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252462 Sgt. Leslie Allan Joyce MM.British Army Staffordshire Yeomanry from:High Park, Patshull Estate, Pattingham, Staffordshire  Leslie Joyce was the 5th son of Wyndham and Selina Joyce and brought up at High Park, on a country estate called Patshull in Pattingham, Staffordshire, which was owned by Lord Dartmouth.
He joined up in 1939 when the Patshull troop of the Staffordshire Yeomanry was formed by Lord and Lady Dartmouth's eldest son. He served throughout the North African Campaign, crossed to Normandy on D-Day and was in the Rhine crossing.
The action which won him the Military Medal was reported as follows:
"Patshull N. C. O. In Capture Of Village
An action which broke German resistance and ensured the capture of the village of Lutau during the battle for the Elbe bridgehead on April 30th won the Military Medal for Sergeant Leslie Allan Joyce, Staffordshire Yeomanry, 5th son of Mr W. F. Joyce, of High Park Patshull."
This is the report on Leslie's achievement in order to be awarded the Military Medal:
"On the morning of 30th of April 1945, during the battle for the Elbe bridge-head, Sgt. Joyce was Troop Sgt of a Troop of DD tanks in support of the 2nd Battalion, Glasgow Highlanders. In the attack on the village of Lutau, enemy resistance was very strong; the infantry were pinned to the ground and the attack appeared to be halted. Sgt. Joyce, as leading tank commander, worked his way forward, killed a large number of the enemy and forced his way through to the centre of the village where he remained engaging the enemy for a considerable time before being joined by the infantry. Sgt. Joyce's drive and determination and disregard of his own personal safety in entering the village unaccompanied by the infantry, undoubtedly broke the enemy resistance and ensured the capture of the village. Throughout the fighting for the bridge-head he showed the same drive and devotion to duty and was a real inspiration, not only to his own troop, but also to the infantry he was supporting."
This report was entered by Lieut Colonel J. Trotter and was granted. The medal was awarded by none other than Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery.
The award was reported in the Express and Star on July 25th.
The citation, issued today, states that Sergeant Joyce was troop commander of a troop of tanks in support of infantry.
Whilst he was in El Alamein, he was advancing in a tank along with Lord and Lady Dartmouth's son. Lord Dartmouth's son stuck his head out of the turret to see what was going on and was killed by a shot to the head.
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Additional Information: | I am trying to locate a direct relative of Sgt. L.A.Joyce to return a medal found while clearing the house of my late mother, Mary Sinker, of Stamford, Lincolnshire. As far as we know there is no connection with the Joyce family, although my mother had a close friend and work colleague, a Mrs Joyce. Also, my grandfather, Albert Evans, was the senior architect of the land management company Carter Jonas, which did a lot of work on the Patshull estate; my grandfather designed the estate workers cottages built (probably) before WW2, and visited the Patshull estate several times. However, these connections may be coincidence.
The medal may have been in my parents'house before they bought it in 1971 as I found it at the back of an unused cupboard, black with tarnish. An initial clean revealed the details on the medal; "For Efficient Service" and Sgt. Joyce's number and regiment on the edge. (I can send photos).
If no relatives can be found the museum of the Staffordshire Yeomanry has said they would be happy to keep this in their collection.Dr Margaret Young |
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