6 RWK North Africa 30/11/1942

Hello to all. Can any one help with any information on the fighting around Bald hill and Green hill on the Mateur road in North Africa on the 30/11/1942 as i would dearly like to know more of the action that clamed the life of my great uncle George Henry Gaston a private in the 6th battalion of the queens own royal west kent regiment, all i have been able to find out is that on the date of his death the 30/11/1942 11 officers and 150 men died in an attack on these hills. Many thanks, Roy.

 

Seems like operation Torch and the drive for Tunis. The RWK were part of 36 Infantry Brigade.

This website (click here) has a good ooutline of the battles, with maps.

 

Dear RemeDesertRat, many thanks for the reply, yes i have been on this site and the maps are very usefull and show Bald Hill and Green Hill Mateur Road area where i do believe uncle George lost his life. Though unfortunatly this site mainly deals with events after the 30th november 1942 and the stalemate reached, and this deals with the new offensive in early 1943. Roy.

 

Can't think of any other sites or books that would help, I can only suggest sending for his service records and maybe getting the battalions war diary if it's available.

 

Thank you very much for your help Owen and RemeDesertRat i will have a look into your suggestions, if any thing else comes to mind please let me know. Roy

 

Royzza

Extract from the Regimental History of the QORWK Regt: HTH!
Chris

 

WO 204/8324
6 Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment: history of North African and Italian campaign
Covering dates1942-1945

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I suspect that will be a great file-I have some similiar ones for my 1940 stuff and they are excellent.

 

Dear Everyone. Sorry for not replying sooner. big thanks Chris grove thats real interesting information and gives me a lot more detail . thank you so much. Regards Roy.

 

Dear Drew. Thanks for the reply. i have done a request with the national archives for the wo175/509 file, i hope i will find out a little more, it would after reading Chris Groves information be great to find out the company he was in just to narrow down his position, would also be very nice to find a photo of my uncle as any photos of him seem to have gone missing over the years and i have no idea why this should be, the only tangable thing i have is a letter writen by him on the 8th of november to his sister saying how much he wanted to be there for her up and coming wedding to my grandad both i am sad to say are no longer with us. any way appologies for being so long winded. Regards Roy.

 

Dear Drew. Thanks for the reply. i have done a request with the national archives for the wo175/509 file, i hope i will find out a little more, it would after reading Chris Groves information be great to find out the company he was in just to narrow down his position, would also be very nice to find a photo of my uncle as any photos of him seem to have gone missing over the years and i have no idea why this should be, the only tangable thing i have is a letter writen by him on the 8th of november to his sister saying how much he wanted to be there for her up and coming wedding to my grandad both i am sad to say are no longer with us. any way appologies for being so long winded. Regards Roy.
Hi Roy,

I'd be interested in knowing how much they want to copy the file when they get back to you. Another member got a quote from them recently for a file containing 570 pages and it was over £250. For 570 pages I would charge £57.00 - I charge forum members 10p a page

Cheers
Andy

 

Hi Andy. Sorry for the delay in replying, i did contact to get a quote for the file you mentioned and the reply was that they could not help me as i had asked for two much information i did add on the application that i wished to have any information on two dates the 29/11/1942 to the 30/11/1942 on the attack around Bald Hill, in hindsight think this may have been to much to ask in one go so i may apply again though i don't think there will be anything else to learn apart from knowing which company of the Royal West Kents my uncle was in. Regards Roy.

 

royzza

Try and get a copy of this book, "The Spirit Lives On" by Paul A. Riches

My Grandfather was also in 6 bt. RWK

 

HISTORY OF THE 6TH QUEEN’S OWN ROYAL WEST KENT REGIMENT ON IT’S TOUR OF DUTY OVERSEAS
by CPL.Tom Morgan

is also good its quite concise.

 

You may have to sell a kidney to afford one (£70+ is all that I can find):



(not mine)

Does anybody have a copy that they could dip into for me?
I'm interested in what it includes about the battalion's involvement in Cassino in March 1944 (Ch.6).

Failing that, I will sooner or later get a copy of the diary below and make it available here:

WO 170/1421
Description:
6 Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Date:
1944 Jan.- May

But I wondered whether anybody already has a copy and could save me the time/expense.

 

*Bump* to that request about the book (have ordered the diary from Andy) and here's something new.

I found this on a local history site where nobody seems to know what the acronym CRAB in the title refers to:

 

Somebody elsewhere has managed an explanation:

Crab-station: a verminous, unpleasant camp or station: RAF: since ca. 1925. (LA) Ex crab (louse), but perhaps influenced by Urdu, khrab, bad. -- A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. Ed by Paul Beale.

Royal West Kent Regt 1939 onwards