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On call-up, Rupert joined the 2nd Royal Gloucester Hussars, part of the Royal Armoured Corps, and trained as a tank driver before being drafted to North Africa. His parents and friends back in Middleton toasted his 21st birthday, but the celebrations and presents had to be withheld — sadly, never to be renewed. In May 1942 Cyrenaica was a dangerous place to be. Rommel and his Afrika Korps were driving hard for the Suez Canal — vital to our Far East communications — and the Commonwealth defences were concentrated on a few strong points linked by deep minefields. The most important of these was called Knightsbridge and it was here that fierce tank battles were fought to the death. On 27th May Rupert died in his tank. His last letter home expressed his sadness at the news of his father’s recent death. For his mother Ellen, notification of the death of her only child brought utter sorrow about which she found it unbearable to speak. Rupert lies in Knightsbridge War Cemetery at Acroma.

This story was donated by Andrew McCloy and Norman Wilson and was submitted to the site by Alison Tebbutt, Derby CSV Action Desk. The author has given his permission and fully understands the site's terms and conditions

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