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The following story appears courtesy of and with thanks to Arthur Cope, R. A. (T. A.) and Richard A. Cope.

In May 1942, on the advice of my commanding officer, I submitted an application for an Army Commission, but whatever happened to that official form I do not know because for the following five weeks little time was left to think of commissions.
I was a member of 155 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, protecting El Adem landing ground, in the Western Desert, not far from Tobruk. This was not to be our first taste of action. As a Territorial Army unit we had been mobilised in August 1939, and early the following month were among the first troops to arrive in France, with the British Expeditionary Force.
Following our evacuation from Dunkirk on June 2nd, 1940, we had a brief stay in England before sailing to the Middle East to join General Wavell's victorious 30,000 men that routed the Italian Armies during December 1940, and January 1941. But in the late February we hurried back to Alexandria to board H.M.S York for our ill-fated trip to Greece. By the end of May, we suffered our second evacuation and were back in Egypt again, the regiment (three batteries), having lost eighty percent of offices and men.
The remnants of the regiment were reinforced to make one Battery and the next twelve months were spent comparatively quietly in Palestine, Egypt and Syria.
In April 1942, we were back at El Adem and helped to prepare the El Adem 'Box', a small area of the desert consisting of undulated land, which we surrounded with barbed wire and mines. Our orders were to withdraw into the box and delay the enemy if the need should arise.
My diary then reads . . .
May 27th 1942
The battle commenced. Bombing and straffing all day. Hundreds of British vehicles, guns and tanks streaming past all day - withdrawing. Our orders were to 'stand fast'. In the early evening we were shelled by enemy tanks. The shells landed right amongst us, but caused no casualties.
May 28th
Were bombed and straffed all day long. A particularly heavy raid took place at 7.30pm when 18 Stukas heavily bombed our positions. Later we received orders to move immediately to El Adem Box. An enemy attack by 150 tanks on El Adem was prevented by a strong thrust by our own tanks.
May 29th
Continuous bombing and straffing all through the day, and continued almost unceasingly through the night by means of flares. The main battle appears to be in the Knightsbridge and Bir Hacheim area.
May 30th
The tide seems to be turning in our favour, although enemy air attacks on an increased scale.
May 31st
Left El Adem Box early in the morning and returned to our old positions on the Landing Ground. Saw the G.O.C.-in-Chief (General Ritchie, (who said that "things are going very well". (What an understatement!) The night was about the worst yet experienced with continuous bombing and straffing for almost five hours.
June 1st
Air activity on a slightly reduced scale.
June 2nd
Only spasmodic attacks during the day and night.
June 3rd
Bir Hacheim Box, held by the Free French, putting up a great fight against heavy enemy attacks.
June 4th
We experienced the quietest 24 hours since the battle commenced.
June 5th
Excessive enemy air reconnaissance during the day - a sure sign of 'things to come'.
June 6th
Orders received at 3am to move immediately into El Adem Box and take up our old positions. At 9am the enemy began another large-scale offensive.
June 7th
The Free French in Bir Hacheim are still defending courageously but have only, two days' water supply. More than 70 Stukkas took part in a heavy dive-bombing attack on our box.
June 8th
Heard news that small supplies of water and rations managed to get through to Bit Hacheim.
June 9th
More heavy bombing raids on our position throughout most of the day.
June 10th
Air attacks not quite so bad as yesterday.
June 11th
Heard that the Free French have withdrawn from Bir Hacheim, which means that the enemy's next objective will be El Adem Box!!
June 12th
What a day. We are completely surrounded. Were bombed, shelled, mortared, machine-gunned and straffed from all sides and from the air absolutely non-stop. Twenty-five enemy planes were destroyed by our guns with others seriously damaged.
June 13th
Still surrounded. British tank losses today were very heavy. An enemy column of vehicles passed within range of our guns and took terrific punishment from us.
June 14th
Orders issued for British forces to prepare for a general withdrawal. At 7pm, we 'made a break for it' and by travelling at top speed managed to 'dodge' the enemy and reached Gambut before midnight.
June 15th
Moved back to El Adem again early in the morning, but found it completely surrounded. I was delighted to return to Gambut to find the Battery Captain and Battery Headquarters.
June 16th
I contacted Colonel Ware of 2nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment who ordered me to proceed to Sidi Barani, keeping in touch with him by wireless. (Orders had been sent to our Battery to proceed with all speed to Sidi Barani). I was in the major's car with a wireless truck and two other vehicles. I travelled via Capizzo, Gap 42, Sidi Suleiman, Conference Cairn to Hamrah.
June 17th
I again contacted Colonel Ware only to find him seriously ill. I managed to get him to an ambulance going back. This left me in charge of the whole convoy - no officers, no rations, no water and no orders. Gave instructions for all the wireless sets to attempt to contact Regimental Headquarters as we moved. Travelled almost due wet all day via R.H.Q., so shortly after midnight I called the convoy to halt at Kilo 45.
June 18th
At last made contact with 2nd Regiment and so made way via Sidi Barani to a point about 30 miles from Mersa Matruh.
June 19th
Unable to contact my battery but remained on constant wireless alert.
June 20th
Battery Captain and Battery Headquarters contacted and later arrived at our position where I was able to 'relinquish my command' and hand over to the adjutant.
June 21st
Heard the terrible news that Tobruk had surrended to the German Forces.
