BRAVE STRETCHER BEARER. ANYBODY that can't see GOD;S hand in this is blind.
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On April 12, 1945, the D-Company of the South Saskatchewan Regiment was ordered to cross the Oranjecanal about two miles from the Halerbrug in the Netherlands. Although the bridges were out, ‘B Company crossed unopposed in assault boats and quickly established a bridgehead sufficiently deep to enable engineers to start on a bridge. By 9 AM, the situation was stable enough to order ‘D’ Company to work westward along the canal to gain control of the road running from Beilen towards Groningen, a little less than three miles distant. The road through the village was the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division axis of advance. ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies, meanwhile, expanded the bridgehead out to about a mile north of the canal.
Private Steve Yakubowich was attached to No. 18 platoon as stretcher bearer. At the forward section of No. 18 platoon approached the outlying house, heavy German rifle and machine gun fire was brought to bear on them from this house and a group of houses in the village. The section succeeded in taking cover, but one soldier was hit and lay in the open area, now heavily swept by machine gun fire. Without a moment of hesitation private Yakubowich coolly crossed the bullet swept ground, knelt by the badly wounded soldier and dressed his wounds. During this period the fire became heavier and more concentrated but private Yakubowich never faltered, calmly continuing to care for the wounded soldier in his unsheltered place. When he had cared for him as well as he could he carried him back to where he could be evacuated by vehicles.
The first phase of the attack successfully completed, the advance through the village was resumed. A second time, as the vital Halerbridge area was reached, the Germans allowed the leading section to proceed across open ground and then ambushed them with very heavy machine gun fire from positions in two houses and a haystack. So heavy was the fire that four of the six soldiers of the leading section were hit and the whole company pinned down. Again, as if oblivious of the danger Private Yakubowich crossed the long stretch of open ground, under observed fire, until he reached the four soldiers. Dressing their wounds, he personally carried each soldier back to where he could be evacuated. During the whole time the German fire was sweeping the ground over which this intrepid stretcher bearer passed on his eight journeys. Meanwhile, the 'D' Company issued an urgent call for Wasp flamethrowers or other support.
Two Wasps duly rolled to rescue. After closing to within one hundred yards, and with the wind helping to carry the flame forward, the Wasps "sent enemy machine gunners running and screaming out into the open, and the battle was over. A good number of prisoners were taken and a greater number of dead and burned were counted. The Company suffered eleven casualties, including one killed. For on operation that breached a canal that would normally have been fiercely defended, the Saskatchewan losses were surprisingly light. For his brave action, Private Yakubowich was awarded the Dutch decoration, the Bronze Lion.
Source: On to Victory Mark Zuehlke/ Recommendation report Private Yakubowich
