On the 4th January a battalion of the 6th Airborne Division supported by the Fife and Forfars had battled for the village of Bure, a small village about a thousand yards from the bridge over the River Homme and entirely covering its approaches. The 6th Airborne had suffered two hundred casualties and the Fifes had lost about a dozen tanks in the all day battle. So it was with some apprehension that on the 5th January my troop was to support the Airborne in a further attempt to take Bure. The plan was for First Troop to advance down the road into the village and for the rest of the Squadron to give us covering fire from the high ground. When the time came, the thick mist prevented the Squadron from seeing us, or giving us any assistance in the village. Also they encountered trouble. Sgt. Arthur Huthwaite's tank went up on a mine and Sgt. Ken Roberts was killed by a bazooka. Meanwhile in the village, I led the way, followed by Lt. Goss. He ordered the other two tanks to take a right fork and assist the Airborne troops to clear that area. The main street turned left then right and I had gone some way along when I was informed by an Airborne officer that a German gun was firing into the village from a wood about 1500 yards away to the left. I manouevred the tank between two houses to get a shot in but was unable to locate the gun. Lt. Goss had gone by and reached the edge of the village. There was a loud bang and his tank had been hit and burst into flames. Two members of his crew were killed and one classed as 'missing presumed killed'. Sgt Bertie McCully, A Squadron
Stan is on the list of those who attended the 23H reunion in 1959.