Citations: |
LG Sup 5 November 1942 pg. 4796 - "For courage and exemplary leadership in the EL ALAMEIN area, he lead his patrol to the enemy wire and then with great skill and daring crawled forward into the enemy positions on a personal recce, in the course of which he located a German working party well behind the enemy minefields. Realizing the urgent need for identification he returned to his Platoon and lead them on a stalk of the enemy. An alarm was given before they reached the quarry and fixed line defensive fire from heavy and light automatics swept across the Platoon. Lieutenant Stirton and his men dashed for the enemy, climbed over the entanglements and engaged them in hand to hand fighting in spite of the enemy outnumbering them four or five to one, the Platoon inflicted heavy casualties. Lieutenant Stirton endeavored to bring out one enemy alive, but after a gallant struggle against a very powerful man, he finally had to kill him. The enemy working party fled but the Machine Gun posts all round opened up with such heavy fire that the signal had to be given for the raiding party to withdraw. One checking with the Platoon beyond the wire he found that an NCO and one of his men were missing. He immediately went back into the enemy positions in an attempt to find them and located the NCO assisting a man who had been mortally wounded to safety. Lieutenant Stirton assisted in bringing out the man and then brought in his Platoon. Due to the splendid dash and initiative shown by this officer, much valuable information was gained, heavy casualties inflicted and the patrol brought back safely and complete." |
Son of Archibald Lochee and Marian (nee Hall) Stirton, of Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. Educated at St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown |
