Corporal Harper led his section straight up to the wall and killed or captured the enemy holding the near side.

Corporal John Harper of the British York and Lancaster Regiment led his section across 300 yards of open ground under heavy fire to support his comrades at Antwerp, Belgium. For this he would be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.





John William Harper was born in Hatfield, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England,on the 6th August 1916 to George Ernest Harper and his wife, Florence Parkin.

Corporal Harper led his section straight up to the wall and killed or captured the enemy holding the near side.

During this operation the platoon commander was seriously wounded and Corporal Harper took over control of the platoon.

As the enemy on the far side of the wall were now throwing grenades over the top, Corporal Harper climbed over the wall alone, throwing grenades, and in the face of heavy, close range small arms fire, personally routed the Germans directly opposing him.

He took four prisoners and shot several of the remainder of the enemy as they fled. Still completely ignoring the heavy spandau and- mortar fire, which was sweeping the area, once again he crossed the wall alone to find out whether it was possible for his platoon to wade the dyke which lay beyond.

He found the dyke too deep and wide to cross, and once again he came back over the wall and received orders to try and establish his platoon on the enemy side of it.

For the third time he climbed over alone, found some empty German weapon pits, and providing the covering fire urged and encouraged his section to scale the wall and dash for cover.

By this action he was able to bring down sufficient covering fire to enable the rest of the company to cross the open ground and surmount the wall for the loss of only one man.

Corporal Harper then left his platoon in charge of his senior section commander and walked alone along the banks of the dyke, in the face of heavy spandau fire, to find a crossing place.

Eventually he made contact with the battalion attacking on his right, and found that they had located a ford.

Back he came across the open ground, and, whilst directing his company commander to the ford, he was struck by a bullet which fatally wounded him and he died on the bank of the dyke.


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