´óÏó´«Ã½

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Kristen Helsby of Congleton Library on behalf of Harold Limeburner and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

My brother Jack joined the South Staffs Regiment in 1937. He was stationed in various places in Palestine and his job was to help police the uprisings of the Arabs — to quell the riots that were taking place. They traveled across the desert to a destination and boarded a lorry. There were 8 soldiers on the lorry. The lorry was overturned on a sand dune and caught fire. All 8 soldiers perished in the fire. Jack was 20 years of age. Another Congleton soldier wanted to go along in that lorry (as he was friends with Jack) but the Sargeant Major would not allow him — he had to ride in a different lorry and therefore avoided the disaster.

I was based in the Suez Canal and you have to put a request in, and so I sent a request into the commanding officer and he arranged with the military for me to have transport to go and visit my brother’s grave in Cairo.

It was a simple soldier’s grave, with a cross and his name. (see photo attached)

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