For Valour - Eric Harden VC the Commando Medic

Victoria Cross recipient Lance Corporal Eric Harden, sitting first on the right, alongside the men of 45 (RM) Commando.

Eric Harden, of the Royal Army Medical Corps attached to the Royal Marines, posthumously received Britain’s highest award for valour in the presence of the enemy, after giving his life to save his wounded comrades.

On 23rd January 1945 during the advance to contact from Brachterbeek towards Linne in the Netherlands, the leading section of Able Troop, 45 (RM) Commando were pinned to the snow-covered ground by intense enemy machine gun fire from well concealed positions.

As it was impossible to engage the enemy due to the lack of cover, the section was ordered to make for some nearby buildings. This move was accomplished, but three men were left lying badly wounded in the open, with their position under continuous shell and mortar fire.

With the situation getting perilous for the wounded commandos, Lance Corporal Eric Harden, the Troop’s medical orderly, went forward without hesitation, covering the distance of about 120 yards of open ground under a hail of enemy machine gun and rifle fire. With great coolness and bravery, he remained in the open whilst he attended to the wounded men.

After dressing their wounds, and still under heavy fire, he picked up Marine Wheeler, threw him on his shoulder, and raced back to cover. Despite being wounded in the side himself, and been ordered not to, Harden insisted on going back again, this time aided by two men, Marines Haville and Mason, who volunteered to act as a stretcher party for the two remaining wounded men, Marine Wales and Lieutenant Cory.

Haville and Mason discarded their equipment and sacrificed their weapons for speed. Harden led the way, and despite wearing his Red Cross armband and carrying the stretcher, the Germans continued to target him and the two marines. Throwing themselves into the snow they quickly strapped Marine Wales to the stretcher, and in the freezing conditions, picked him up and ran back to cover. Tragically Wales was hit again while lying on the stretcher during the run back, and later died of his wounds.

Determined to leave no man behind Harden led them back again. By the time they reached Lieutenant Cory he was frozen and barely conscious, with bullets flying around them they quickly strapped him to the stretcher and picked him up. Harden on the front on his own with the two marines on the back, they charged for safety, with over half the distance covered, a bullet passed between the two marines and struck Eric Harden in the back of the head, he collapsed mid-stride and was dead before he hit the ground.

Clearly the work of a sniper, the two remain marines knew that they were in a dangerous situation. Cory ordered them to leave him and get back to cover, an order that was duly ignored. Instead, they turned the stretcher into a sledge, and laying on their stomachs, inch by painstaking inch, pushed their injured officer through the frozen snow to safety.     

Lance Corporal Eric Harden VC citation stated that “throughout this long period he displayed superb devotion to duty and personal courage of the very highest order, and there is no doubt that it had a most steadying effect upon the other troops in the area at a most critical time. His action was directly responsible for saving the lives of the wounded brought in. His complete contempt for all personal danger, and the magnificent example he set of cool courage and determination to continue with his work, whatever the odds, was an inspiration to his comrades, and will never be forgotten by those who saw it.”

Lance Corporal Eric Harden VC is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Nederweet, Limburg, Netherlands. His headstone is inscribed with the immortal words:

GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS

THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS

Photo credit: IWM H 39038

Source: Commando Medic, Doc Harden VC, Stephen Smelling