An Englishman at War

by James Holland

A miserable cold day, with a foul wind blowing. We were to have had a TEWT with our new gunners, the Sussex Yeomanry, but we hear that when we go forward, we shall take no gunners from here, but take over gunners from 22nd Brigade, who we are to relieve.

  The move, so we heard today, will be to an area south-west of Benghazi, and the tanks will go on transporters, which arrive here on the 22nd, and we move on the 23rd. A good many of the squadron are going sick, mostly with stomach trouble. Myself, I feel as if I am about to produce 14 babies and I have been kept running to and from an incredibly draughty ‘rear seal’ throughout the day and night, but never felt any relief.

  On 22 November, Stanley was sent to hospital, and in his absence, Sam Garrett took over temporary command of A Squadron and led them across vast swathes of Libya as they followed the Panzer Armee Afrika back across Cyrenaica. They passed through Benghazi on 29 November, then Eighth Army paused as Rommel withdrew his forces back behind El Agheila, from where he had begun his first offensive 18 months earlier.

  Meanwhile, the Anglo-US forces in First Army had entered Tunisia but were being checked at Longstop Hill well to the west of Tunis.

  Stanley rejoined A Squadron on 15 December, having made a full recovery from what appears to have been a particularly debilitating attack of dysentery, just in time for Montgomery’s renewed assault against Rommel’s forces.

  Tuesday, 15 December

  Enemy withdrew in the night. Pushed on to Agheila. The Buffs entered the town at 09.30 and found it deserted. Major Christopherson rejoined from hospital after having to travel 1200 miles to rejoin unit. Such are our L of C.

  Wednesday, 16 December

  The brigade moved along the coast road towards Marble Arch, with Notts Yeomanry leading. We met no opposition and found the aerodrome at Marble Arch mined and evacuated. The whole area is stiff with mines and booby traps. Sergeant Nelson’s tank struck a mine. The fitters did excellent work and got it on the road again. B Squadron lost their flying fitters in a ‘99H’, which went over a mine. Both killed.

  Thursday, 17 December

  At daybreak moved west for another 10 miles. Halted five hours for maintenance. We are outstripping our supplies. Sam Garrett and the OP did a recce over the ground five miles westwards. Moved again at 14.00 for another five miles. When we leaguered we were given to understand that we should be static for a few days, so immediately pitched our squadron tent. We shall have to wait for our supplies to catch us up.

  Friday, 18 December

  John Harding, divisional commander of the 7th Armoured Division, to which we are attached, visited the Regiment today. We were told that the Regiment might have to join the New Zealanders under Freyberg, now at Nofilia another 10 miles to the west. He had demanded an armoured regiment as extra support. We didn’t like this idea much, as the 9th Armoured Brigade served under him in the last of the battle and complained that he made them do a TEWT during the battle – i.e. Terrible Experience Without Tactics!

  Major Lawrence Biddle has now become brigade major in place of Ian Holme, who has become 2i/c of the Staffs.

  Saturday, 19 December

  For the moment we do not go to the NZs – it looks as if we shall be here for Xmas. Maintenance on tanks during the morning. Sports competition in the afternoon against B Squadron between tank crews, which we lost. Events included Digging in, Brewing up, Cumberland wrestling, Cockfighting, and obstacle race. I had to jockey race against Michael.

  Sam Garrett went out on a recce for water and brought back a ewe lamb! We are only on ½ gallon per man per day.

  Sunday, 20 December

  Our new RHA battery – i.e. K Battery, 5th RHA – are a most charming crowd, especially the OP who works with A Squadron and the battery commander Major Stephen St John. I feel quite certain that we shall never get another Jack Tyrrell, but these people, with practice, we feel will combine well with us. They have worked with armour before, but have already said that they have learned more with us in a week than ever before with other armoured regiments where co-operation had not been good.

  The padre gave a service at four o’clock, with his usual good sermon. After the service Donny Player congratulated the CO on his DSO and we all gave him three cheers, which he thoroughly deserved. As usual he made a charming reply.

