"Eric Allsup, who has died aged 96, was awarded an MC in 1944 in the Italian Campaign and subsequently had a successful career in the oil industry. On September 19 1944, Allsup was serving with C Squadron 8th Royal Tank Regiment (8 RTR), Royal Armoured Corps, in an assault on the Urbani Ridge, south of Rimini, on the Gothic Line. The Squadron was leading the attack when both the commander, Hickey Sugden MC & Bar , and the second-in-command were wounded and had to be evacuated. Allsup had only been promoted to acting captain two days before. Having been swiftly made up to major, he rallied the tanks and the supporting infantry and successfully pressed home the attack on the first objective in the face of intense anti-tank and mortar fire. Of the 16 tanks, he lost all but five and, later, without infantry, making use of all available cover, he led his remaining armour on to the second objective. The citation for the award to him of an Immediate MC stated that his initiative, fine leadership and determination were largely responsible for the capture of the Urbani Ridge. Eric Logan Allsup was born on March 17 1920 at Harrogate, Yorkshire. His father, who was wounded at Passchendaele in 1917, spent most of his working life as a Government factory inspector in India and was appointed MBE. Eric was educated at Rossall and Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read French and German. Just before going up to university in 1938, he spent six weeks studying German in Munich. He was called up in 1941 and subsequently commissioned, joining 8 RTR in North Africa in March 1943. Earlier in the month in which he was awarded an MC, he took part in fierce fighting to capture the Gemmano Ridge, a commanding feature and a formidable defensive position, held by the Germans in strength. Gemmano was built on rock." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/05/10/eric-allsup--obituary/
