78th British Infantry Division - "The Battleaxe Div"

Discussion in 'Higher Formations' started by Ron Goldstein, Nov 4, 2010.

  1. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    Sgt John Eustace - 132 Field Regt, R.A. (78th Division), a native of Widnes.
     

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  2. Combover

    Combover Guest

    Do we know if Mr Eustace is still with us? I live in Widnes and would be very interested to know!
     
  3. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    I cant say for sure Combover, but I believe that he died in the late 70's
     
  4. Combover

    Combover Guest

    Damn shame. I'll have to do a search for Widnes vets just to satisfy my curiosity.

    Getting back to 78th, it seems clear to me that few men wore any distinguishing insignia other than the battle axe in most cases. Can ayone say why this was?
     
  5. Gerry Chester

    Gerry Chester WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  6. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Many thanks Gerry for your worthy addition to this thread.

    As you will appreciate, the events in question took place a little before my time arrival in North Africa but Longstop and the North Irish Horse have well earned their place in history.

    Ron
     
  7. argyleboy

    argyleboy Junior Member

    Hi all, first post so sorry for any schoolboy errors. My grandad was the radio operator shouting fire missions directly from his truck to Sgt. Eustace when he was awarded his medal. My grandad Gunner Dean - still alive and well in Plymouth was awarded the MM for staying put in his unarmoured truck whilst under fire with Sgt. Eustace. Anyone have any further ideas where I can find more about this.
    No. 1138730 Gunner George Norman John Dean,Royal Regiment of Artillery (Ringwood, Hants). Many thanks all - Pete Norris
     
  8. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi Argyleboy

    Welcome to the forum !

    You will be pleased to learn that we have some really hot researchers on this site, so, just wait around and they will soon be along to help.

    Best regards

    Ron
     
  9. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    Pete, as well as the info sent via PM, please see attached

    BBC - WW2 People's War - Under fire in Tebourba, Tunisia

    At mid-morning on November 27th, seventeen German tanks approached through the olive groves surrounding the town and engaged our infantry and guns at the closest range all that day until dusk. The East Surreys had not had time to dig in and withdrew through the guns; the twenty-five pounders of 322/132 Field Battery knocked out fourteen of the seventeen tanks, but the German crews that escaped from them fought on from the cactus clumps, and enemy aircraft repeatedly dive-bombed the town itself, barely a mile to the rear. At the end of the action seven out of 322 Battery's eight guns were out of action - the one remaining gun had been manned for the greater part of the day by Sgt. Eustace alone. The knocked-out tanks were in a ring around the battery, one of them only three yards from the muzzle of the gun that had destroyed it. Sgt. Eustace won a D.C.M. that day, Lt. Owen Jones, a gun-position officer of the same battery, an M.C., and Gunner Deans, who had, from an unarmoured truck, kept up communications though under fire throughout, an M.M.
     
    Ken P likes this.
  10. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  11. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Tony56

    Many thanks for the "New Arrivals" pdf.

    Hadn't seen it before and when I was a "new arrival" it was in Tunis and a completely different time and place :)

    Ron
     
  12. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Given that my previous input to this thread was a single "a", this time, I hope, a more informative contribution.

    I attach a photograph of E Coy 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles (2LIR) from the Campobasso area in Dec 1943 after a few months crossing the Simarca, Trigno and Sangro rivers. From the state of the men's boots, it is possible that the area nearby was quite muddy.

    OC E Coy was Major John Lofting MC (with bar), sitting between 2-i-c Captain Pat Giles, and CSM George Charnick DCM (also recipient of an American Silver Star). Flanking these three very fine men is my father, CQMS Edmund O'Sullivan MiD, and Sgt Edward Mayo MM. Sgt Jock McNally MM is on the left side of the front row.

    Five of these named men served continuously with 2LIR (apart from when they were wounded or hospitalised due to malaria) from Algiers to Villach. Edward Mayo lies at peace in Cassino.
     

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  13. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    78 Division Victory Parade, Spittal, Austria, 6 July 1945
    Can’t trace if this has been posted before and I am afraid that the photos are not the greatest but this should appeal to those of you interested in the Battleaxe Division.

    (For the sharp eyed amongst you the document contained a few blank pages, which accounts for the gaps in page numbers).

    View attachment 78th Victory Parade Part1.pdf

    View attachment 78th Victory Parade Part2.pdf

    View attachment 78th Victory Parade Part3.pdf

    View attachment 78th Victory Parade Part4.pdf

    View attachment 78th Victory Parade Part5.pdf
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2020
    Owen likes this.
  14. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Great photos, Tony. I'm sure that some members will vividly recognise the scene.

    These pictures has stimulated me to recheck my Dad's service records, and I can now see that he missed this parade because he had gone home to see his own Mum and Dad for the first time in 2 years and 8 months. He then came down with a bout of malaria whilst in London so spent a fair amount of his leave time in a hosptial ward in Denmark Hill. That damn Simeto river has a lot to answer for.
     
  15. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Anyone with any knowledge of 138th Field Regiment RA?

    My late uncle John Devlin (1912-1972) served as Gunner (L/Bombardier) with them. I have his medals and several photographs I will upload next week. I also have his belt on which he scratched all the countries he served in - including Egypt 1944 "riots"!

    The only thing I am missing is his service number and I have often wondered if it is worth applying for his eservice record without his army number.

    If anyone could assist with a Battery Number or especially his service number?

    Steve Y.
     
