John Harman (British Army soldier): Difference between revisions

John Pennington Harman
John Pennington Harman
Born	20 July 1914; Beckenham, London
Died	9 April 1944; Kohima, British India
Buried	Kohima War Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Lance-Corporal
Service number	295822
Unit	The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Battles / wars	World War II; Battle of Kohima
Awards	Victoria Cross
Relations	Martin Coles Harman (father)

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John Pennington Harman VC (20 July 1914 – 9 April 1944) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

His was one of three World War II VC's awarded for action in India, the others being awarded to John Niel Randle (also at the Battle of Kohima) and Abdul Hafiz (VC) at the Battle of Imphal.^[1]

Details

John Harman was the son of millionaire Martin Coles Harman, owner of Lundy Island, and followed his father's interest in natural history.

Harman was 29 years old, and a lance-corporal in the 4th Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 8/9 April 1944 at the Battle of Kohima, British India, Lance-Corporal Harman was commanding a section of a forward platoon where soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army had established a machine-gun post within 50 yards of his company and were becoming a menace. Since it was not possible to bring fire on to the enemy post the lance-corporal went forward by himself and threw a grenade into the position, destroying it. He returned carrying the enemy machinegun as a trophy. Early next morning, having ordered covering fire from his Bren gun team, he went out alone, with a Lee–Enfield gun and fixed bayonet and charged a party of Japanese soldiers who were digging in. He shot four and bayoneted one. On his way back, Lance Corporal Harman was severely wounded by a burst of enemy machine-gun fire and died soon after reaching British lines.^[2]

Having been shot Harman was recovered to the nearest trench by his company commander, Captain Donald Easten, and died in his arms.^[3] A plaque is displayed on the house where he was born in Shrewsbury Road, Beckenham, located in the London Borough of Bromley. There is also a memorial to him erected by his father in VC Quarry, on the east side of Lundy Island.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum in Maidstone, Kent, England.

References

^ Brazier, Kevin (2015). The Complete Victoria Cross. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-47384-351-6. pp330-331.
^ "No. 36574". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 June 1944. p. 2961.
^ Keane, Fergal (2010). Road of Bones: The Siege of Kohima 1944. London: HarperPress. ISBN 978-0-00-713240-9. p269.

British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
John Harman at Find a Grave

External links

[1] Brazier, Kevin (2015). The Complete Victoria Cross. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-47384-351-6. pp330-331.

[2] "No. 36574". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 June 1944. p. 2961.

[3] Keane, Fergal (2010). Road of Bones: The Siege of Kohima 1944. London: HarperPress. ISBN 978-0-00-713240-9. p269.

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@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 Harman was 29 years old, and a [[lance-corporal]] in the 4th Battalion, [[Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment]], [[British Army during the Second World War]] when the following deed took place for which he was [[Posthumous recognition|posthumously]] awarded the [[Victoria Cross]].
-On 8/9&nbsp;April 1944 at the [[Battle of Kohima]], [[British India]], Lance-Corporal Harman was commanding a section of a forward platoon where soldiers of the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] had established a [[machine-gun]] post within 50 yards of his company and were becoming a menace. Since it was not possible to bring fire on to the enemy post the lance-corporal went forward by himself and threw a [[Mills bomb|grenade]] into the position, destroying it. He returned carrying the enemy machinegun as a trophy. Early next morning, having ordered covering fire from his [[Bren gun]] team, he went out alone, with [[Lee–Enfield]] and fixed [[bayonet]] and charged a party of [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese soldiers]] who were digging in. He shot four and bayoneted one. On his way back, Lance Corporal Harman was severely wounded by a burst of enemy machine-gun fire and died soon after reaching British lines.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 36574|date=20 June 1944 |page=2961|supp=y}}</ref>
+On 8/9&nbsp;April 1944 at the [[Battle of Kohima]], [[British India]], Lance-Corporal Harman was commanding a section of a forward platoon where soldiers of the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] had established a [[machine-gun]] post within 50 yards of his company and were becoming a menace. Since it was not possible to bring fire on to the enemy post the lance-corporal went forward by himself and threw a [[Mills bomb|grenade]] into the position, destroying it. He returned carrying the enemy machinegun as a trophy. Early next morning, having ordered covering fire from his [[Bren gun]] team, he went out alone, with a [[Lee–Enfield]] gun and fixed [[bayonet]] and charged a party of [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese soldiers]] who were digging in. He shot four and bayoneted one. On his way back, Lance Corporal Harman was severely wounded by a burst of enemy machine-gun fire and died soon after reaching British lines.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 36574|date=20 June 1944 |page=2961|supp=y}}</ref>
 Having been shot Harman was recovered to the nearest trench by his company commander, Captain [[Donald Easten]], and died in his arms.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Keane |first=Fergal |authorlink=Fergal Keane |year=2010 |title=Road of Bones: The Siege of Kohima 1944 |publisher=HarperPress |location=London |isbn=978-0-00-713240-9}} p269.</ref>  A plaque is displayed on the house where he was born in [[Shrewsbury Road]], [[Beckenham]], located in the [[London Borough of Bromley]]. There is also a memorial to him erected by his father in VC Quarry, on the east side of [[Lundy Island]].