Cpl William Stanley Pogue was killed in action on 20 December 1943 while trying to save a fellow Highlander, Sgt Bill Currie.
William Stanley Pogue served with the Queen’s Own Rifles (Reserves) from November 1940 to January 1941. He transferred to the 48th Highlanders for overseas duty and received the service number B75061. He was attached for training to No. 2 District Depot on 16 July 1941 and was given the service number B75061. On 31 July he was assigned from the 48th Highlanders “I” Wing to 20 B.T.C and on 8 November SOS to 1 DIRU to proceed overseas. In the UK he joined the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders on 11 March 1942 in A Company, 7 Platoon. He embarked, with the battalion, on 28 June 1943 from Gourock, Scotland following training on landing craft and landed on the beaches at Pachino, Sicily on 10 July. Pte Pogue was sent to hospital in Africa on 1 August suffering from malaria as the battalion was attacking Regalbuto. He left hospital on 14 September, assigned to the battalion’s X-4 list (available for reinforcement, as promoted A/Cpl on 7 October and returned to the battalion on the 27th in Torella, north of Campobasso on the Adriatic Coast of Italy.
Cpl Pogue, now in Baker Company, was with the battalion for the advance towards Ortona, crossing the Moro River on 8 December, and Operation Morning Glory on 18 December, a set-piece battle, and a text-book execution of artillery-infantry-tank integration that successfully advanced past “The Gully”, and cleared the Germans from their key defensive positions leading to the town of Ortona. Two days later, on the 20th, the battalion sent far ranging patrols, with the most darling from Baker Company, which penetrated north west of “Cider” Crossroads. After hitting a very strong German position, and being exposed totally to MG fire, Cpl Pogue was killed trying to save one of his comrades.
Our regimental history Dileas said: “To lighten Baker’s gloom were examples of stark bravery by three veritable heroes, the kind of self-sacrificing acts with weld the men of an infantry company tightly together with a grim unit pride. Two of the gallant three were Cpl. Alex MacKinnon and Cpl. Bill Pogue: both died trying to save others. They were killed going back for brave Sjt. Bill Currie, who in turn had gone down trying to rescue Cpl. Nettleton from under the muzzles of two German Spandaus. Cpl. Nettleton was killed while being carried on Sjt. Currie’s back, who was then himself seriously wounded. He alone survived when MacKinnon and Pogue then defied the fire to try and save him, and both died.”
Cpl. Pogue was buried by Padre East at “MR 31148 1/50,000 – buried on side road north from Villa Grande 1/2 mile from corner.” He was later interred at the Moro River Cemetery outside Ortona.
NOK: Mother – Mrs. W. S. (Mabel) Pogue, 282 Springdale Ave., Leaside, Toronto, Ontario.
