大象传媒

Jan 1st 1941. Now that I can write legibly I'm putting down as accurately as I can remember an account of the Battle of Sidi Barrani-it is purely from the personal point of view. The action took place on 10th Dec 1940. Order of Battle was - 16th Brigade consisting of 1st Batallion, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 2nd Queens, 2nd Leicesters, 16th Brigade Anti-Tank company (my own command-1 platoon from each batallion & 1 company of the Cheshires (machine gunners), 4 A.A. Bofors guns.
Dec 9th Largered approx 10 miles S.W. Sidi Barrani-no sign of our Artillery or 'B' echelon. Managed to give my own troops tea & bully beef. Forward patrols of A.&.S.H reported enemy to be close. Quiet night but bitterly cold.
Dec 10th Brigade conference at 05.00hrs-orders are to move forward 6 miles to lager position ready to intercept enemy retreating into Barrani or advancing from West direction-no mention made of enemy in proximity.
Battle order-A&SH as forward batallion-Leicesters on right flank-Queens on left flank,anti-tank company immediately behind ASSH, followed by Brigade HQ & M.G. Company. Brigade moved into Brigade's Desert formation at 05.45. Brigade area shelled at 05.55-was talking to Sandy Bardwell when we heard first shell-both of us fell flat on our faces-Brigade moved forward at 06.00. Shelling continued and rapidly increasing to a Barrage intensity. Moved slowly forward at 06.00. Enemy artillery plainly visible on low range about one mile ahead-seem to be dug in. Anti-tank tracer shells and machine gun bullets starting to whiz around. Brigade moved forward again at 06.20-several trucks now on fire-Brigade moving fairly fast towards enemy artillery-mortar truck in front blew up like a ball of fire-sheets of flame rising up from troop carrying vehicles-06.30-Brigade halted & Brigade HQ established behing knoll just behind D Company A&SH. A&SH carriers & leading companies held up by heavy machine gun fire.
Brigadier carried out reconnaissance with Col Anderson-absolutely no sign of our artillery-Anti-tank tracer shells kept rcochetting past me at enormous speeds. Troops de-trucked & started to scoop hollows to lie in. Shelling heavy but luckily burst is not large-unpleasant to lie still & not return fire. 07.00hrs Brigadier returned & wirelessed Divisional HQ to ask for Artillery urgently-while wirelessing one operator was killed beside him. 07.05 Machine gun company came into action at the double-cannot see the effect of their fire-shell burst plumb on two ammunition carriers ten yards from me and blew them to bits-07.15 one of my trucks hit-wheel twisted so decided to change it-difficult process as there is no cover. Shelling is heavy and there is enemy machine gun fire in our direction-luckily not lower than head high- was kneeling in front of the radiator and had just bent down when shrapnel simply plastered the radiator-looked up and saw Jock rolling on the ground-ran to him and found he had a nasty wound in the right shoulder-Corporal McAlpine & I managed to sit him up and I bandaged the wound-Jock meanwhile cursing the Italians like hell. Went over to collect my truck when shell burst just by it and blew off the head of Clark, my Batman-poor sod but it was a quick death. Driver was a bit windy but I made him turn the truck round, put Jock inside & sent him back to the company medical orderly. Cpl Ingls had meanwhile changed the wheel. 07.50 spoke to the Brigadier-he asked me 'if my guns could reach the Ity position' I said 'yes'. Received orders to take guns into action.
08.00 Led guns into action-chose as target a knoll to right of A&SH forward Company from where fire seemed to be holding up A&SH-one gun going into action was hit & burst into flames-got remaining guns into action & directed fire onto knoll-shooting was accurate but armour piercing shells cannot have very much effect-enemy artillery fairly plastering my guns-artillery duel is very thrilling-our own troops moving forward slowly-08.20 only one gun left in action-08.25 shell burst wounded two of the crew-08.30 direct shell burst on gun-fell flat on my side & passed out for half a minute-came to and saw my left arm jerking up and down- thought at first it had been blown off-heard someone say 'Gawd-the Captain's been killed'so managed to sit up and say 'no, you bugger, fire the gun'-realised blood was spurting out of a wound just above the heart-Cpl Bishop came to me and tried to bind it-told me the gun was wrecked and all gun crew wounded. tried to get up but couldn't and fainted-came to later and crawled over to No1 of the gun who was obviously in pain-reached him.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.