2nd Lieut. D.A. Main, MC, DCM

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Military Cross (MC) (Geo.VI) reverse dated 1944;
Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) (Geo.VI) 6968295 A. Sgt. D.A. Main Rif. Brig.;
1939-45 Star; Africa Star bar: 8th Army; Italy Star; DM; WM;
Efficiency Medal (Geo.VI) Lt. D.A. Main, M.C. D.C.M. R.B.

 

DCM LONDON GAZETTE 1 JUNE 1943
The DCM citation is worded as follows:
“Sergeant Main was a member of the company ordered to capture a pass. The company came under heavy machine gun fire soon after the commencement of the advance and was temporarily held up by a machine gun post fifty yards to the right flank.

 

Sergeant Main, on his own initiative, led his section to the attack and silenced the gun, being wounded in the thigh. He then continued successively to silence four more machine gun posts, killing most of the crew in each case, which were causing casualties on the right flank.

 

Throughout, Sergeant Main acted entirely on his own imitative without waiting for orders from a superior officer. He continued fighting with his company, in spite of his wound, until ordered to withdraw.”

 

MC LONDON GAZETTE 7 DECEMBER 1944
The MC citation is worded as follows:
“For conspicuous gallantry during a counter attack on Monte Castiglion Maggio.

 

On the morning of the 7th July, 1944, 2nd Lieut Main’s company was consolidating on a reverse slope position at the top of Maggio when an enemy counter attack developed.

 

Leading elements of the enemy had advanced to within fifteen yards of the company position when an officer charged forward with a section to drive them back, but was mortally wounded by a sniper.

 

2nd Lieutenant Main immediately went forward to him, shot the German sniper and then advanced upon the enemy himself, firing his T.S.M.C. from the hip.

 

He killed the Germans and forced the remainder to retire over the hill. Throughout this time enemy small-arms fire was heavy, but 2nd Lieut. Main arranged for the evacuation of the wounded and did not return to dead ground until his task was completed.

 

It was due to 2nd Lieut. Main’s gallantry that the counter attack was repulsed and control of the height regained.”

Donald (Don) Alan Main was born in North London on 18 November 1919. He attended the local Grammar School. He joined the London Brigade of the Territorial Army in 1938. His Brigade was affiliated to the Rifle Brigade and before long he was mobilized with the Territorial Army on 1 September 1939.

In 1967 his Commanding Officer, later Major General D.L. Darling, D.S.O., M.C. wrote as follows:
“I took over command of the 7th Bn The Rifle Brigade in December 1942 and commanded until the end of the war.

 

During his period I knew Donald Main very well as he was an outstanding subaltern in every possible way. I gather he had joined the battalion either at the beginning of the war or shortly before the outbreak of hostilities and he accompanied them to the Middle East in May 1942.

 

The battalion arrived in Egypt in July 1942 and was in action at El Ruweisat on 21st July 1942. Donald Main took part in this operation and also in the Alam Halfa battle at the end of August 1942.

 

He took part in the battle of El Alamein and in the subsequent advance to Tunis. He was awarded he DCM for conspicuous gallantry at El Hamma on 31st March 1943.

 

He left us to be commissioned at the Middle East OCTU sometime between May 1943 and April 1944, when he accompanied the battalion to Italy. He gained the Military Cross as an Infantry Platoon Commander at Monte Maggio on 7th July 1944.

 

I think he was wounded whilst out on patrol at the end of October 1944 but rejoined 7 RB in time to be a Carrier Platoon commander for the final advance across the River Po into Austria.

 

So far as I remember he was still in 7 RB when I gave up command in June 1945. My last recollection of him was accompanying me in the 7 RB detachment in the Victory Parade in London.”

 

Donald Main married Urmila Margaret Joyce Bowden in 1950 and died in Cape Town in 1995.