Knightsbridge War Cemetery Tobruk Libya

Hiya I notices a few post on here about the Cemetery at Tobruck and quite a few photos.

I was wondering if there was any chance of anyone having a photo of My Uncles grave, his details are as follows

Gunner NOEL MARSAY

Service number - 833533,
60 Field Regt., Royal Artillery
who died age 27
on 23 November 1941
Husband of Elsie Marsay, of Coventry.
Grave Ref - 1. B. 3.

thank you

 

Welcome to the Forum from Canada, Julie78. There may be someone lurking around here who can make that come true. Best wishes.
phil

 

julie 78 -
Kuno is your man - he lives - i think - near Tobruk certainly in Lybia and he has been most helpful to many of this forum - he is probably swanning around in the desert but no doubt will soon return to help you...
Cheers

 

No desert for the time being but a lot of work... Tobruk is quite a distance from Tripoli but I will take above search request on my list and once I am there again I can do the photo. But it will take some time...

 

Kuno =-
many apologies - i thought that you lived nearer to Tobruq - I do realise it used to be more than 500 miles - probably still unless Tripoli has grown a lot eastwards...
cheers

 

Hi Julie and welcome to the forum......I guess you have to stick around for a while now.

Are you researching your uncles military past or just after a pic of his grave?

Cheers
Andy

 

Hi Julie, welcome to the forum, it seems the guys are on your case already.

Wishing you luck

Peter.

 

Welcome and enjoy !!!

 

Hi Julie and welcome to the forum......I guess you have to stick around for a while now.

Are you researching your uncles military past or just after a pic of his grave?

Cheers
Andy

Thanks for all your replies, I never expected such quick responses

I'd like to find out as much as I can, including his military past etc, i did a search in the net for hid regiments and found a bit of info about them being volunteers and where they served etc, but i'd like to find out a bit more info thats personal to him e.g if he suffered any injuries whilst posted somewhere else, how he actually died etc. I

Is it possible to get copies of service records? I read somewhere you have to have permission ffrom next of Kin, but I dont know who that would be.

Hes actusally my grt grt uncle and my nan cant even remember him, he was killed when she was 15, but he moved from the north east with his wife to coventry, we dont even know if he had any children. Any ideas who would be classed as his next of Kin after his wife?

Also I've not been able to find him on any war memorials anywhere.

would be greatful for any advise as i'm a bit of a newbie in the military area, i'm used to census records etc but this is all new.

Thanks

 

Julie,

Could it be that you are next of kin? If you believe so, then you can apply for your uncles service record, it will cost £30 for the search and record, although the charge will still stand if no record is found.

Have a look at the info below and see what you think.


Army service records are held by Service Number, Rank, Full Name and Date of Birth. It is important that as much of this information as possible is provided, together with the Regiment or Corps if known, to assist in locating the correct record.
Certificate of Kinship
Information from the personal record of a deceased Ex-serviceman/woman can be released only with the consent of the official Next of Kin. The Certificate of Kinship form aims to identify whose consent is required and the data you provide will be used only in connection with your enquiry. This form is retained for 2 years should you have subsequent queries.
There is no charge for enquiries from widows or widowers about their late spouse's service but for all other customers the charge is £30.00. A cheque, bank draft or postal order made payable to 'MOD Accounting Officer' should be included with the completed Certificate of Kinship and Search Document. No other form of payment can be accepted.
To download the Certificate of Kinship form, please click here.
Army Personnel Records and Family Interest Enquiries - Historical Disclosures
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps the records of former members of our Armed Forces for administrative use after their discharge. For more information, click here.
A Subject Access Requests (SAR) form needs to be completed in order to access records.
Records for all ranks in the Army that served after 1920.

The following address should be used for ex-soldiers wishing to access their personal records

Army Personnel Centre,
Disclosure 2,
Mail Point 515,
Kentigern House,
65 Brown Street,
Glasgow,
G2 8EX
Tel: 0845 600 9663
The following address should be used for family members wishing to access records of deceased soldiers

Army Personnel Centre,
Historical Disclosures,
Mail Point 555,
Kentigern House,
65 Brown Street,
Glasgow,
G2 8EX

 

Hi Julie,

This is a little of what was going on around the time Noel was killed.

From: World War 2 Timelines - War in the Desert 1941 - Worldwar-2.net

03/11/1941
General Auchinleck is forced to postpone 'Operation Crusader' for 1 week so as to enable the 1st South African Division, which had recently arrived from Abyssinia to under go more training.

17/11/1941
A British night commando raid on what is thought to be Rommel's HQ at Breda Littoria in the Jebel Akhdar in Libya, fails when it is found to be only a logistical HQ and that Rommel is away on a visit to Rome. Also, the SAS raid on axis airfields fails when the transport aircraft are blown off course by a sandstorm.

