On 5th Nov 1951 No 3 Troop ‘B’ Sqn 8H was ordered to give close support to the Royal Leicestershire Regiment in their counter attack on Pt 217 and UNITED which had been captured by the enemy the previous night.
Lt Troughton, who was troop leader, succeeded in getting his own and one other tank across extremely boggy paddy on to the ridge leading up to UNITED. Unfortunately the infantry were held up by the intense artillery and mortar fire, Lt Troughton pressed on by himself and took up fire positions for both tanks 300 yards short of UNITED, regardless of the fact that the ground in his vicinity was held by enemy, and grenades and small arms were being aimed at his tanks.
These tanks stayed in this position for many hours successfully engaging all enemy bunkers and trenches with very accurate short range fire, regardless of the fact that they themselves were in the thick of intense enemy DF, and accurate sniping fire from trenches and bunkers all around them.
When finally our infantry had to withdraw, those two tanks broke up several enemy charges down the slopes and only at dark was Lt Troughton ordered to withdraw. This he successfully accomplished, and on his way back he picked up wounded and brought them out to safety.
I consider that the part played by these two tanks in getting to such close quarters with the enemy was decisive in preventing the Leicesters from being heavily counter attacked as they withdrew, and that their presence so close to the enemy positions was of very great morale value to our infantry subjected to very intense enemy shelling.
I also consider that Lt Troughton showed very great skill and determination in getting his tanks so well forward and he acted throughout with great coolness and complete disregard for his own safety in that he maintained his precarious position for so long, brought heavy and accurate fire to bear at the critical moment, and collected wounded from the forward positions, which necessitated getting out of the tank, carrying the wounded and lifting them on, under intense enemy shell fire.
Lt-Col Sir WG Lowther. Bt.
Commanding
8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars
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