World War Two - Part 3
October 1942 - September 1943
The Queen's Bays now prepared for what General Montgomery had told all the men of the Eighth Army was to be the decisive battle. The main British attacks at El Alamein would be in the north on a front of about eight miles from the coast road to the Miteiriya Ridge, with diversionary attacks on the Ruweisat Ridge and holding attacks at the south of the forty-mile front at Himiemat. Four infantry divisions would assault on the night of 23 October 1942, behind a barrage of 800 guns, to clear a northern and southern corridor; 2nd Armoured Brigade, with the Bays and 10th Hussars in the lead, would exploit the northern corridor.
The regiment, under Colonel Barclay, moved off at 9.30 p.m. After a refuelling halt by Alamein station at midnight, it advanced through the Allied minefields, reaching and crossing the first enemy minefield at 4 a.m. on the 24th. A second minefield blew off the tracks of three Shermans, and then news came of a third minefield ahead, with the infantry held up 3,000 yards short of their objective. At dawn an enemy antitank gun opened up, knocking out a scout car, but was dealt with by troop of 'B' Squadron, which deployed, as did 'C' to their left, losing two of their Shermans on mines. The two squadrons had an Australian battalion to their north and the Gordon Highlanders to the south, and at once they engaged the enemy antitank screen, which was supported by tanks. By 8.30 a.m. ten out of twenty enemy tanks facing them had been knocked out, and 'A' Squadron moved up between 'B' and 'C'. By the afternoon the Sappers had cleared passages through the minefields, and the Bays advanced on their final objective, Point 33. Immediately the two leading squadrons were met by a storm of 88 mm fire, which, within a minute, immobilised four tanks of 'B' Squadron and two of 'A'. Major Weld and Lieutenants Radice and Gay were wounded.
The eighteen remaining Sherman's of 'B' and 'C' were then counter-attacked by a large number of German and Italian tanks, while the Bays linked up with the 9th Lancers to the south under cover of a smoke screen. The two regiments then fought side by side until dark, when the enemy withdrew defeated, leaving behind twenty-six tanks. Surrounded by mines the two regiments went into close leaguer, staying throughout the night under machine gun and sniper fire. The fitters had managed to repair most of the damaged Sherman's, and these with the ammunition lorries were brought into the leaguer by Lieutenant Parker; Sergeant Godwin and Corporal Fiddler of the fitters were awarded the MM for their work under fire that day. There were now only twelve of the original twenty-nine Sherman's left, so that a composite squadron was formed under Major Manger and Captain Crosbie-Dawson.
The next day, 25 October, the Bays were again ordered to take Point 33. As the composite Sherman squadron advanced, supported by the Crusaders of 'A' Squadron, the two leading troops were met by 88 mm fire at point blank range, from guns which the Germans had brought up during the night and stationed behind their wrecked tanks. Five Shermans were knocked out in quick succession and Lieutenants Christie-Miller and Barnado killed. The Bays withdrew to their former position and, hull down, engaged the guns. News came that the Medical officer, Captain Lewis, had been killed. During the afternoon the Bays, and the Australian infantry on their right, were attacked by a strong force of enemy tanks, but between them they destroyed eighteen and the attack was not pressed. At 5.30 p.m. the 10th Hussars attempted to take Point 33, but lost eight Shermans to the 88s.
The 26th was spent preparing for a night attack by the 7th Motor Brigade on Point 33. Eleven replacement Sherman's and five Crusaders arrived, giving the Bays strength of eleven Sherman's and sixteen Crusaders. During the night 2nd Rifle Brigade of 7th Motor Brigade established themselves on a feature south of Point 33, called Snipe, where they were attacked by tanks but knocked out fifty-two of them before they ran out of ammunition. Lieutenant Parker of the Reconnaissance Troop managed to work his way onto Point 33, followed by a troop of 'A' Squadron. They were joined by Major Tatham-Warter and Lieutenant Dallas but compelled to withdraw by anti-tank fire. A second attack in the afternoon petered out, and the Bays leaguered for the night with the 9th Lancers, while preparations were made for a night attack by 133rd Infantry Brigade, which was successful. The Bays remained in reserve during 28 October, coming up at 9 a.m. to meet an enemy tank attack, which was dealt with by the artillery. An Italian tank was knocked out with the first shot at a range of 3,500 yards. By 8 p.m. the Bays were relieved by the Staffordshire Yeomanry of 8th Armoured Brigade, and withdrew to Alamein station for refitting.
