Major Alan Hay A Company, 16 DLI and CSM Anthony May, 1944

CSM Anthony May (5946226) was originally enlisted in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and was with the 16th DLI from the start in July 1940 through to the end of the war and beyond. In the 1946 Old Comrades’ Association address book, his home address is listed as: 205 Knella Road, Welwyn Garden City, Herts.

He is pictured here at right, receiving the US Silver Star gallantry award from his A Company CO, Major Alan Hay, sometime in 1944. 16 DLI was part of General Mark Clark’s US Fifth Army in 1943-44 Italy hence this US award, which was the only one to a member of the 16th DLI.

One of the stalwarts of the postwar 16 DLI Old Comrades’ Association, Alan Hay was posted to the battalion in late 1943 and became A Coy CO after a short spell with D Company. To read his memories of Christmas Day, 1943, click here.

CSM May’s award was for his actions on the night of 29th-30th January 19444, To read the citation, see the Honours and Awards section of the site.

16 DLI PHOTO INDEX PAGE