to Pte Astrof or the Royal Canadian Medical Corps, who saved the lives of at least 199 men.
GVI Military Medal, correctly impressed to D.76757 Pte A. Astrof. R.C.A.M.C
With original investiture pin.
Condition EF
| Estimate: | £1,200 - £1,400 |
| Hammer price: | £3,400 |
Allan Astrof was born in Canada in 1915, the son of William and Fanny Astrof; the family were Jewish and lived in Montreal, Quebec. He married Marion Macleod in 1937.
During the Second World War, he served with the 18th Canadian Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. He will have likely served in Sicily and Italy with the unit. Just after D-Day, he was attached to the Royal Highlanders of Canada (Black Watch).
On the 20th of January 1945, Astrof was put forward for the Distinguished Conduct Medal for almost unbelievable courage. The DCM was not approved, and he was awarded the Military Medal, confirmed on the 30th of January 1945 and gazetted on the 12th of July 1945. The original citation is as follows;
'Since the 10th of July. 1944 private Astrof has served as an orderly on a light ambulance car attached to the Regimental Aid Post of the Royal Highlanders of Canada. He has not missed a single action in which this battalion took part. In all these actions, his bravery, initiative, devotion to duty and total disregard for his own personal safety have made him an outstanding example for all to emulate. On one occasion, his battalion was surrounded in a town which was continually under enemy shell, mortar and small arms fire, and suffered many casualties. Although he was urged to remain undercover, he made repeated trips to company positions to collect wounded soldiers. He worked tirelessly for 14 hours and rescued 75 men, many of whom would have died but for his intervention. Again at GRAND MILBRUG HE, early in September 1944, his battalion suffered heavy casualties from continuous enemy shell fire. For six consecutive days and nights, he refused relief and worked almost unceasingly in the evacuation of casualties. He brought more than 120 wounded men to safety. On one occasion, when an ammunition lorry was set alight by enemy fire, he rescued the wounded driver and put out the fire single-handed, incurring the greatest risks from exploding rounds. On another occasion, when his ambulance had been knocked out by enemy fire, he carried his charges to shelter and then proceeded to fill and pile sandbags for their protection while heavy shells burst all around him. When one of his drivers became exhausted and refused to go forward because of the heavy shelling, he drove the car himself and carried on his brave work. Many of the men owe their lives to his determination and courage, and his coolness under heavy fire has been a byword among the troops he supported so valiantly'.
He survived the war and returned to Montreal, and raised a family. He became ill in 1965 and bravely fought his illness until he passed away on the 19th of November, 1977. Allan was laid to rest in Montreal Memorial Park.