18/11/1941
At 6am 'Operation Crusader’, the British Eighth Army's offensive to relieve Tobruk begins. Rommel, who arrives back from Rome that day, is caught by surprise, allowing the British XXX Corps to advance 50-miles and capture the axis airfield 10 miles south of Sidi Rezegh. The Germans, believing that the British are about to encircle Bardia, send the Afrika Korps on a wild goose chase in that direction.

20/11/1941
The British garrison is ordered to break out and link up with XXX Corps. However, Rommel, now realizing the threat sent the Afrika Korps to attack at Sidi Rezegh.

22/11/1941
A confused battle continues around Sidi Rezegh, with XXX Corps being forced to stop it advance towards Tobruk after the loss of many tanks and for the Tobruk break-out to be halted. Better news for XIII Corps though as it captures Sidi Omar and Capuzzo.

23/11/1941
Axis forces destroy the 5th South African Brigade after days of tank battles round Tobruk.

24/11/1941
Rommel gives orders for his tanks to cut off the British supply routes by thrusting towards the Egyptian frontier, or as it became known, the 'dash for the wire'. By the end of the day Rommel's tanks had reached the frontier and caused complete confusion in the rear of the Eighth Army.

25/11/1941
Rommel continues his attacks at the rear of the Eighth Army.

26/11/1941
Due to Rommel's bold move, General Cunningham wants to halt the offensive and fall back to the frontier. General Auchinleck overrides him on this and replaces him as commander of the Eighth Army with General Ritchie.

27/11/1941
The Tobruk garrison links up the the New Zealand Division of the Eighth Army at El Duda. Rommel forces, now under constant attack by the RAF is forced to turn his forces around in order to deal with this new development. Gondar, the last Italian held town in East Africa surrenders to British forces after a tough battle. The Italian commander, General Nasi surrenders 23,500 men, while the British suffer 500 casualties.

 

Julie78
Spidge's account of the daily happenings at the time of your grt grt uncles death is first class and is factual however to gain amore complket understanding of those days you should try to borrow / beg/ steal / Barrie Pitt's book "The Crucible of War" Vol one -ISBN -1-55778-232-6 from Paragon House - Chapter 11 has the main Crusader battles all around Sidi Rezigh...if this is not available - PM me and I can scan the relevent pages to you .

Cheers

 

hiya, i found these today which were quite helpful

Artillery Regiments Page

The 60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

just incase anyone else was looking for the same sort of info

 

Guys,

I have been working on the pre , WW1 post war military work of my Gt Uncle W H Brookes who died Lt Col in 1942 with some success.

Now I am starting to look for information about the role of his son William Frederick Pentland Brookes (126232) - all I know is that he was born in Kirkee, India in 1908 and was gazetted a 2nd Lt. RA on 2 April 1940 and in 1948 was a Captain RA when he married in All Saints Church in Tobruk. He sadly died 17th October, 1954, aged 45, in Ickenham Middlesex, only a year after the birth of his son.

I'd be grateful for any information on this officers Military History or suggested links to finding same.

Thanks in anticipation of you valuable help and advice.

Colin

 

Julie, a link that may be worth prgressing

Great War Forum > My April/May photo programme

 

Guys,

I have been working on the pre , WW1 post war military work of my Gt Uncle W H Brookes who died Lt Col in 1942 with some success.

Now I am starting to look for information about the role of his son William Frederick Pentland Brookes (126232) - all I know is that he was born in Kirkee, India in 1908 and was gazetted a 2nd Lt. RA on 2 April 1940 and in 1948 was a Captain RA when he married in All Saints Church in Tobruk. He sadly died 17th October, 1954, aged 45, in Ickenham Middlesex, only a year after the birth of his son.

I'd be grateful for any information on this officers Military History or suggested links to finding same.

Thanks in anticipation of you valuable help and advice.

Colin


Hi Colin,

If you know the next of kin I'd apply for his service records. Infact he's been dead over 25 years so you shouldn't need a next of Kin's signature.

Regards
Andy

 

Hi Julie,
Did you get a photo? I am going to Tobruk very soon and will be having a look around the cemmetary and will try and get some photos if you like.

Regards,

heff3

 

Heff3

Hi and welcome.

I am compiling headstone photos for Royal Artillery and there are a heck of a lot at Knightsbridge. If I make a list with all the details, would you be able to have a look to see if it's possible.

Kind regards - Robert

 

Heff3

Hi and welcome.

I am compiling headstone photos for Reconnaissance Corps and I have 24 buried at Knightsbridge. Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Paul

 

Hi Heff3,

Welcome to the forum.

Do not want to put any pressure on you but I have 22 Aussie RAAF lads there. If you think you will have any time to take some photos - please let me know.

The majority of mine are close together.

Cheers

Geoff