Sidney Ferris 10th Battalion The Rifle Brigade

Hi all
I thought I'd do this properly as I don't think I did this when I first came here in 2018 - my apologies!

Hello, I'm Glen, grandson of Sidney Ferris who died in Algeria or Tunisia on 22nd or 23rd Dec 1943.
He was with the 10th Battalion The Rifle Brigade out of Tower Hamlets in East London and sailed with KM4 to North Africa in November 1942 as part of Operation Torch.

I have done a lot of research and all I can find that legitimately tells me some facts of his direct exploits are that he died when his carrier overturned into a wadi in the mountains on the coastal road to Carthage where he was ordered to go to protect Churchill who was recovering from illness and about to get back out and about in NA.

He died with two others, S Southgate and L.C.Hill in the same incident and all three are buried at Bone Military Cemetary, Annabas, Algeria.

He, along with his mate, was caught by Goumiers (?) out on patrol near Bone one night (now Annabas) and they took his boots and weapon.
He and his mate walked miles in the dark back to camp.

The only reference I can find to him by name says that he and his mate were 'prisoners' when they were ordered to Carthage to protect Churchill and I have no idea 'prisoner' that means, by whom, or what for, it's just a small comment on another site by a bloke who was on the same carrier with him that fateful night in 1943.
I do know he was in 'A' Company under Capt A.J.Fairweather at the time of his passing.

So if there is anyone out there who has any details on the 10th Battalion The Rifle Brigade either in the UK, at sea or in Africa up to Dec 1943, I'd really appreciate some help as it's very confusing!
Names that I do have from his personal effects are:

Lieut. J. E. C. Bodley his Platoon commander
Capt. A. J. Fairweather
Maj. M.C. Selway
Sgt. Kenneth Dingwall
Cpl. Robert. Prikett (Chick) Sids best friend.
Chaplain Howard S. Cole - Padre to the 10th Battalion.

Many thanks
Glen.

 

Hello Glen.

I can see that in your few posts on the forum since 2018 you have made some progress, thanks to help from forum members (amongst others) CL1 (Clive) and the late Tricky Dicky (Richard).

So, to 2025, and some things you may not have found during your research.

Medal Application Card (front and rear sides) applying for the medals of 6912742 Sidney Ferris. Application made (in name of) your grandmother Rose in the first months of 1950, and issued (to Rose) on 14th March 1950 (medal issue including 1st Army clasp for Africa Star).





Official Casualty list Number 1349, header, whole page pertinent to Sidney, and close up of same. Sidney and his 10th Rifle Brigade colleagues listed as "Accidentally Killed" with date of 22nd December 1943.







Most importantly, and likely (maybe?) containing the answers to questions you still have, Sidney's service records are now held by The National Archives at Kew. They are currently a "closed" record but given Sidney's wartime death the process to get them "open" and made available would be fairly straightforward and take but a few weeks (some financial cost payable to The National Archives would be involved).

Here's a screenshot of Sidney's records TNA catalogue entry, followed by a link to same from which you can get the process started (should you wish to of course)



Name: S Ferris . Service number: 6912742 . Date of birth: 29 October 1912 . | The National Archives

Good luck with finding the answers you seek and bringing Sidney's story to an accurate and worthy conclusion.

What you have undertaken is a good thing, and will honour and perpetuate the memory of your late grandfather.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Good morning Jim. I don't know what to say. Thanks very, very much for the above information and document photographs, and such a quick response too. I've never seen these before and wouldn't even know where to look so it's much appreciated.
I will certainly request his service records and happy to pay for the privilege.

Most of what I have learned has been through a post made on the BBC Peoples War site in 2005 by a soldier who was with my Grandad in various scrapes and was present when the three lad's carrier toppled over a cliff edge into a mountain wadi.

But it's a fleeting paragraph or so and I have no idea if the longer preceding passages about the poster's time from 1939 to Dec 1943 is also a replication of my Grandad's exact steps/ movements etc.
Hopefully Kew will provide the answers I'm looking for and help me flesh out Sidneys life in the war.
My Dad has given me (very recently ,hence the renewed search) all he has from Sid's war belongings. Medals, Ribbons ( like new all these years later) personal effects, watch, grooming stuff, letters of condolence from his comrades and superiors to my grandmother.

My goal is to travel to his grave in Annabas (Bone) and lay the medals and tributes on his grave stone. I am just the keeper, but he earned them and I feel its my job to make sure he receives them, in a manner of speaking. If only for an afternoon.
Hopefully the above info and that from Kew will assist me in doing so in the next few years.

Many thanks for the steer Jim and yes I owe Clive and Richard the same for previous help.

Glen.

 

Hi Glen, Glen Ferris

I'm not sure if they're the same convoy, the dates are incredibly similar. My granddad sailed on convoy KMF4, aboard the Otranto, in support of Op Torch.

Granddad was a RA DEMS Gunner serving, at that time, with No 4 Maritime AA Regt, Royal Artillery.

Best of luck with your continued research.

Best regards.
John.

 

Glen, do you have two names/profiles here now? No reason, I’m just a nosey git and I’m easily confoozed these days.

 

Well done Glen, your plans are commendable, vocational no less. Good on you.

If (and only if) you are happy to keep the Forum posted on your coming progress, it will be without doubt very well recieved here.

Good luck with all, and for the future, as and when timewise is right for you, keep an eye on the situation in Tunisia, make the decision that is right for you as, fingers crossed, there are always other days, and other ways.

And Sidney and Rose will be pleased beyond praise with what you choose to do.

Always remember, never forget,

Jim.

 

Glen's previous threads on his grandad, Sidney Ferris are:

In 2018 Riflemen's accounts of Tower Hamlets' Rifles in North Africa

In 2018 after Post 54: BONE CWGC - anyone need photos?

From 2014 in Post 6 by dryan67:

From: 10th Battalion Rifle Brigade Italy 1943-44 The thread's focus is Italy.

This 2017 thread refers to the 10th, at a glance much is about their time in North Africa and Stu Avery refers to having one regimental history. See: 10th Battalion Rifle Brigade

An online search with: "10th Battalion" + "The Rifle Brigade" + "north africa" site:ww2talk.com id'd a small number of threads. I only skimmed the first few as above.

 

Worked through your list of his known comrades, only checking here and the CWGC:

Lieut. J. E. C. Bodley his Platoon commander NT here and died in Italy: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/f...details/2097037/john-edward-courtenay-bodley/
Capt. A. J. Fairweather NT both
Maj. M.C. Selway NT both
Sgt. Kenneth Dingwall NT both
Cpl. Robert. Prikett (Chick) Sids best friend.NT both
Chaplain Howard S. Cole - Padre to the 10th Battalion. NT both

 

Hi @ Wobbler, yes I do, I will delete one of them and save everything I have and all the links from that profile. I don't know how I did that as I only set it other one up a week or so ago. I don't think I remembered that I already had one from 2018! I'm getting old! Apologies all!!
Glen

 

Haha, I don't know how to delete my other account so I've copied everything to a word document and have logged out of the other 'me' and will only use this one now... cubs honour guv!