Spare crews and fifteen diesel Sherman's arrived, and 'B' Squadron was re-formed under Captain Crosbie-Dawson. On 2 November the Bays moved up again as part of a force consisting of 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions, which was to exploit a breakthrough to be made by 151st and 152nd Brigades supported by 9th Armoured Brigade. As the regiment cleared the minefields it came under heavy 88 mm fire from along the Rahman track, 'B' Sqn losing two tanks and 'A' one. As the early morning mist cleared the Bays and 9th Lancers engaged the guns from hull down positions, silencing them after three quarters of an hour. Major Tatham-Warter was killed and Captain Harman took over command of 'A' Squadron. Throughout the day there was a succession of tank battles as 21st Panzer Division sought to restore the situation. By nightfall every tank had used all its ammunition, but 1st Armoured Division was still in place east of the Rahman track, and sixty-six enemy tanks had been destroyed, eleven of them by the Bays.
Throughout 3 November the Germans held Tel El Aqqaqir and the Rahman track, but a night attack by 5th Indian Infantry Brigade broke through, and the Bays with twelve Sherman's and twelve Crusaders advanced eight miles before encountering, and overcoming, a rearguard. Four miles further on, 'C' Squadron was halted at Tel El Mansira by an anti-tank gun which knocked out Sergeant Dumbleton's tank, killing him and his turret crew. At dawn on the 5th Tel El Mansira was found abandoned and the chase continued for fourteen miles, when another rearguard was encountered, which withdrew after a short fight. The Bays, now four miles south of Daba, dealt with one 88 mm, but were held up by two more skilfully sited guns. By 7.45 a.m. on the 6th the exhausted crews had covered another forty miles, but petrol and diesel was short. The seven remaining diesel Sherman's were sent to 9th Lancers, while Captain Harman took the six Crusaders to form a composite squadron with the remnants of the 10th Hussars. Harman reached high ground twenty-five miles north, near Charing Cross, where the enemy could be seen streaming away, but there was no petrol to pursue them. Heavy rain fell during the night of the 6th, and on the 8th the coast road was cut; but the retreating enemy, saved by the rain, had slipped through.
The Queen's Bays as part of 1st Armoured Divisions remained near Matruh for three days, collecting new tanks, and then moved on to El Adem, where they heard that they were to undergo training and re-equipment at Tmimi. Having handed over most of their Shermans to the 22nd Armoured Brigade, the regiment went into camp in the desert near Tmimi, where they stayed for the next three and a half months. During this period ten new officers joined, Major Weld returned from hospital, and a number of decorations were announced: Lieutenant Colonel Barclay, Captain Nicholson, Lieutenants Tomkin, Ward and Parker, together with the medical officer, Captain Conway, were all awarded the Military Cross; the Military Medal went to Corporal Cockroft, and Corporal Andrews won a bar to his MM. The Bays left Tmimi for Tripoli on 1 March, 1943, reaching Ben Gardane near the Mareth Line on the 13th.
The King's Dragoon Guards arrived at Tahag Camp, Qassassin on 14 September 1942 - the very same patch of desert they had occupied on their arrival in 1940. On the 21st they were warned for duty in Cyprus, but in fact found themselves at Mena on the outskirts of Cairo, where they stayed for six weeks, being subjected to order and counter-order. On 12 November the regiment, re-equipped on the basis of one Daimler and two Marmon Harrington armoured cars per troop, started back for the desert, having sent 'B' Squadron on ahead for attachment to 8th Armoured Division. On arrival at Acroma on the 16th 'B' rejoined, and the regiment moved to Taormina until the 24th, where many of the Marmon Harringtons had their turrets removed and replaced by captured German 20 mm and 37 m,m guns, scrounged from Tobruk along with other useful stores. The KDG arrived at Agedabia on 26 November and remained in reserve to 7th Armoured Division until 1st December.
