Bevrijding Dieteren WWII

Tijdens operation Blackcock bij het maken van een brug over de Vloedgraaf tussen Baakhoven en Dieteren toonde hij moed en handelde doortastend waardoor er ook tanks richting Dieteren, Susteren en Echt konden optrekken. Hiervoor ontving hij een onderscheiding de Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.).

Krantenknipsel met beschrijving waarom hij de Distinguished Conduct Medal verdiende.
Bron:/Source: The Berwickshire News, Tuesday, May 8, 1945 PAGE THREE

Tekst van de krant

3 May 1945.
Berwickshire Man
Awarded D.C.M.
It is announced that the Distinguished Conduct Medal has been awarded to Cpl. Thomas Morton Bradford, The Lothians and Border Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps, of Coldingham, for services on the North-West Front.
The citation states: “Near Dieteren on 17^th Jan., 1945, Cpl. Bradford was commanding a tank in a troop wich had ben ordered to flail a path up to a water obstacle and from there to support by fire the infantry attack on Dieteren. When the infantry had gone through, the troop was to cross a bridge and clear a path for a bulldozer up to a second water obstacle.
The first part of the operation was successful, but the bridge collapsed as Cpl. Bradford’s tank was crossing, leaving only the bulldozer and his tank on the far side. He duly flailed a path up to the next obstacle and then returned to the first obstacle. A bridge was now being built which brought down heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire, and at 2000 hours the bulldozer was hit and went on fire. As it was blocking the exit from the bridge. Cpl. Bradford got out of his tank, fixed on the towrope and towed the blazing bulldozer clear. During the night the enemy made three separate attempts to reach the bridge, but on each occasion were spotted by Cpl. Bradford, fired on and forced to withdraw. There was an intermittent ground fog, wich made firing from a tank at night even more difficult, but he was so accurate, that he was able to shoot high explosive at some flashes he saw with the result that there was a big explosion and cessation of fire from that quarter. He was, at all times during the night, of the greatest assistance to the R.E. who were building the bridge, conveying verbal reports and messages, usually under fire and relaying them through his own wireless back to his Squadron H.Q. At 1000 hours next morning armoured columns crossed the bridge and carried on with the advance on Echt. It is now known that the enemy made determined efforts to reach and destroy the bridge, but were held up by fire from the tank.
The bridge was the only one over this obstacle. It was vital for the success of the whole operation that it should be held, and for a considerable part of the night Cpl. Bradford was its sole defender. Although it was a constant target for the enemy artillery and mortars, Cpl. Bradford remained in close proximity in order to make quite certain that no enemy could approach. In this he was eminently successful and materially contributed to the success of the whole operation. He displayed throughout a sense of responsibility, alertness and determination far above average.”

Fragment van tekening door Oorlogstekenaar Captain Bryan de Grineau bij de Vloedgraaf
met bulldozer en rechts de vlegeltank(flailtank) van Cpl. Bradford.

Voordracht (Recommendation) voor Thomas Morton Bradford.
Met dank aan: Hans Houterman

Bradford bij zijn afscheid van de lagere school in Coldingham.
Met dank aan: Facebookpagina 75 jaar bevrijding Sint Joost

Op de Facebookpagina 75 jaar bevrijding Sint Joost lezen we verder:
“Op 16 januari 1945 werd in alle vroegte gestart met het leggen van een noodbrug over de Vloedgraaf. Maar toen één tank over de brug was, werd die getroffen door een Duitse granaat. De Sherman vlegeltank aan de andere kant van de Vloedgraaf was de tank van korporaal Thomas Bradford. Het zou de hele nacht duren voordat een nieuwe brug door de genietroepen klaar was. De tankbemanning van de Crab maakte een spannende nacht door aan de “verkeerde” kant van de beek. Korporaal Bradford kreeg voor zijn getoonde moed de Distinguished Conduct Medal. Na de oorlog werd hij schoolmeester en hoofd van de basisschool in Coldingham, Schotland. De kinderen in zijn klas kregen het verhaal over zijn avontuur bij Susteren jaarlijks uitgebreid te horen. ”

Herdenkingsplaquette op de lagere school in Coldingham.
Met dank aan: Facebookpagina 75 jaar bevrijding Sint Joost

Op de site van The Berwickshire News van 18 november 2000 lezen we:
Coldingham pupils honour their very own
war hero with plaque

a LOCAL hero has been honoured with the unveiling of a memorial plaque at a special service at Coldingham Primary School.
Thomas Bradford, a former headmaster at the school, was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal for his heroism during the Second World War.
Originally from Reston, Mr Bradford graduated as an MA from Edinburgh University in 1932 and became a divinity student before entering the teaching profession.
He was appointed to the staff of Coldstream School where he worked until 1939 when he was promoted to headmaster at Coldingham.
He joined the army in 1940 and served with the Lothian and Border Yeomanry and transferred to the Royal Tank Corps.
He was awarded the DCM for his heroism when he was in charge of a tank which had crossed a bridge just before it was blown up. He held off the German forces throughout the long night that followed, giving his engineers time to build another bridge and maintain the advance.
On his return to civilian life he took over again at Coldingham and threw himself into his work and service to the community as well as his family life. His son, William, is now a doctor in Devon, while his daughter Betty, is a doctor in Glasgow.
Mr Bradford served for many years as secretary of the Berwickshire Association of the Educational Institute of Scotland and was secretary and treasurer for many years of the Berwickshire Amateur Football Association and a former chairman of Coldingham Football Club. He was also the Registrar for the Coldingham area, an enthusiastic member of the British Legion and served for some time as the chairman of the Eyemouth branch.
Before the war in Coldingham he took a great interest in the town and was secretary of the bowling club, superintendent of the West Church Sunday School and an officer with the Boys’ Bridgade. He developed a love of Burns and became an eloquent speaker at Burns nights throughout a wide area, frequently proposing The Immortal Memory. He was also for four years, vice president of the Coldstream Social and Literary Society.
The plaque was unveiled last week in the school hall at a special ceremony for the pupils, parents and other members of the community. A piper and standard bearer from Eyemouth British Legion were present and Primary Seven pupils Lauren Trafford, Blythe Maylin and Emma Worters told his life story. Pupil Lizzie Edmondson unveiled the plaque.
Afterwards the pupils served tea and scones to the guests.
“It was a lovely meeting of the generations and it was a good link for the pupils who have been learning about the Armistice,” said head teacher Louise Sanders.
Alistair Scott, former prinicpal art teacher at Eyemouth High School and a close friend of Mr Bradford said it was very fitting that he was being remembered in this way.
“He was a local hero in the sense that he was the only one in his regiment that won a DCM which is one step below a Victoria Cross,” said Mr Scott.
“He also served the village for years but until now there was nothing to make his passing.”

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