Can anyone one help with any information on Gunner Daniel Godfrey Service No 6098815 Killed 21-01-1942 Royal Horse Artillery 11 Honourable Artillery COY Regiment. Buried in Bengazi war cemetery North Africa I am looking for any info on how he was killed in what action etc Thanks in advance CWGC :: Casualty Details
cash 13 You might be advised to look up the Battle of Beda Fomm which was ongoing at that time or from December '41 - this was a "raid" which Wavell & O'Conner cooked up to get rid of the Italian 10th Army - this five day raid turned into operation "Compass" which chased the Italians from Sidi Barrani all the way past Tobruk - Bengazi and finally wiped them all out at Beda Fomm - O'Conner wanted to push on to Tripoli however Wavell had already decided to clear out Ethiopia and Somalia of all Italians - so took the 4th Indian division away from O'Conner - Churchill and Eton had decide to help the Greeks so they had Wavell send the New Zealanders and Australians over there to Greece - then Crete and then Rommel appeared ! you should read Barrie Pitts " Crucible of War" to get the whole sad story Cheers
Hi Cash 13 Here's some info that might be of use to you At just after 0800 on the 21st January 1942, just 2 weeks after the last cessation of hostilities, Rommel launched Operation SONNENBLUME. Three Axis armed reconnaissance columns, each containing over 1000 motorised infantry with tank support advanced towards Agadebia, taking the thinly protected Allied front completely by surprise. Rommel seized this opportunity and turned a minor reconnaissance mission into a full blown offensive. 7th Spt Gp were forced to withdraw, losing 16 guns and over 100 vehicles, most of which were abandoned after getting stuck in the sand dunes. The Germans promptly set them on fire to prevent them from being recovered. By nightfall Rommel forces had advanced some 30 miles across the entire front. Order of Battle HQ 7th Support Gp 6th January 1942 1st Kings Dragoon Gds 12th Royal Lancers 11th HAC, RHA 76th AT Regt 2nd KRRC, less 2 Coys I know of a casualty from my fathers unit who died during the battle of Saunnu on 23/01/42 who is also buried in Benghazi. Regards Gus
Many thanks Tom & Gus for the leads that's a great start. Can you tell me what the term Coys is? is that short for company? Lee
Hi Lee, some more background stuff for you According to an article in the US Journal of Artillery The British ‘Support Group’ was organized into four mobile columns. The striking power of each column was a 12 or 16 Gun Battery of 2-pounder Anti-Tank Guns. Attached to each Battery were 12 to 15 armoured cars, one or two Coys of motorized infantry, and at least a troop of light Anti-Aircraft guns, providing reconnaissance and security. During the daylight hours, these columns would move out and approach the German positions. They would then harass and observe the German defences, whilst attempting to destroy any German columns or vehicles seen with artillery fire. At night they would withdraw 8 to 10 miles and laager. 2 other members of 11th HAC may have died that day. 70 Gunner HILL E L K 981840 11 HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COY REGT 21/01/1942ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY COLUMN 14. 139 Lieutenant TOMPSON H F C 118459 11 HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COY REGT 21/01/1942 ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY COLUMN 13. Hope this helps Gus
Hi Lee, The war diary pages mention the death of Lt H F C Tomson as Lt HFC, but not the guy you are interested in or the other Gunner. there was heavy shelling and dive bombing going on during the day.
Good find Ramacal. My Father was at Antelat and then Saunnu. On both occasions he got out of there just in the nick of time. Lee. If you need more background stuff on how 11 HAC got where they were I have some details on their trip from Scotland. Only bit I haven't worked exactly how 1st Armd Div got from Suez to Antelat and beyond. Regards Gus
Hi all, got back from holiday yesterday to find a birth certificate on the doorstep to confirm that my wife's nan youngest sibling was indeed the above mentioned Gunner Daniel Godfrey of 12 children and very little is known. What did not help was he was known by the family as Dicko which we took to be Richard..... Anyway the more info the better and many thanks to Ramacal ( Rob ) for the time and effort for getting the information and uploading it for us. Also Gus if you could be so kind to let me have any details that you have on the 11 HAC it would be a great help.... Regards Lee
Hi 11 HAC sailed to Egypt on board the 19,597 ton troopship, SS Samaria, part of convoy WS-12. On board were 2863 troops. In late September, they started in Liverpool sailing north to the Clyde estuary to join the 22 other ships. On 1st Oct 1941 the convoy, plus escorts, headed west for a few days then south, passing the Azores and after about 2 weeks stopped in Freetown to refuel. Then down to the cape stopping in Durban on 3rd Nov 1941 for 4 days. On 28 Nov 1941 the convoy arrived at Aden and on 5th Dec 1941 it docked in Port Tewfik near Suez. Most of 1st Armoured Division moved up to Amirya near Alexandria before pushing west. The tanks were moved by rail to Mersa Matruh and the rest travelled by truck. By 20th Dec 1941 most of the division was camped by the libyan border. 11 HAC were sent forward early to relieve forward elements of 7th Armoured Division's Support Group who were near El Aghelia. The majority of tanks arrived in early January and stayed near Antelat about 150 miles further back. Forward defences were left light as most thought Rommel was a spent force after OP CRUSADER. They were all proved wrong when he launched a surprise counter offensive on 21st Jan 1942 which, in just 3 days, almost wiped out very inexperienced 1st Arm Div as a fighting force. My father was in the RAOC 1st Armoured Division Workshops and escaped from both Antelat and Saunnu just as Rommel's 21st Panzers rolled in. About 2,800 POWs were taken in the first 3 days of the offensive. In less than a week the Allies had been pushed back over 300 miles. During which 1st Armd Div lost 110 tanks, 85 guns and 1/5th of its load-carrying transport. Hope this helps Gus
Lee, As promised, a link to the war diaries for the whole of January 1942 for 11 HAC. 11 HAC RHA - JAN 1942 pictures by rahonour3947 - Photobucket Cheers - Rob