  Monday, 21 December

  The regimental group moved out for a short exercise during the morning for the purpose of teaching the A/T gunners on formations and tactics. It was most instructive to us all. The 25-pounder battery fired a few rounds on an imaginary target picked up by our leading troop. They got a round down in five minutes, and effective fire within eight.

  Orders came round that the brigade is to move to Nofilia.

  Tuesday, 22 December

  The move was cancelled again and the brigade is at eight hours’ notice. Last night we ate the lamb Sam Garrett had brought back. Our squadron cook, Putman, cooked it to a turn. I have not tasted anything so good for months. Rations are improving; bread issued now. Water ration is still very small – only ½ gallon per man per day.

  Wednesday, 23 December

  Tanks did not go out today. General Montgomery came and presented the awards for the last battle. The Buffs, 3rd RTR and ourselves provided a guard of honour: 10 men from each squadron under command of Sam Garrett. Afterwards, Monty inspected three of our tanks and their crews. One belonged to Freddie Cooper, which he has had since the battle started and which has received at least six hits.

  Thursday, 24 December

  Orders came out that we move on Boxing Day. We have to clear the enemy out of Saita. At the moment the squadron has 16 Crusader tanks.

  At 7 o’clock in the evening the padre arranged some carol singing at RHQ. Tim Toft played his saxophone and it was a great success. Mike Gold is going back to Cairo to collect winter clothing, etc. I don’t anticipate he will be back for at least two weeks.

  Friday, 25 December, Christmas Day

  All the officers in the squadron went to early service at RHQ. Putman cooked us a very good breakfast afterwards: porridge, fried bread, bacon, biscuits and treacle. The CO sent a written Xmas message, one copy for each vehicle, in which he told us that this would be his third and last Christmas as CO. General Montgomery also sent all the troops an excellent Xmas message, copy of which is in the troop book.

  At 11.15 we had a regimental church service. At 12.30 we had our squadron Xmas dinner. Michael Gold has somehow procured for the Regiment some turkey, pork, Christmas pudding and cake. Putman cooked this fare in our mobile squadron three-ton fitter! We formed a semi-circle of petrol tins round the back of the lorry, and the men sat on the ground using the tins as tables. The officers did the waiting. Each man had a bottle of beer and 50 cigarettes free. So, considering our location, we all did very well.

  The CO visited each squadron during the meal. He wished us a happy Christmas and we gave him three cheers. The officers all had their Xmas dinners at RHQ and, with the help of 3-tonner canvas tops, we managed to erect a tent large enough to hold all. It was an excellent dinner. We each brought our own drink, which consisted of whisky and rum. We all agreed when we had finished that we had not been so full since being in the desert!

  It rained hard during the night. Some managed to catch some, which improved the water situation.

  Saturday, 26 December, Boxing Day

  We were due to move and were at ½ an hour’s notice, but the order never came through. In the evening Sam and I had a drink with Major St John and the remainder of K Battery officers. The rest of the day we stood about waiting.

  Sunday, 27 December

  A and C Squadrons moved across country to Matratia to pick up transporters and from there we went to meet the rest of the regiment at Nofilia. I had a bet with Bert Churchman, our tech adjutant, that on our next move no Crusader tank in the squadron would need a fitter for 10 miles. Wager: two bottles of whisky! Quite unobtainable at the moment. After going 500 yards from camp area Corporal Rush had a petrol leak. We had no more
trouble for another 30 miles. How I swore. When we reached Matratia, we found that the transporters had moved on to Nofilia so we had to go all the way on tracks.

  Monday, 28 December

  There are mines and booby traps everywhere and the sappers have suffered heavy casualties. Moved further west. All bridges on the road are blown, which means making detours. The country looks lovely, full of tiny stocks which give off a heady smell. Spent the night just outside Sirte. Water situation much better.

  Thursday, 31 December

  Spent the day on maintenance. Scott, Stephen Mitchell and Ronnie Hutton came in the evening to drink in the new year, which we did with rum, whisky and gin. Ronnie told us some excellent tales.

