DEBNEY, HARRY STANLEY Rank: Corporal Service No: QX2390 Date of Death: 01/09/1942 Age: 24 Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry A.I.F. 2/15 Bn. Grave Reference: A I. E. 8. Cemetery: EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Douglas and Frances Cornelia Debney, of Proserpine, Queensland, Australia.http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2093410/DEBNEY,%20HARRY%20STANLEY
Thanks for posting. Not much to add - his AWM casualty circular (attached) provides the basic info that he had two brothers also serving. One of them was Private DEBNEY, DOUGLAS ROSS QX2389 - 1 digit before his brother and also of the 2/15th Battalion. He was discharged in August 1943 from what I would presume would be injuries sustained. His other brother was Warrant Officer DEBNEY, GEORGE FREDERICK LEONARD who discharged in 1944
Just reading the unit's war diary - Debney was killed during Operation Bulimba (2/15th Battalion attack near Tel el Eisa, Egypt), 01 September 1942 (AWM) "The fighting was vicious and the battalion suffered 183 casualties - about half its fighting strength." 59 men were KIA - around a quarter of the total lost by the unit during the entire course of the war. From that day's actions members of the unit were awarded a DSO, an MC, 2 DCM & 2 MM Quite a well-known painting (in Australia at least) of the action. Tel el Eisa; 2/15th Australian Infantry Battalion; QX5634 Corporal Horton Ford McLachlan (later Sergeant, DCM) 2/15 Btn 2 AIF, unidentified Australian and German soldiers; Operation, Battle of Alam el Halfa, North African campaign http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/ART27559/
The Debney brothers were with B company during the attack on Point 23 - Harry was posted as Missing, presumed killed & Douglas suffered a compound fracture of his left arm.
good day cl1.m.yesterday.03:27am.re:remembering today,1/9/42.corporal hs.debney qx2390.australian infantry,a.i.f. 2/15bn.age 24.may he rest in peace,regards bernard85
