ALDRIDGE, James (#200)
#200
James ALDRIDGE MM
British Army
Alan Pollock’s Rough Notes:
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Sgt Major James ALDRIDGE MM (in post-war Territorial Army ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS) represents the wartime SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS, as a PRIVATE then in a demanding COMPANY RUNNER role, always armed with a Lüger (ammunition no problem, as it was the same as for the STEN), normally in immediate support of the leading platoon: for the outstanding HIGHLAND DIVISION and its fine record in TWO WORLD WARS, here the NORTH AFRICAN DESERT CAMPAIGN after El Alamein, into SICILY (at times with 5th HAMPSHIRE REGT) and SALERNO (35 went into the CATANIA battle with him and only 5 came back) then to UK for NORTH WEST EUROPE, landing D+1 on SWORD BEACH, his platoon taking ST HONORÉ. He saw RAF TYPHOONS wiping out German tanks at FALAISE, with SEAFORTHs going forward on KANGAROO TANKS here; James won his MM at the RHINE CROSSING at REES with the 2nd Bn SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS, finally at VE-DAY reaching BREMERVORDE; his grandfather was Cockney & his father moved to STIRLING & fought at GALLIPOLI with the MACHINE GUN COMPANY (& later with the 5th ARGYLLS), sporting a big bayonet scar; his elder brother was in the MERCHANT NAVY and survived after being TORPEDOED twice.