  The end of 1942 saw Eighth Army halted at the Wadi Zem Zem, some fifty miles to the west of Sirte, which had fallen on Christmas Day. The same day, Admiral Darlan had been assassinated, and was replaced by General Henri Giraud as leader in French North Africa. Elsewhere in the war, the Japanese were facing defeat by the US on the Pacific island of Guadalcanal, while on the Eastern Front, the Germans had been held on the edge of Moscow and were now facing encirclement at Stalingrad. On almost every front, the tide appeared to have turned against the Axis. Just how the Western Allies were going to go on and win the war was to be the subject of a major Anglo-US conference in January in the French Moroccan city of Casablanca.

  Friday, 1 January 1943

  New Year’s Day! The CO, Patrick McCraith, Stephen Mitchell and I, with Stephen St John, the commander of K Battery RHA, went out on a recce to Wadi Tamet. We have heard that the Germans are holding a line from Gheddalia to the sea. They have about 98 tanks, with a quantity of petrol, and might make an attack. As a result we were duty regiment today on half an hour’s notice. We looked at battle positions, with a view to protecting the infantry from a frontal or flank attack, and to prevent a swoop southwards on the part of the enemy. We went in three Jeeps. Had bully and biscuits for lunch. Stephen Mitchell ate all the cheese, which I had brought.

  Saturday, 2 January

  An officers’ shop in the form of a 3-tonner arrived at Brigade HQ. We all went down and bought various articles of clothing. During the morning crew commanders’ net on the wireless.

  After lunch, Keith Douglas gave the squadron a lecture on camo usage and showed the squadron some photos taken from the air.

  Young, our new MO, has been awarded the MC. He is a grand man and most popular.

  Sunday, 3 January

  A very rough and unpleasant day. Cold, a sand storm and rain.

  Sent seven skeleton crews away to Brigade workshops to fetch tanks. We are going to be made fully up to strength, and have three Mk IIIs in reserve to travel with B1 Echelon.

  The weather worsened over the next couple of days and badly affected the flow of supplies from Benghazi where the port had only just been cleared and begun to function fully again. With Eighth Army’s line of communications tightly stretched, it meant fuel, rations and ammunition to the front would be affected in the coming days before Montgomery’s next push towards Tripoli.

  Thursday, 7 January

  I went to the 4th Light Armoured Brigade HQ at 08.45 and met there a young officer from the KDGs attached to Brigade HQ as navigator. He took us westward to within three miles of the Bir Ngem Road, which is the enemy patrol line. We didn’t go further as some tanks and A/T guns were trying to get across the road into an area where a quantity of enemy MET had been reported. After making a detour SE we came back to Brigade HQ. All the ‘going’ was excellent. Before returning at 14.00 hours we mended a puncture. Arrived back at 18.00 hours and went straight to Brigade and handed in my report to Lawrence Biddle, the brigade major.

  The general impression is that the enemy are still going westwards and that all their digging in and blasting positions is bluff. We saw quite a lot of air activity. Regimental conference here in the afternoon about possibility of using Shermans in a recce role, as there is a possibility that Crusaders may not be coming into the country any more.

  Friday, 8 January

  We are now on a gallon of water per man per day instead of ½ gallon.

  Saturday, 9 January

  A Company, of the Buffs, brought their NCOs and officers over here, and with the NCOs and officers of this squadron, we discussed the use of their ‘floating punch’ in conjunction with the Crusaders. The punch consists of two heavy machine-guns on a range of 4000 yards and two Posan carriers. If they could bring fire to bear from a flank onto an A/T gun that is holding us up, it would be most helpful to enable us to push on.

  We are gradually being made up with tanks and in a short time we should have 20 in the squadron. Each troop will each have a reserve tank, probably travelling with B1 Echelon.