On 2 December Major Palmer arrived back from Cairn, taking over command of 'C' Squadron, Captain Crystal returning to 'B' as second in command to Major Delmege. Palmer and Chrystal were summoned to the corps commander, Sir Oliver Leese, because of their intimate knowledge of the ground around El Agheila. On arrival they found themselves questioned by General Montgomery, and their plan for a reconnaissance bypassing El Agheila to the south was adopted. Lieutenant Richardson with three jeeps, each with two men, set out with a backup party of a petrol lorry and six armoured cars under Captain Chrystal. The jeeps left Chrystal's party on the frontier between Cyrenaica and Tripolitania, and making a wide sweep to the south and then north west they reconnoitred a way to the coast road near Marble Arch, some eighty miles west of El Agheila. The jeeps were spotted by an enemy aircraft but not attacked. Soon afterwards, however, three ME 109s spent twenty minutes unsuccessfully searching the area where the jeeps had been hurriedly hidden among inadequately small shrubs. Richardson realised that they would be seen as soon as it became light the following day, so he turned the jeeps round and the tired drivers drove back over the rough and unknown ground throughout the night. Shortly after daybreak they rejoined Captain Chrystal, and the whole party was back with the regiment on 6 December, with a detailed report of the way to outflank the German position at El Agheila. For this outstanding patrol Lieutenant Richardson was awarded a bar to his Military Cross.
On 7 December a second patrol of four Marmon Harringtons and three jeeps found that the oasis at Marada was not held by the enemy, and captured two Germans who had driven from El Agheila to Marada. On 10 December the KDG led the New Zealand Division and the 4th Light Armoured Brigade on a left hook around the El Agheila position over the ground reconnoitre by Richardson. On the 13th they were rejoined by the Marada patrol, whose jeeps had run into a minefield, losing two, with Sergeant Manning killed and Corporal Reeve and Trooper Edward wounded; the remaining jeep drove 150 miles with the five survivors, two of whom were wounded. The main part of the regiment crossed the frontier wire, cutting a fifty-yard gap and pressing on to leaguer ten miles south of the coast road, pausing to give the New Zealanders time to catch up. On the 16th the KDG made contact with enemy patrols along the coast road. The New Zealanders and 4th Light Armoured Brigade closed the road, hoping to cut off the enemy. By chance the retreating remnants of the three German divisions hit a gap between the New Zealanders and the Armoured Brigade, enabling the majority to escape, although the tanks of the Scots Greys, the New Zealand artillery and the RHA inflicted heavy losses on the moving mass of German armour and lorries. The discipline shown by the Afrika Korps in what was for them a very tight spot earned the admiration of their adversaries.
On the 17th the regiment advanced towards Nofilia, which was found to be held by a strong rearguard, but on the 18th the advance continued to Sirte. The KDG were relieved by the Royal Dragoons on 21 December and spent until the 25th resting. During the afternoon of Christmas Day the regiment moved to the west of Sirte, coming up against the enemy, dug in around Buerat, on the 28th. There they remained until 15 January 1943. Over this period they took a number of prisoners, knocked out a German armoured car and some trucks, and captured a staff car. While at Buerat Lieutenant Batt's troop was being chased by German tanks, when a Stuka managed to knock out one of his armoured cars, killing Trooper Stoker and wounding Sergeant Phillips. Batt managed with great skill to extricate his troops, and was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry and cool leadership. The regiment rescued several RAF pilots whose planes had been shot down, on one occasion winning a race with a German armoured car. Several prisoners from the German 3rd and 33rd Reconnaissance Battalions were captured, one of whom remarked on seeing the double-headed eagle cap badge, 'Ah, the KDG-I captured your officer, Collie last year!' The KDG under the command of the New Zealand Division, formed the strongest of friendships and developed the greatest admiration for the New Zealanders.
On 15 January 1943 the advance resumed with The King's Dragoon Guards acting as flank guard to another 'left hook' past Tripoli to cut off the retreating enemy. The rough nature of the ground made slow going, but a German rearguard was encountered near Beni Yulid, where the regiment took over the lead, and three Stukas killed four men of 'C' Squadron, wounding seven more. On the 23rd Tripoli fell, largely due to the pressure exerted by the southern outflanking move. By 24 January the bad going over 200 miles of appalling mountainous country had reduced the strength of the regiment to twenty-seven Marmon Harringtons and three Daimlers, and so two composite squadrons were formed, until Captain Birks came up from the Delta on the 28th with sixteen AEC armoured cars. On the 24th 'B' Squadron's rapid advance surprised the ground staff of a German aerodrome at Bir El Ghnem, capturing twenty prisoners and four lorries. Major Lindsay rejoined on the 25th, taking over 'C' Squadron, with Major Palmer moving to 'A'. The regiment now concentrated for rest and maintenance south west of Tripoli until 3 February, when it resumed the advance on the southern flank.
