http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=59800&stc=1&d=1314283262 The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details Name Maher, Edward Rank: Lance Serjeant Service No: 2721745 Regiment: 1 Battalion Irish Guards Theatre of Combat or Operation: North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia) Award: Military Medal Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 23 September 1943 Date 1943-1944 Catalogue reference WO 373/2 24th Guards Brigade, 1st British Division, V Corps 2721745 Lance-Sergeant Edward MAHER, 1st Bn IRISH GUARDS Map Sheet Tunisia 1/0,000 Series 4225 Sh 19. PATROL - BANANA RIDGE 20/21 April, 1943. Lance-Sergeant Edward Maher, Irish Guards, was awarded the Military Medal. Lance-Sergeant MAHER was in a company of the Irish Guards which was in a battalion of the GRENADIER GUARDS area on BANANA RIDGE on April 20, 1943. He was sent out on a mixed patrol of Irish Guards and GRENADIER GUARDS on the night of April 20 to discover routes to the various positions which his company was going to hold as a covering force on the night the brigade was to put in its attack. While on its way back, the party contacted the Germans, who opened fire and killed the GRENADIER Officer. Lance-Sergeant MAHER, a corporal of the battalion of the Irish Guards and an officer of the ROYAL TANK REGIMENT managed to lie low. Lance-Sergeant MAHER had strict instructions not to open fire under any circumstances, as it was extremely desirable that the Germans should not know that anything out of the ordinary was going to happen. The patrol was then in enemy territory, but Lance-Sergeant MAHER managed with great coolness to extricate himself and his party of which he took charge, as the ROYAL TANK REGIMENT officer had only just arrived in the country and had no experience of infantry patrol work. Having hidden themselves all night and the next day Lance-Sergeant MAHER brought his party back through our lines the following evening, shortly before the Germans put in an attack. This non-commissioned officer showed throughout great calmness and power of command in emergency, and it is doubtful whether without him the party would have got back. He secured the information he had set out to obtain and obeyed his orders to the last letter. He is an exceptionally fine type of non-commissioned officer and has proved himself on every occasion he has been committed to battle. Signed Lieut-Colonel, C.A. M-D-SCOTT, Commanding 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS The Grenadier Officer who was killed on the patrol for which Sgt. MAHER received a M.M., is this man: 164435 John Christopher FREDERICK, 5 Grenadier Guards: 20/04/1943 Lieutenant JOHN CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK 164435, 5th Bn., Grenadier Guards who died age 21 on 20 April 1943 Son of Lt.-Col. Sir Edward Boscawen Frederick, 9th Bt., and of Lady Frederick (nee Mulloy), of St. John's Wood, London. Remembered with honour MASSICAULT WAR CEMETERY Grave/Memorial Reference: I. F. 1. CWGC :: Casualty Details
N.B. Serjeant Maher died in Tunisia at the end of the North African campaign, when a flash flood carried him away from the IG encampment. Despite searches, his body was never found, and the Battalion didn't get to Italy until much later. It's a matter of more than curiosity to me then, that he has been commemorated on the Cassino Memorial. CWGC do not wish to amend his record, despite having been offered documentary evidence in War Diary of place of death, in case family have been visiting Cassino in the intervening years! Casualty Serjeant MAHER, EDWARD Service Number 2721745 Died 26/10/1943 Aged 33 1st Bn. Irish Guards M M Son of Patrick J. and Elizabeth Maher. Commemorated at CASSINO MEMORIAL Location: Italy Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 4. See cemetery plan
Some more info from a past sale of his medals: Date of Auction: 25th June 2008 Sold for £2,000 Estimate: £2,500 - £3,000 A Second World War ‘North Africa’ M.M. awarded to Lance-Serjeant Edward Maher, Irish Guards, who was killed in action in Italy on 26 October 1943 Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2721745 L. Sjt., Ir. Gds.) good very fine £2500-3000 Footnote M.M. London Gazette 23 September 1943. Recommendation reads, ‘1st Bn. Irish Guards, 24th Gds. Bde., 1st British Division’. ‘Tunisia ... Patrol - Banana Ridge, 20/21 April, 1943. L/Sgt. Maher was in No.3 Coy. of this Bn. which was in the 5th Bn. Grenadier Guards area on Banana Ridge on 20 April 1943. He was sent out on a mixed patrol of I.I.G., and 5 G.G., on the night of 20 April to discover routes to the various positions which his Coy. was going to hold as a covering force on the night the Bde was to put in its attack. While on its way back, the party contacted the Germans, who opened fire and killed the Grenadier officer. L/Sgt. Maher, a Corpl. of this Bn., and an officer of the RTC managed to lie low. L/Sgt. Maher had strict instructions not to open fire under any circumstances, as it was extremely desirable that the Germans should not know that anything out of the ordinary was going to happen. The Patrol was then in enemy territory but L/Sgt. Maher managed with great coolness to extricate himself and his party, of which he took charge, as the RTC Officer had only just arrived in this country, and had no experience of Infantry patrol work. Having hidden themselves all night and the next day L/Sgt. Maher brought his party back through our lines the following evening, shortly before the Germans put in an attack. This N.C.O. showed throughout great calmness and power of command in emergency and it is doubtful whether without him the party would have got back. He secured the information he had set out to obtain and obeyed his orders to the last letter. He is an exceptionally fine type of N.C.O. and has proved himself on every occasion he has been committed to battle’. Serjeant Edward Maher was killed in action in Italy on 26 October 1943. His name is commemorated on the Cassino Memorial. He was the son of Patrick J. and Elizabeth Maher. A photocopied newspaper cutting with the group states that Maher was from Kilbrogan Hill, Bandon, Co. Cork, and that his M.M. was presented to his brother and sister at a Buckingham Palace investiture.