  Sunday, 10 January

  A Company Buffs came and did a scheme with the squadron at 10.00 hours. We practised working with their ‘floating punch’ and worked out a scheme whereby one of the Crusaders carried up the crew of the machine-guns to a position on the flank of an enemy A/T gun. A man called Potts is the commander of the floating punch. He is actually a padre, but chose to become a regimental soldier and won the MC the other day.

  During the afternoon he went to a conference at Eighth Army HQ for regimental commanders and above. The army commander, General Montgomery, disclosed his plan for the final phase of the North Africa campaign. I expect that we shall hear about it tomorrow.

  Some NAAFI stores arrived today.

  Monday, 11 January

  A great petrol shortage at the moment so we can’t take the tanks out. Spent the day in maintenance in preparation for the coming push.

  All officers in the brigade down to squadron leaders attended a conference under the divisional commander, who gave a detailed plan for the coming push. The 8th Armoured is attacking in the centre across the Wadi Zem Zem. The New Zealanders, plus the Greys as their armour, are to be on our left and we’ll sweep up from the south. The 22nd Armoured Brigade are to be reserve on our right. The Highland Division plus a battalion of heavy tanks are to work along the coast road to clear it as the main line of supply. The road is heavily mined, so a special detachment of sappers is to be attached. This is to be essentially a ‘battle of supply’ and all vehicles are to carry 10 days’ rations and water on a basis of ½ a gallon per man per day.

  Tuesday, 12 January

  The brigade started the approach march today towards Wadi Tamet. We travelled 40 miles and the squadron arrived at our destination with 19 tanks.

  Wednesday, 13 January

  We lay up all day. The CO came round each squadron and told each man the details of the divisional plan. Final squadron leaders’ conference at 17.00 hours. Moved off again after dark for another 20 miles, which brought us to within two miles of the Bungem road, which runs north and south and the Wadi Zem Zem.

  Thursday, 14 January

  The brigade moved forward, ourselves on the left, 3rd RTR in the centre, and Staffs on the right, to attack enemy positions in the wadi. We drew fire almost immediately we had crossed the road. The Germans had 88mm guns and other A/T guns very cleverly concealed in this very dry wadi, which gave them a magnificent field of fire as we came over the horizon. They also had heavy machine-gun posts in many of the sub wadis, which were most difficult to locate and most uncomfortable for crew commanders. My squadron managed to work their way down the wadis, but Keith Douglas’s troop had an unpleasant time on the left flank, where the ground was very undulating. He played a game of hide-and-seek with a German tank, which was eventually knocked out by a C Squadron tank.

  The enemy had every inch of the ground under fire. Stephen Mitchell took a troop of Shermans on that flank. He had his own tank knocked out and also that of John Semken. Stephen and his crew managed to get out before the tank burst into flames; John Semken also got away with slight burns.

  Keith Douglas and White both had their tanks knocked out. They started to walk back to get help for their wounded crew but trod on an S mine and were both in
jured – White seriously so, but Keith not as bad. Our RHA OP, Stan Burroughs, who was also working on that right flank, had his tank knocked out too. All his crew were machine-gunned as they left the tank and he was very badly wounded in the leg, which he has lost. He is the only survivor of that crew.

  From White’s tank, Trooper Barrow and Trooper Heal managed to walk back to safety, but Corporal Levy and Trooper Deane were both wounded and stayed out until late that night, when they were picked up by Mike Laycock and Bert Churchman. They had gone out in a scout car after dark to try and find Freddie Cooper, whose tank had been knocked out. Fortunately they found him and brought him in.

  I suddenly came across Major Barrie, whose battery was attached to the brigade. His OP had been killed, so he was acting OP. He came forward on my tank to try and shoot some 88mm German guns on the other side of the valley. As we moved forward we came in for a shower of HE and AP and I think he was quite pleased to leave me!

  We had moved forward so far that we had become the leading regiment, but it had been a costly day for us. My squadron lost three tanks knocked out, with two officers and three ORs wounded. C Squadron had nine tanks knocked out, and B Squadron, three. Freddie Cooper and Ken Graves were both killed, which was a great blow. Freddie Cooper was such a cheery person.