Hello folks Iam looking for any info available regarding my great uncle Serjeant Sidney Hayden RHA who was killed in December 1941 I know he was with DD battery 4th Regiment and was killed 16/17 December He died aged 26 and as far as we know joined up at the earliest opportunity We are interested in the events leading up to his death info regarding his battery and regiment etc I imagine any information regarding his early years in the army would only be available with his service record? Any information anyone has,or information of books etc where we can find any info would be greatly appreciated Thanks for taking time to read this post
Someone will be along shortly to provide info on how to request his service record - be warned it takes about 12 months for them to arrive. According to Google, the unit's war diary was available to be read on-line but the links appear to be broken. Is it possible to get in touch with the IWM to see how to get access to the book - History of D.D. (Jerboa) Battery, Royal Horse Artillery from October, 1941 to May, 1945 Production date 1946Dimensions 19cm. Pagination 96p.Creator HISTORY OF D.D. (JERBOA) BATTERY, ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY (author) Gale and Polden (publisher)
4RHA War diary is already on here - http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/unit-documents/45995-war-diary-4-rha-1941-transcript.html lots of mentions of DD battery, but no real info as to what occured on the 16/17 December (but he could have been wounded in an earlier engagement)
16/17 December was the time of the engagement at the Gazala line. First Taste of Gazala – 13 Dec 41 « The Crusader Project On 17 December the Axis forces withdrew to Agedabia. I don't think there was heavy fighting on 16 December, and very little on 17 December, so he could have died in an air strike or an accident as well. I will have a look-see in my records, but I am afraid I don't yet have the WD of DD Battery. All the best Andreas
Ah. Actually has your answer: L./Sergt. Sidney Hayden 16th December Killed by dive bombers near El-Mechili during move of column, Sq. U.28 Gnr. Arthur Benson Ditto Ditto May he rest in peace. I will check in Shores' latest book to see who the dive bombers belonged to. All the best Andreas
Hello and welcome to the forum Here is the link to apply for service records Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Personnel | Service Records | Making a Request for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased Service Personnel and Home Guard records It does take around 12 months unfortunately. When you apply, make sure you ask for the FULL records. If you don't have the service number then put the date of birth on the form. Lesley
Try this: History Of DD Battery Royal Horse Artillery All the best Andreas Well done Andreas - I didn't think of using the wayback machine to access those broken links. It's easy when you know how and your being able to provide a definitive answer must be gratifying for the OP. cheers Dave
Cheers Dave. I forget to use it myself most of the time. I checked for who flew the attacks, but Shores does not say. All the best Andreas
I checked for who flew the attacks, but Shores does not say. All the best Andreas I presume you are referring to the book "A History of the Mediterranean Air War - Volume 1" - my shiny new copy just arrived. The bottom of page 401 mentions an Italian general lost while flying over "the enemy columns moving south-east of Mechili" on the 17th. I couldn't see any mention of dive-bombers (Ju87?) being encountered by Allied aircraft on the 16th or 17th
That'll be the one. Picked it up in Duxford with authors' signatures. Unfortunately there is no record of any Ju 87 mission on that day (16 December) I think. I'll go through my other records, but am not very hopeful to find something. All the best Andreas
ULTRA has nothing more detailed on 16 December, other than that due to lack of fuel only 10 bomber sorties were flown by the Axis air forces on that day. That would be one sortie, and probably the one that hit DD Battery. On 17 December there were two sorties with 11 and 9 Ju 87 respectively, the first being 5 German and 6 Italian Ju 87 targeting tanks and MT near Gadd el Ahmar, the second AA positions, tanks and vehicles near Bir el Hahmarin. Sorry I can't help further. All the best Andreas
Hello folks Iam looking for any info available regarding my great uncle Serjeant Sidney Hayden RHA who was killed in December 1941 I know he was with DD battery 4th Regiment and was killed 16/17 December He died aged 26 and as far as we know joined up at the earliest opportunity We are interested in the events leading up to his death info regarding his battery and regiment etc I imagine any information regarding his early years in the army would only be available with his service record? Any information anyone has,or information of books etc where we can find any info would be greatly appreciated Thanks for taking time to read this post Initials: S First Name: SIDNEY Surname: HAYDEN Rank: Serjent Service Number: 842566 Regiment: Royal Horse Artillery Additional Regiment Info: "D/D" Bty. Commemorated: Egypt Age: 26 Date of Death: 17/12/1941 Family: SON OF MRS. M. HAYDEN, AND STEPSON OF MR. E. ALLEN, OF READING, BERKSHIRE. Record Year: 1941 Campaign Medals: 1939-45 War Medal - 1939-45 Star Hope that gives you a little more.
I checked the 4 RHA war diary, nothing on an air attack either 16 or 17 December. Also nothing in 7 Support Group war diary (which reported on CURRIE Column). History of 3 RHA only mentions that Stukas were 'very busy' those two days. That's about what I have, I am afraid. I can then only recommend 3 RHA and 2 RB war diaries (in the typed up version I have of the latter the days are missing). All the best Andreas
Thank you very much for all the replies The war diaries made very interesting reading.thanks again One final question if i may. To find out more about this campaign are there any definitive books to read Thanks again
Unfortunately not, although I am working on one - see The Crusader Project. A general history of the desert war will cover it quite well (e.g. Barrie Pitt's 'Crucible of War - Western Desert 1941', or Moorehead's desert trilogy). Michael Carver's 'Tobruk' would probably be the best start for the specifics, and it can be picked up cheaply. There is an Osprey book and a 1980s book called 'Crusader - 8th Army's Forgotten victory', but I am not that partial to them. All the best Andreas
Hi, Sidney was also my Great Uncle and in researching his demise this week have seen your post, my Granddad was Sidney's brother John, which of his siblings are you descended from? I also do have some information and in fact belongings from Sidney from his military service. Drop me a message if you are still checking on this thread and then we can arrange to talk privately. I look forward to hearing from you!
