48th Highlanders of Canada

[Michael OLeary]

I received the following note on a veteran of the 48th through my website. I've passed it to the Regiment's Association President and the unit Recruiter via their on-line contact info, but thought it would help to post it here for the members of the 48th in Army.ca.

Mike
_______________________________________________________________

----- Original Message -----
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2005 4:13 PM
Subject: John E. Pickering, Veteran World War 2

Jack Pickering served overseas with the 48th Highlanders in the Italian campaign and other actions. He will be 90 years of age on January 21, 2005. He suffered the sad loss of his wife on November 1, 2004

For some years he played Bridge with a group of friends in Cobourg who have arranged an afternoon on Thursday January 20th.  This event will be held at the home of William Daly, in Cobourg, email address  [email protected]
             
I am not familiar with a proceedure to extend congratulations from his old comrades, I found your address on the internet and feel sure that such a message sent in care  of    [email protected]    would be a pleasant surprise.  Can you arrange this, or forward the request to a proper source?

For the record, Jack's home address is now Extendicare Room 526, 130  New Densmore Rd., Cobourg ON. K9A 5W2

Your assistance will be very much appreciated...........Cordially............
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
                                                      Gordon S. Robertson

 

[Art Johnson]

Michael I have passed your message on to the Sysop of the Dileas network for distribution. Jack Pickering MC to me is the personafication of the term "Officer and a Gentleman". A most unassuming person he was a school teacher prior to the war and after. In Action it is obvious that he was a Holy Terror. He was wounded twice once in Italy and once in Holland.

AWARD of
THE MILITARY CROSS
to
Lieutenant John Everett PICKERING
Canadian Infantry Corps
On the night of December 10/11, 1944, "A" Company of THE 48th HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA crossed the Lamone River at 413348. The crossing was made in the face of fierce enemy small arms and mortar fire from well concealed dug-in enemy positions on the opposite bank.
LIEUTENANT JOHN EVERETT PICKERING commanded one of the assaulting platoons in "A" Company whose Bridgehead was approximately 300 yards the other side of the obstacle, at MR 411355.
In spite of casualties sustained in the initial crossing and still in the face of fierce enemy small arms and mortar defensive fire, LIEUTENANT PICKERING continued on to his objective.
Before he had time to consolidate on the objective, his platoon was counter-attacked by a German Company of approximately 40. The enemy was supported by very heavy artillery and mortar concentrations. This officer quickly rallied his men into a defensive position. In spite of the withering fire, he temporarily drove off the intitial attack.
Before the platoon objective could be reinforced the boche resumed the attack with grim determination, and LIEUTENANT PICKERING was severely wounded in the chest.
Casualties had by now reduced the platoon to a strength of only two non-commissioned officers and 12 men besides himself. Refusing therefore to be evacuated, LIEUTENANT PICKERING continued to command and direct the platoon. He moved, in spite of his wound, from position to position encouraging his men and assisting them in improvising their first positions.
On one occasion during this second counter-attack, wounded as he was, he personally manned a Bren Gun whose crew had been killed, accounting for 9 Germans.
The enemy were finally driven off, and only then, after satisfying himself that the position was firm, did LIEUTENANT PICKERING allow himself to be evacuated.
It was almost entirely due to the gallant and aggressive leadership of this officer that his platoon was successful in gaining its objective. He showed resolute determination and extreme devotion to duty in carrying on the way he did in spite of his severe wound. His actions set an example which inspired all ranks to hold out, unsupported, in the face of tremendous numerical odds and most intense fire.
As a result, this little force of some 16 men held firm against 40 of the enemy. A vital point was secured around which the Battalion Bridgehead was subsequently built.

From the pages of Dileas Kim Beattie;

   Just at 3:00 o'clock it happened. A shell shrieked; it smashed into
             the earth close to the two 48th officers. Its concussion hurled them
             both to the ground. Lt. Pickering was wounded and shaken, but as
             he reached to his hands and knees he saw the Colonel was motionless.
             He crawled to him. As bits of earth were still pattering back to earth
             from the explosion, he heard him say painfully: "See where I'm hit,
             Jack."
              Lt. Pickering examined his head: he could find no wound-and at
             that instant he saw death come. The Colonel had been so terribly
             injured internally, he died with the one sentence, and before the dust
             had fully settled from the shell burst.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Thank you Art, I knew the request would be in good hands from here.