British Forces

Death at Wormhoudt (3)

Unknown private author.

Company Sergeant Major Augustus Jennings of the Warwickshire Regiment, who died in the Wormhoudt massacre. Jennings, along with Sergeant Stanley Moore, attempted to shield their comrades in the barn by throwing their bodies on the grenades thrown in by the LSSAH troops, resulting in their deaths. The exact circumstances of their deaths did not emerge until many years later, being subject to the "70 year" classification for release of records by the British National Archive - a restriction that was, apparently, as a result of official reticence to promote a notion of the Rape of Belgium (or indeed anywhere) that had been overplayed in WW1. As a result, the gallant NCOs were denied due honours, including inclusion on their areas' war memorials. Owing in no small part to the efforts of Jennings' Member of Parliament, the facts were prized out of the authorities in recent times and, in Jennings' case anyway, the omission from his local war memorial in Penny Bar (Birmingham) has been rectified. In recent times, a British Army sergeant was awarded the George Cross for shielding his comrades (in Afghanistan) by throwing himself on an improvised explosive device in the process of exploding. He had the presence of mind (or luck) to throw himself on his back, the large backpack on which absorbed most of the force of the bomb. As a result, he walked away from the explosion more or less uninjured. I in no way wish to question his courage. He deserved his GC. However, if that is accepted, the like actions of Moore and Jennings - conducted in the face of the enemy - deserved the award of the Victoria Cross. Best regards, JR.