On 17th November 1942 at SLONTA – CYRENAICA, Trooper Weir was driving the Squadron Leader’s tank of ‘A’ Squadron 8th Hussars, with the Squadron Leader in front.
The Squadron moved to attack a party of Germans mining the main road. Guns opened fire from the Fort and the road on the Squadron of only four tanks. The Squadron Leader, whose guns jammed, order his driver, Trooper Weir, to run down an anti-tank gun on the road.
Negotiating a steep embankment a track broke and the tank, now immobile, was repeatly hit by the anti-tank gun from 20 yds range.
Ordered to ‘bale out’, Trooper Weir opened the driver’s flaps and saw a German a few yards away about to machine-gun the remainder of the crew. Unarmed he rushed the German, knocked him down and disarmed him.
Although in the ensuring struggle the German escaped, the anti-tank gun was captured.
By his devotion to duty, coolness and quick thinking under fire, Trooper Weir saved the lives of the remainder of his crew, and by his personal bravery was instrumental in capturing an anti-tank gun.
Lt-Col
Comd 8th Hussars
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