Bill Bellamy

Who was Bill Bellamy?

Captain Bill Bellamy, MC was an officer in the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars between 1943 and 1955. He served briefly with his regiment in the North African Campaign and extensively in Northern Europe as part of the D Day landings. His book, Troop Leader: A Tank Commander's Story is a rare example of the experiences of front line tank warfare in the Second World War written not from an analytical point of view, but as a diary of the events which happened. He was one of the first British soldiers to be able to wander unhindered in the ruins of Berlin's government area in the immediate post cease fire period of 1945. On 5 March 1945 Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery presented him with the Military Cross, for his bravery during the battle for the hamlet of Doornhoek, near Berlicum in the Netherlands, in October 1944. Under heavy German machine-gun, mortar and shell fire, and in a minefield, he retrieved his burning tank and crew before overrunning the enemy's position to allow infantrymen to push through.