Orders, Decorations and Medals

A scarce ‘Norway’ M.M. awarded to Sapper R. A. Shilton, 55th Field Company, Royal Engineers

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (1874612 Spr. R. A. Shilton, R.E.) suspension a little slack, otherwise good very fine £350-400

M.M. London Gazette 27 September 1940. The following details were taken from the official recommendation: ‘Sapper Shilton distinguished himself, for his coolness in action at VERDAL, NORWAY, on the 21st of April 1940, when it was decided to withdraw the section, he drove a truck which was being used for this action along an open road and under continued fire. He returned twice for loads of troops and on the last trip the truck broke down. He then abandoned it and made his way to the rear under cover of the road embankment. His personal courage and daring contributed greatly to the successful withdrawal.’

General Carton De Wiart, realising that speed of action was essential if the plan for the capture of Trondheim was to be successful, decided to push on as rapidly as possible though there was two feet of snow and no motor transport had arrived for the force. Two routes to the south were open, and he chose the more direct route, which was also the better road, through Beitstad, but realised that it might also be necessary to develop the longer route further to the east in case enemy bombing might close the former. Recognising the importance of early occupation of Steinkjer to the south, General Carton De Wiart despatched by train two battalions and No 3 section 55th Field Co R.E. to take up positions in the villages south of Steinkjer as far as an important bridge at Verdalsora, twenty miles further on, which was held by Norwegian troops.

On the 20th April, the leading troops with the detachment of engineers were in contact with enemy patrols at Verdalsora where the sappers were examining the railway bridge, which had been destroyed by the Norwegians, with a view to its repair in case of further advance, or its complete destruction with that of the road bridge if it was necessary to deny passage to the enemy. That evening, due to the presence of German naval craft in the Fjord and without air cover or artillery support, Brigadier Phillips decided to withdraw his advanced detachments, leaving only a detachment of eighty Norwegians armed with heavy machine guns, and the Royal Engineers detachment, to hold the important bridges at Verdal.

The Royal Engineers could do little to deny the bridges to the enemy as no explosives were available and it was possible only to barricade the roadway and erect wire on the bridges. The R.E. detachment then took up defensive positions with the Norwegians. At 6.00 am on the 21st of April the Germans attacked the troops holding the bridges but were held off by fire until it was learnt that the enemy were also landing troops from the craft in the Fjord some miles in the rear. The Norwegian commander decided to withdraw and the Royal Engineers party rejoined the brigade in the Steinkjer area, having to move by a round about route to the east to avoid the leading party of German troops. It was during this withdrawal that Sapper Shilton’s actions won him the Military Medal.