Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War B.E.F. 1940 operations M.M. group of seven awarded to Sergeant G. L. Bednall, Royal Engineers

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2094372 Sjt. G. L. Bednall, R.E.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (2094372 S. Sjt. G. L. Bednall, M.M., R.E.), good very fine and better (7) £1200-1500

M.M. London Gazette 20 August 1940:

‘For gallant and distinguished services in action in connection with recent operations.’

The original recommendation - for a D.C.M. - states:

‘At about 1100 hours on 8 May(sic) 1940, a report reached Brigade H.Q. at Bracquetuit that the main road bridge over the River Bethune was not blown. Sergeant Bednall was ordered to proceed on motor cycles with Sapper J. G. McDonald to “Davis Rifles” Battalion H.Q. at Les Grielles to blow the bridge, having first obtained an infantry covering party if possible. On arrival at Battalion H.Q., no party could be provided, so Sergeant Bednall therefore decided to proceed without a party, by motor cycle with Sapper McDonald, to the bridge across the River Bethune. This bridge had been blown. Motor cycles were left and the river waded. Sergeant Bednall and Sapper McDonald walked to the North-East part of Neufchatel, but owing to raging fire and falling buildings were unable to reach the main road bridge. Sergeant Bednall endeavoured to reach the bridge by two more circular routes, but it was impossible to reach it. Convinced that the bridge must have been blown by the action of the intense heat on the detonators, they withdrew to the motor cycles by once more wading the river. No other troops were seen in Neufchatel.

On several other occasions during the operations with Beauman Division, Sergeant Bednall has set a good example of devotion to duty by the way he has taken lorries of A./T. mines up to augment defences. In spite of enemy bombing he has never failed to deliver the mines with all despatch.’

Geoffrey Lindsay Bednall was serving in 291 Army Troops Company, R.E., at the time of the above deeds, a period of confusion and retreat recorded in the unit’s war diary, a typical entry being ‘enemy air activity was increasing in intensity and nearly all trucks and D.Rs either machine-gunned or bombed ... communications are very bad and information poor.’ The same source also confirms that Bednall’s M.M.-winning exploits were in fact carried out on 8 June, not May, following which, on 18 June, he was evacuated from Cherbourg.