Two tales involving Warrant Officers in the follow up after Alamein One from my fathers notes with G Battery the other from G Battery (Mercers Troop) War Diaries not sure if RSM survived or if the bombed Wo11 was from Dads unit. From Fathers notes We were moving down the Moon track towards El Birka, we were amazed to see an Italian Bi Plane (I think it was a 1914/18 vintage) appear, and at about 200 feet the pilot dropped a bomb over the side of his cockpit and if it had not killed an officer (W011) in a jeep it would have been comic. The Wellington bombers of our lot gave the Ities and Jerry's a good pasting. G Battery (Mercers Troop) 5 RHA war Diaries Oct. 42 Enemy prisoners were taken and numerous Anti /Tank Guns. RSM of 1 RHA was shot by a prisoner after he had surrendered ,the remainder were dealt with.
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 results for Warrant Officer searching this database for Warrant Officer, died in Oct 1942 thetare North Africa gives 9 results but only 1 of those is in the Royal Artillery, so your man might be: Casualty Name: Fred Carruthers Given Initials: F Rank: Warrant Officer Class II Death Date: 27 Nov 1942 Number: 835589 Birth Place: Cumberland Residence: Cumberland Regiment at Enlistment: Royal Artillery Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery Theatre of War: North Africa Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery Branch at Death: Royal Artillery He appears on a panel so presume his body was not recoverd TD
Taking the latter first: Casualty Warrant Officer Class I (R.S.M.)CLARKE, ARTHUR LEONARD Service Number 1060781 Died 25/10/1942 Aged 35 1 Regt. Royal Horse Artillery M B E, D C M Son of William and Edith Isabella Clarke; husband of Adele Clarke, of Andover, Hampshire.
For the former: was 4 RHA in the area? This is from a search of RHA casualties in Oct 42 which, of course, might be the wrong assumption. Is there a date in your dad's notes? Casualty Warrant Officer Class II (B.S.M.)MACCORQUODALE, DUGALD Service Number 837501 Died 29/10/1942 Aged 26 "C" Bty., 4 Regt. Royal Horse Artillery M M, Mentioned in Despatches Son of Maj. D. MacCorquodale, M.C., and Flora MacCorquodale, of Oban, Argyllshire.
Unfortunately my fathers notes contain few dates.. To tie down date of bombing it comes some time between. On the 9th or 10th day we moved out..... (after 23rd Oct) and .....and then the rains came.... (7th Nov.) But his notes were written retrospectively so might be inaccurate. There is a comment in Diaries that 1,2 4 and 5 RHA were in this area
Sorry above is incorrect Diaries note that 1,2,3,and 5 RHA were operating within a few miles of each other.
I wonder if this was a white flag incident or a deliberate act .I imagine the RSM would have come in touch with prisoners at a later stage.