Lieutenant (T/Captain) J.S. Pickering M.C.

Operations in Burma, March - April 1943

On 29th March 1943 an attempt was being made to ferry a force of about 1,000 men across the IRRAWADDY River at INYWA. Two platoons had successfully crossed when fire was opened from the bank to which the crossing was taking place. Capt. PICKERING had just begun passage of the river in a native boat when the firing broke out, but he continued the crossing undeterred by the constant fire from enemy snipers and light machine guns and succeeded in landing his party. He then, unaccompanied, paddled the boat back across the river to the far bank regardless of the fire which was now being concentrated upon himself. The boat was heavy and his progress extremely slow, and the river was 1,000 yards wide. He arrived at the bank untouched and willing to make a further crossing.

His coolness and complete disregard of danger was remarkable throughout.