in November 1943 he [John Lea-Wilson] went straight into battle at Monte Camino as an infantry platoon commander without any retraining. He adjusted well to the atrocious conditions--the cold, the mud and the unremitting rain. A brother officer recalls finding him writing poetry in his slit trench while he was being shelled and mortared. On one occasion, he took command of a company when it was being counter-attacked by paratroopers. The company commander had been killed and some men had been taken prisoner. He quickly rallied the remaining Queensmen, beat off the attack, took some prisoners and prevented the Battalion's left flank being turned.
from Daily Telegraph: John Lea-Wilson
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