Name: |
OLIVIER |
Given Name: |
STEPHANUS HENDRIK |
Initials: |
S H |
Service No: |
110584V |
Rank: |
CorporalOther Casualties of this Rank |
Regiment: |
Witwatersrand Rifles/Regiment de la Rey, S.A. Forces |
Former Regiment: |
formerly 6th Mounted Regiment |
Date of Death: |
1944-07-02Other Casualties on this
Date |
Date of Birth: |
1920-12-09 |
Age: |
23 |
Cause of Death: |
Killed in action, in the vicinity of Sinalunga, Italy |
Decorations: |
M M |
Citations: |
LG 26 October 1944 pg. 4904 - "For determined and courageous leadership in action in the face of the enemy. On 15 June 1944 the Battalion formed the Advance Guard of the Brigade and ""A"" Coy., of which 110584V Corporal S. H. Olivier was a member, constituted the vanguard. At about 1300 hours on 15 June 1944, the vanguard came up against a strongly held position South of Allerona. In a platoon attack on this position Corporal Olivier, after leading his section in the assault on the right-hand sector of the objective, was ordered to work over and secure the left sector with his section. He led his men straight into the assault in the face of heavy enemy opposition with such determination that the position was immediately and completely overrun. In this assault Corporal Olivier personally killed and wounded many Germans. On the immediate consolidation of the position, he personally engaged the fleeing enemy with his section's Bren Gun when his Thompson sub-machine gun was expended; and when a section of VMGs joined his platoon he manned one of the guns himself firing onto the enemy posts, which could not immediately be picked up by the machine gunners, inflicting heavy casualties. Throughout the action he showed a complete disregard of personal safety and his exemplary conduct and courageous leadership was a strong inspiration to his men. His determined leadership and action contributed to the speedy objective with the result that the advance of the Brigade was not held up." |
Additional
Information: |
Son of David Marthinus Francois and Christina Susanna Elizabeth Olivier, of Carnarvon, Cape Province, South Africa. A farmer. |
This information was last verified for accuracy: 2021-04-18
