1st Bn The Buffs (R.E.K.R)

Thank you ADM199, I will get on to them and have a look. It seems intresting so I will see what I can gain from it.
Once again
Cheers

 

Dave there are a couple more,

WO170/1367 Jan - Dec 1944 and WO170/4992 Jan - Dec 1945.


Brian

 

Thanks once again ADM199. I will have to find some time and get to the N/A soon and have a good look at them.
Dave

 

Owen -
That comment - " after fierce fighting -in September '44 there was a shortage of manpower" ....seems to be the British understatement of the week - this was in the middle of the Gothic Line Battles when - among many others 46th Div were being slaughtered at Gemmano / Croce along with 56th and 9th Armoured bde- Canadians being hammered at Coriano Ridge -Polish Divs had retired at Cattolica - 1st Armoured who hadn't fired a shot since March '43 didn't know which way was up and were finally broken up for spares in October - ALL the reinforcements were going into NW Europe - we were close to the bottom of the barrel for manpower ! Divisions were down to two bdes - Battalions were down to three companies etc...and Ahrnem failed to finish off the war !!!
Cheers

 

For a separate battle in July 1942 I have researched the 1st Buffs action at Point 204, six miles west of Alam / Alem Halfa; as a detachment from their anti-tank company, with six-pounder AT guns got involved, led by a Major P.G. Clarke (who so far I have not identified). One unit member who died on 1/7/1942 was reburied a year later @ El Alamein. See: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2212067/shirley-charles-smith/

So in outline: They were destroyed in the Battle of Gazala, 14th December 1941 and most members were captured.

The NZETC Official History refers to: The Buffs lost 531 men and only the Quartermaster, the Medical Officer, and 69 other ranks escaped capture. See: CHAPTER 26 — Gazala and Beyond | NZETC

See: The British Empire and The British Empire Background: Operation Crusader - Wikipedia

The battalion was reformed, later it was to fight in North Africa, Italy and ended the war in Greece.

 

The Buffs ended the war in Italy with 24 Guards Brigade, 56 Division.

Not sure if they ended up in Greece post-war.

 

Gary,

I only found this on the first cited link in my post:

Gus Myles will know more, he is our expert for the Greek Civil War.

 

The Buffs Major in charge of the anti-tank company @ Deir El Shein 1/7/1942 has been now id’d as Peter Graham Clarke, 26yrs, 67104, died 2/9/1942, buried at El Alamein Cemetery 19/5/1943 (with two soldiers). From: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2093002/peter-graham-clarke/ Commissioned from university 31/1/1936. From: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34251/page/671/data.pdf

 

See Post 32 for an update on the action @ Point 204 or Alem Hamza when the 1st Buffs were overwhelmed: Operation Crusader 1941

 

See Post 159 for an update their 1st The Buffs action on 1/7/1942 @ Deir el Shein in: Deir el Shein sources - July 1942