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Harry Silk

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Joseph Henry Silk
Nickname(s)"Harry"
Born(1916-08-14)14 August 1916
London, England
Died4 December 1943(1943-12-04) (aged 27)
Burma
Buried
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
RankPrivate
Service number5625234
UnitSomerset Light Infantry
Battles / warsSecond World War
Awards George Cross
George Cross and its ribbon bar.

Private Joseph Henry Silk GC (14 August 1916 − 4 December 1943),[1][2] of the Somerset Light Infantry was posthumously awarded the George Cross (GC) for his heroic self-sacrifice while serving in Burma (now Myanmar) during the Burma campaign of 1942−1943 of the Second World War.

During training Silk threw himself on an accidentally triggered grenade to save his comrades from the explosion which killed him instantly.[3]

Notice of his award appeared in The London Gazette on 13 June 1944.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ TracesOfWar.com Harry Silk
  2. ^ Michael Ashcroft, George Cross Heroes, 2010
  3. ^ CWGC entry
  4. ^ "London Gazette". Retrieved 8 August 2022.