A small party under the commanding officer, Colonel Hermon, went to Tripoli on 3 and 4 February for a Victory Parade of 7th Armoured Division and the 51st Highland Division before the Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill. On the 5th Lieutenant Eggleton knocked out a German eight-wheeled armoured car with his first shot and damaged another, and Lieutenant Hempson disabled and captured a four-wheeler. 'C' Squadron's water cart, an essential piece of equipment in the desert, went to Dehibat where there was a good supply of water; but there also turned out to be four German armoured cars. Troopers Price and Fenn hid in the house of a Frenchman, who supplied them with Arab clothes. They then walked past the Germans and their captured water cart, and after a twenty-five mile hike rejoined the regiment the following day. The four German four-wheelers then drove up a track where they met Sergeant Fletcher's troop, which knocked out the command car and captured the German officer and his crew. When Price and Fenn arrived back after their tramp, the German officer exclaimed, 'So that's how you got past me!' On 6 February 1943 the KDG crossed the frontier into Tunisia, leaving behind the desert with all its particular folklore.
From 7 February until 20th there was constant patrol activity, with clashes between the regiment's patrols and those of the enemy, and with the Luftwaffe active, strafing and bombing. A German four-wheeler was knocked out on the 8th; on the 9th Sergeant Smith's car was hit, with Trooper Ventress, Corporal Emons and Smith all wounded, and Lieutenant Macartney's car had a shell through the turret which took away the wireless set and hurt on one; on the 10th Lieutenant Phillips's armoured car was hit, Corporal Winnard being killed with Phillips and Trooper McAleavey wounded; on the 13th RHQ was bombed and strafed; Sergeant Berryman's AEC was captured on the 14th, and a 'B' Squadron Humber was disabled on the 19th. By the 20th the advance had got under way, Medinine was reported clear and Foum Tathouine isolated, as the Eighth Army slowly closed up to the Mareth Line. From 20 February to 1 March 1943 the KDG patrolled up to the Mareth Line, which proved to be dangerous work as the enemy came out at night laying mines on tracks that had previously been cleared. The CO's AEC was blown up, the 'A' Squadron lost two AECs on mines and a Scammell which was trying to recover them, another AEC was lost on the 26th. As the armoured cars became held up in the enclosed country of Tunisia, individual troop leaders started to work forward on foot, Lieutenant Cassels carrying out a particularly bold patrol, ending in a skirmish with some German infantry, for which he was awarded the MC.
On 1 March the Royal Dragoons relieved the KDG, who returned to Ben Gardane to be re-equipped with Humber and AEC armoured cars, saying good-bye to the South African Marmon Harringtons which had been their mainstay since they arrived in the Middle East.
The Queen's Bays arriving at Ben Gardane on 13 March 1943 also found themselves in a new atmosphere - very different from their three long years in the desert, a they took up concealed positions in a wadi near Medinine in preparation for the assault on the Mareth Line. The infantry attacked under cover of a heavy bombardment on the night of the 20th, but by the 22nd German counter-attacks made Montgomery shift the emphasis to his left flank. The King's Dragoon Guards, having been re-equipped with brand new Humber armoured cars and enough AEC's for one per troop, moved on 11 March, leading the 8th Armoured Brigade and the New Zealand Division in the projected left hook to El Hamma, so outflanking the Mareth Line. The advance started at dawn on the 20th, but the going was so bad, with rearguard opposition near Bir Soltane, that with RHQ in the lead the hills overlooking El Hamma were not reached until the evening. It then transpired that the gap was only lightly defended by an Italian Shara Division. The difficult country had also held up the New Zealand Division with 8th and 2nd Armoured Brigades, who did not arrive until nightfall. During that night the enemy reinforced the gap with 21st Panzer and the German 164th Infantry Divisions. On the 21st New Zealand infantry probed forward, while the KDG protected the left flank and tried to find a way through the Tebaga mountains. Colonel Hermon was wounded in the leg (just as the news came through that he had been awarded the DSO), so Major Lindsay took over command. Trooper Joy was killed in low-level ME 109 attacks and Corporal Winstanley and Trooper Jones were wounded, but a total of 1,500 Italians were captured together with twelve guns. From 22 March until the main attack started on the 26th the KDG continued to probe, 'C' Squadron capturing sixty-three Italians and three guns on the 23rd, and rescuing their twenty-fourth RAF pilot.
