View source for Gargiulo Ralph Gunner 14231222

{{personnel
|Surname and forenames=Gargiulo Ralph
|Army number=14231222
|Rank=Gunner
|Decorations=Awarded the Military Medal - gazetted 20/9/1945.  (Citation has been downloaded from The National Archives) and the normal Service Awards.
|Date of birth=Not yet ascertained.
|Age=(At time of death).  Not yet known.
|Unit=Enlisted in the General Staff Corps 2/7/1942 and posted to a Primary Training Centre for Basic Training.  Transferred to the Royal Artillery and posted to the 23rd Field Training Regiment - no date given.  Posted to the 178th Field Regiment - no date given on Tracer Card.  Posted to Regimental Home Details 13/1/1943.  Posted to 180th Field Regiment 26/1/1943.  Posted to the R.A. Depot 21/9/1943.  Posted to Draft REHYW for overseas 24/10/1943.  Served India.  Posted to R.A. Depot Deolali 28/11/1943.  Posted X List (4) India 22/12/1943.  Posted to the 114th Field Regiment 29/1/1944.  Served Burma.  Awarded Military Medal.  Returned to the UK.  Posted to the R.A. Depot 15/11/1946.  Unit Release.  Posted Y List 7 1/2/1947.  Relegated to the Z/T Reserve 3/5/1947.  Demobilised.  Tracer Card is annotated "Alien Registration".
|Company/Battery=Not yet known.
|Platoon or other sub-unit=Not yet known.
|Task or role=Details awaited.
|Joined Brigade=Not yet known.
|Promotions=None known.
|Wounded=Not so far as is known.
|Prisoner of War=Not so far as is known.
|Died/Killed in action=Date of death not yet ascertained.
|Home address=No family information yet. 
}}

Information on this Page has been extracted from the Royal Artillery Tracer Card found for this soldier on Ancestry.co.uk

Gunner Gargiulo was granted an immediate award of the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry while serving in Burma.  The Citation is held in The National Archives and the reference is set out below.

The National Archives' reference WO 373/41/103
© Crown Copyright

The text of the Citation reads as follows:-

"For conspicuous service and gallantry in action.  On 22nd March 1945 Gunner Gargiulo R. was the Observation Post Assistant with an artillery forward observation officer's party in support of B Company 3/1 Gurkha Rifles during the attack on PUTTAING.  When about 75 yards from the village the leading platoon came under heavy machine gun, grenade discharger and small arms fire.  The forward observation officer was killed and the Company Commander mortally wounded.  Gunner Gargiulo, accompanied by Gunner Heath, the 48 wireless set signaller, remained in the open under fire.  Although they had very little experience in fire control they continued to bring down artillery concentrations on the enemy positions.  When help arrived, on their own initiative, Gunner Gargiulo and Gunner Heath planned, ranged and brought down a smoke screen to enable the infantry to withdrawinto cover.  Under cover of this smoke screen the infantry with drew with all their casualties without suffering any further loss.  Throughout the action Gunner Gargiulo showed great devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety.  His calm and steady efficiency and his great initiative undoubtedly saved many casualties."

The award was recommended by the Commander of the 114th Regiment, the Commander, Royal Artillery, of the 20th Indian Division and was supported by the Divisional and Corps Commanders - finally being approved by Lt General Bill Slim G-o-C in C of the Fourteenth Army on 23rd April 1945.