Royal Engineers Egypt 1942-45 Mersa Matruh

Hi Everyone,
New member looking for any information on my Father in Law and Royal Engineers in Egypt 1942 onwards.
Have very little to go on so its a long shot, any help gratefully received.

Name Herbert Battle
Home Town:- Sheffield
DOB 22/7/24
Called up presumably 1942 aged 18, with training etc probably sent to Egypt 1943 ??
Served- Royal Engineers, detachment ??
Family memories say was in Mersa Matruh, Egypt in a non fighting unit.

I have no regiment/ unit number or paperwork form the time.
Cannot find any military records in Ancestry,FindMyPast or National Archives.
Service records seem to be in the process of transfer to NA expected 2027 or a 12 month wait!

Looking at history he must have been in Egypt after Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein after Nov 1942
Researched 6th division in Egypt and 12th Field Company RE and 42nd Field Company RE.
12th Re sent to India in Feb 42 so not likely.
Cannot find anything on 42nd at Mersa Matruh.

Does anyone have anything that can help fill in a lot of blanks?

 

Welcome to the forum
You need to apply for his service records
Follow the details in the link here Get a copy of military records of service



there is a wait but will give you a view of his service and take the guess work out of it

 

The British Army continued to serve in what is now Libya, after the Axis surrender in Tunisia in 1943. Mainly logistics, air bases etc for the continuing conflict in Italy and the Balkans. From memory Mersa Matruh was a small port and the RE had units for working / operating ports. Nor would I exclude mine clearance, millions of mines were left behind.

As an Other Rank he is unlikely to appear in an online search. Some tips by PM next.

The definitive answer is his Service Record.

 

As i said get his records or you just end up chasing your tail googling stuff