On the 26th and the 27th the KDG observed the battle, collecting many prisoners in numerous skirmishes. Lieutenant Macartney of 'B' Squadron captured two guns, killing twelve enemy and driving a further 200, whom he had cut off, to be picked up by the infantry - a feat for which he was awarded the MC. 'C' Squadron captured over a hundred German prisoners. On the 28th 'A' Squadron opened up with everything they had, eventually being ordered to lead the advance, at which point they handed over two complete Italian Battalions, which they had captured, consisting of 32 officers and over 700 men of the Spezia Division - a record bag for an armoured car regiment. By the 29th the enemy were withdrawing and the KDG were ordered to dash for Gabes, which was entered by 'B' Squadron before midday. As 'A' and 'B' Squadrons pushed forward until they met German rearguards, it became apparent that the enemy intended to make a stand on the Wadi Akarit.
On 26 March The Queen's Bays, after a terrible approach march, were in position to support the New Zealand Division's drive to El Hamma. At 4 p.m. the New Zealand infantry and 8th Armoured Brigade moved forward with tremendous artillery and air support, and an hour and a half later they had reached their objectives. The Bays on the left of the El Hamma road, with the 9th Lancers on the right, moved up in support, and then pushed forward o their own. They soon came under fire from anti-tank guns, tanks and infantry, and found themselves amidst the burning tanks of 8th Armoured Brigade. The intense fire held up the advance and by dusk the main objective had not been reached, so Colonel Barclay ordered them to press on in the dark. The German gunners, unable to aim, were taken completely by surprise; many gun crews surrendered with surprisingly few casualties. There was a two-hour pause for the moon to come up, then the advance continued. The enemy was utterly disorganised, with parties of infantry, lorries, guns and staff cars appearing indiscriminately, some bumping into the advancing tanks, and all being shot up or captured, while lines of red tracer from the tanks' machine guns pierced the moonlight. Lieutenant Gill destroyed a huge 210 mm gun; two 88 mm, a 75 mm, five lorries, two tractors and a Volkswagen were knocked out, and many more were overrun. At 4.30 a.m. the regiment halted.
At dawn on the 27th El Hamma was in sight. The 2nd Armoured Brigade had broken right through the 21st Panzer Division, who were now trapped between the brigade and the New Zealanders. The Bays had lost two Shermans knocked out, two with their tracks damaged, and Sergeant Smith's Crusader trapped in a deep wadi. Smith and his crew hid in a slit trench as German tanks approached, firing at the top of their trench, luckily with armour-piercing shots. Soon a very smart Italian officer walked up and asked, 'Are you my prisoner, or an I yours?' Smith immediately claimed him, whereupon the officer led Smith round a bend in the wadi and surrendered an 88 mm in perfect order, together with twelve officers and thirty-eight soldiers.
The Bays were now ordered to capture El Hamma. As they advanced they encountered a screen of 88 mm guns from the 15th Panzer and 164th German Infantry Divisions, who had been rushed up to hold open the road. Four tanks were lost, with Corporals Nolan and Evans killed, and Captain Widdrington and four men wounded. The Bays withdrew to positions overlooking El Hamma, having captured twenty-three prisoners. On the 28th shelling killed Troopers Doxon and Every in the echelon, and wounded five others. Dawn on the 29th revealed that the Germans had retreated. The Bays advancing through El Hamma, until some seven miles further on they were halted by a strong enemy rearguard. The Germans held their position on the 30th and 31st, then on 1 April the Bays were moved back into reserve. For their part in the Mareth battle Major Weld and Lieutenant Jackson were awarded the Military Cross, and Sergeants Smith and Cockwill the Military Medal.
The battle of the Gabes Gap to force the German position at the Wadi Akarit was carried through by the infantry of the 51st Highland Division, 50th Division and the 4th Indian Division. The KDG waited to lead the New Zealand Division through the Gap.
