John Harman (British Army soldier)
- There is also the British politician John Harman.
John Pennington Harman (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.
Details
He was 29 years old, and a Lance-Corporal in the 4th Battalion, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 8/9 April 1944 at Kohima, India, Lance-Corporal Harman was commanding a section of a forward platoon where the enemy had established a machine-gun post within 50 yards of his company and were becoming a menace. As 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, annihilating it. Early next morning, having ordered covering fire from his Bren gun he went alone, with fixed bayonet and charged a party of Japanese who were digging in, shooting four and bayoneting one. On returning to his position he was fatally wounded.
A blue plaque is displayed on a house in Shrewsbury Road, Beckenham (London Borough of Bromley) his place of birth. (Correctly or otherwise, it shows his surname as 'Harmann')
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum (Maidstone, Kent, England).
References
- British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)