auther, Max (2005). Symbol of courage The men behind the medal. London: Pan Macmillan LTD. p. 644. ISBN 0330491334.
  3. ^ Alcock, Joan P. (30 June 2003). History & Guide Congleton. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 95. ISBN 0752429469.
  4. ^ "No. 36870". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1944. p. 139.
  5. ^ "Grave Locations for Holders of the Victoric Cross in the County of Cheshire". victoriacross.org. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  6. ^ "Sgt George Eardley Vc". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
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