CPL SIDNEY VICKERS MM
DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT & ROYAL WELCH FUSILIERS
Click Here to read how he won the
Military Medal

I am trying to trace anyone with memories or records of Pvt Sidney Vickers of Carrington , Cheshire. Served with the Devons then transferred to Royal Welch Fusiliers. 

He was awarded the MM at Kohima 14th or 17th march, and was personally decorated by Slim.  He was made up to corporal after action .

Died Manchester 1992 Peter Vickers ( son ) on DrTeeth@xtra.co.nz

Extract from the Stretford and Urmston Journal - July 1944

FIVE MEN FOUGHT THE JAPS

CARRINGTON N.C.O. WINS MILITARY MEDAL

Details of how Corporal Sydney Vickers won the Military Medal while serving in South-East Asia are told in one of his letters to his parents who live at 77, Ackers Lane, Carrington.

Corporal Vickers writes: "I won the Military Medal on April 15th.  After escorting tanks along the road my platoon was ordered to take over from a native regiment.  We has a stiff climb of about 2,000 feet to get there, but we got into position facing Jap bunkers. On our way up, we grenaded and mortared the Japs, and they attacked on our left flank and overrun one of our sections.

HIS DEAD PAL'S GUN

"I took my pal's gun - he had been killed by a sniper - and with four other men counter-attacked and drove out the Japs.  I killed seven of them in doing so, and then I gave covering fire with my Bren gun until all our wounded had been evacuated down the hill.  I held the position for two hours until relieved by another company.

When I received the Military Medal, I was made a corporal at the same time."

THE THREE BROTHERS

Corporal Vickers joined the Devonshire Regiment before the war, and has been serving overseas since 1939.  He is one of three uniformed brothers, and some time ago he met one of them - the first time in five years.

ANOTHER REPORT

Another article from the same newspaper says:-

"Another Military Medalist is Cpl. Sydney Vickers, whose parents live at Ackers Lane, Ackers, Carrington.

He gained the award while serving with the Royal Welch Fusiliers in South-East Asia.

Along with four others, he counter-attacked and captured a Japanese position and then gave covering fire, until all the wounded men of his section had been taken to safety"