  16. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hi Steve
    If you don't have his service number (I didn't for my dad) make sure you put the correct date of birth on the form, they can usually find him from that.
    Have you read "Battleaxe Division" by Ken Ford? I remember reading about the riots

    Lesley
     
  17. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Tullybrone,

    I thought others might jump into the conversation - I'm not an expert on the Royal Artillery (RA) but perhaps a couple of things below might help point a way forward.

    There were 3 Field Regiments of RA supporting the 78th Divsion throughout Africa and Italy from Nov 1942 to May 1945 - namely 17th, 132th (Welsh), and 138th Field Regiments, RA. The 17th was most usually supportive of the 38th (Irish) Brigade.

    I've read in Ken Ford's book that 138th supported Royal West Kents (36th Brigade) during the initial push for Tunis during Nov 1942, and I suppose that it is possible they might have continued to underpin the 36th's artillery requirements throughout the many campaigns. Ken Ford has a nice photograph of 5 men from 359 battery from 138th Field Regiment RA in his book, but unfortunately not a lot of detailed narrative mentions of 138th Regiment, although he references 3 or 4 138th veterans in his foreword.

    The Cairo thing clearly wasn't one of the 78th Division's proudest moments - at least according to my Dad. But its imfamy lasts to this day - even 3/4 years ago younger members of my father's regimental association would come up to him and ask about it. You can, though, sense some of the "tension" that was around in the area by reading the (unprintable) language that is used in some of the August 1944 war diaries, written by august members of the combatant battalions of the 78th.

    Richard
     
  18. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Posting about the Italian campaign is becoming a worrying habit.

    Hi all, first post so sorry for any schoolboy errors. My grandad was the radio operator shouting fire missions directly from his truck to Sgt. Eustace when he was awarded his medal. My grandad Gunner Dean - still alive and well in Plymouth was awarded the MM for staying put in his unarmoured truck whilst under fire with Sgt. Eustace. Anyone have any further ideas where I can find more about this.
    No. 1138730 Gunner George Norman John Dean,Royal Regiment of Artillery (Ringwood, Hants). Many thanks all - Pete Norris

    [​IMG]

    Click on the attachment below for a larger copy
    1.jpg
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  19. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Well done Andy-bet argyleboy is right chuffed with what you have posted.
    We will get you converted to the Italian campaign yet:p

    Lesley
     
  20. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Further to my short message left on this thread Friday 4th November regarding my late maternal uncle Gunner (L/Bombardier) John Devlin (1912-1972), 138th (City of London) Field Regiment R.A., 78th “Battle Axe” Division 1942 - 1945/46.

    Thanks to all who have posted helpful comments over the past couple of days.

    I know an awful lot about his war service from my late parents - with the exception of his army service number!

    My uncle was in a reserved occupation as a Docker in Workington, Cumberland but was conscripted about 1941. As an aside - I spoke to his cousin some years ago, who died recently aged 104, and he told me he was also a Docker and was conscripted to a specialist RE Docks Unit in 1943 in preparation for the invasion of France when specialist units were created for employment on the Mulberry Harbour.

    I am in possession of my uncle’s 1939/45 Star, Africa Star (1st Army clasp), Italy Star, Defence Medal & War Medal. He had inscribed his belt with the places he had served - Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Egypt, Italy (again), Austria and finally “Blighty”!

    I have read Ken Ford’s excellent 78th Division history book which confirm my late uncle’s recorded movements.

    I have seen newspaper birthday greetings to him from my late mother where he is shown as being a Gunner in North Africa in May 1943 and as being in Italy in May 1944 and 1945 – rank shown as L/Bombardier in 1945.

    I have attached some group pictures that originated with my late uncle where the “Battle Axe” Divisional sign is visible on shoulder epaulettes.

    1. John Devlin standing 2nd right in North Africa around a 25 pounder gun with his gun crew members and their officer who has a 78th Division shoulder patch visible on the right upper arm of his battledress.

    2. Large group photo presumably taken in the UK before embarkation overseas - I presume it is his Battery – I think one of the 3 officer’s pictured in the photo is also in the North Africa “gun” group photo. John Devlin is 2nd left on the next to back row.

    3. John Devlin seated at the rear of a group of soldiers on a jeep which from their relaxed expressions, and background I presume was taken in Austria in summer 1945.

    4. Presumed North Africa Group Photo.

    I have some other group photographs which I have not yet scanned which also show the Battle Axe sign – including one taken in front of the Victor Emmanuel Monument in Rome in 1944.

    I wonder if any member could help me with the following mixed bag of queries –

    1. Can anyone tell me if there is printed history of my late uncles unit?

    2. Is there a nominal roll at embarkation in 1942?

    3. Are their any survivors or an existing old comrades association?

    4. Whilst Ken Ford’s book paints a vivid picture of the 78th Division “exploits” during their short time in Egypt in 1944 can anyone provide any more information?

    5. Does anyone know of any way of finding out my late uncle’s service number to assist in an application for his service record? Would Royal Artillery at Woolwich be able to assist?

    I am in possession of all his WW2 medals but I made an application to the Army Medal Office over 10 years ago to see if that would indirectly lead to the disclosure of his service number. I received a reply that there was no trace of him!

    As I presume that the Army Medal Office contacted MOD Records to obtain my uncle’s service record as part of their enquiry process I am concerned that a fresh application directly to the MOD would be met with the same negative result.

    Having read of forum members bad experiences with the MOD record office at Glasgow (especially since it appears to have been outsourced and is run as a commercial enterprise) and don’t want to waste my money if lack of a service number is fatal to a successful application.

    I would appreciate any information/views/feedback from members.

    Thanks.

    Steve Y.
     

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