June 23rd
Major Brother and six of our guns at last arrived at our positions.
June 24th
Movement of guns and vehicles all day and night - but all going back.
June 25th
We parted from 2nd Regiment and our Battery moved to Mersa Matruh.
June 26th
Things beginning to look extremely serious. All spare personnel and equipment ordered to evacuate as speedily as possible to Alexandria. I moved off with the Battery riding in the water truck with George Moore. We joined the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade and awaited orders. 'At the ready' all night.
June 27th
Moved off at 8am through desert to positions about six miles outside Mersa Matruh. Under five minutes notice to move. Again on the alert all night with no possibility of sleep.
June 28th
Shelling began at 4am all around us. This became more intense as the day wore on. Received the 'pleasant' news that enemy forces completely surround us - the second time this month.
At 3pm we made an attempt to break through the enemy lines but only got three miles when we were driven back to our original positions. Later, instructions were issued that another (and final) attempt was to be made to break out, and that if we really got 'stuck', it was 'every man for himself'.
At 9:30pm we set off with the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade - split into three columns, ours going into the known thickest part to attract attention from the other two columns. Enemy planes soon located us and night became as bright as day with their flares. Bombing, though fairly heavy, was not as bad as expected.
Four times between 10pm and 11:30pm we were in combat with enemy troops and casualties were heavy.
Just about midnight, we ran into the enemy 'reception party'. A minefield had been laid right in our path. The leading vehicles ran right into it. Then in the light of hundreds of ground and air flares, the enemy opened up with a terrific bombardment of artillery, anti-tank and machine-gun fire.
Orders were shouted: "Every man for himself! Make a break for it!"
George and I immediately turned left and drove at top speed up the side of the escarpment. By a miracle the vehicle went straight up the steep slope without either of us being hit. At the top, a German machine-gun post was caught unawares and before they could fire, we drove our vehicle straight at them and over the top of them. As we sped, travelling due south, I was able to look back at the terrible battle, (mostly one-sided, however), with hundreds of vehicles blazing fiercely.
June 29th
By 4am we had been joined by four other vehicles (not from our Battery), who followed my lead in travelling due South, but the mist became so dense that I was compelled to call a halt until 6:30am, when we moved off and I altered course to South-East.
About 10am we made contact with other friendly vehicles. The others with us joined them but, we declined as I was anxious to try and contact the remnants of our Battery because we had their water supply. So once again we moved off.
Twice in the afternoon we were shelled by enemy columns, but fortunately outstripped them. About 7pm we contacted H.Q. of 13th Corps. I had a long interview with the brigadier regarding the 5th Brigade.
I felt very proud of his comments to me.
June 30th
At 8am, alone, we moved off again after getting petrol from the brigadier. Our possessions are one revolver, one compass, one rather useless map, but no food at all!
At about 11am we were pulled up by a soldier who turned out to be a German. He was surprised as we were, but I had the advantage of being armed. He had apparently left his rifle with his colleagues further down the escarpment. He ordered me to drive to the German H.Q just below, but my answer was to shout at George to: "Put you foot down!" in the opposite direction. By the time the German's companions had reached the top of the escarpment, we were well out of range.
We spent most of the day dodging enemy patrols until about 5pm, when four armoured cars came from behind a ridge and had us trapped. George and I silently shook hands and mentally pictured a long journey to a Stalag Prisoner of War Camp. But once again, 'Lady Luck' was with us, because the armoured cars were friendly South Africans. They gave us directions to 1st Armoured Division H.Q. - about 20 miles south of El Alamein. Alone, we set off again and kept going until it was too dark to take bearings with the compass.
July 1st
After taking turns at 'dosing', we were just preparing to move off when shelling began and we found our lone vehicle was the centre of enemy attraction. Changing all previous plans, we at once set off Northeast to El Alamein.
At last we arrived there and the mines were lifted and barbed wire removed to allow us through. We were soon on the main (and only) Tobruk-Alexandra road and after travelling about 25 miles, we spotted our Battery by the roadside. What a joyous reunion. Major Brothers was delighted to see me. Many casualties had been suffered and only four of the twelve Bofor guns had got through. At last we got some food and were able to supply the Battery with water. Later, we moved into the desert to join the rest of the depleted army who were re-forming.
July 2nd
Heavy shelling all day, but our casualties were very light - one man killed and five wounded.
July 3rd
About midday we moved off - back to Amariya for a well-deserved rest and to re-equip. Our Battery casualties during the past week were 5 killed, 28 wounded and 81 missing - from a total strength of 183.
Conclusion
This was by no means the end of our action, but at least from then onwards it was a far different story because it was advancement - not retreat (sorry, withdrawal).
Our Battery joined General Montgomery's victorious Eighth Army at the Battle of El Alamein, and we then we swept forward through the desert, pushing Rommell's forces all the way to Tripoli.
Later we were to land on the beaches of Salerno in Italy to join the American Fifth Army. We took part in the drive to free that country from the occupying German Army - through Naples, Rome and Monte Casino.
Just before the attack on Florence, we received news that those members of our Battery who had served with the unit from its first days in France were to return to England, having completed five years active services overseas.
We boarded a ship at Naples to join a convoy, which, with a large naval escort, made the safe voyage home to 'dear old Blighty'.

Continued.....
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