The
following information and pictures were kindly donated by Ronnie Lamprell (formally
Lucas) who has traveled extensively throughout N. Africa, making a annual pilgrimage
to the Commonwealth War Graves.
Ronnie was a former member of the 1st Battalion
during the early 60's and has alway |
|
| Hover
the cursur for script and Click to enlarge pictures |
In
1941 the German forces landed at Bizerta, Tunis, Sousse and Sfax. The allied troops
landed in Algeria, whilst Montgomery's British Eighth Army moved east from Egypt
against Rommel's Africa Corps and the Italian forces.
Resistance was stiff
as the rolling landscape favoured the defenders.
It took bitter fighting to
shift the German Panzer divisions defending the Gabe's and Kasserine Pass.
Fighting continued throughout the winter, switching from the Libyan border to
the slopes of Tell, with the area around Mejez-el-Bab seeing some of the bloodiest
fighting
In April 1943, after dogged determination and hard fought battles,
the east and west allies met up to take on the might of both the German and Italian
forces.
On the 13th May 1943 they were victorious and secured the surrender
of both armies.
Those who
took part in this conflict paid a heavy price and the victims rest here in a land
far from home |
|
| There are eight cemeteries in Tunsia
that contain the graves of Commonwealth servicemen killed in battle during the
1939-45 conflict |
MEDJEZ-EL-BAB
This is the largest cemetery containing some 3000 graves and a Memorial inscribed
with the names of 1,959 servicemen with no known graves
|
Coldstreamers
laid to Rest
Lt. J H Charworth- Musters
Lt. Breakwell
2655633 CSM. B. Wilmshurst
2651653 Sgt. K. Johnson
2657781
Sgt. H J Sowerby
2651653 Sgt. E. Royle |
|
MASSICAULT
This large cemetery
in N. Africa lies at the entrance to the village of Borg-El-Amr and contains 1,578
graves
SFAX
Six kilometers from the town the graves of 1254 servicemen lie within the bounds
of the civil cemetery
TABARKA
This is situated 145 k from Tunis, close to the Algerian Border
|
Coldstreamers at Peace
552132 Gdsn.
E M. Nurse
2659531 Gdsn. G H Fairbank
2663704 Gdsn. S C. Copestake
2659709 Gdsn. Z. Elliot
2663370 Gdsn. F A Coldicote.
2664573 Gdsn. G.
Griffiths
|
|
QUED ZARGA
This
Cemetery lies on a small strip of land on the edge of a lake 75k from Tunis. There
are 239 Officers and men from the UK and eight brave souls from the Indian Army
|
BEJA
| This cemetery lies north of the town
and is the final resting place of 396 Allied warriors, it is now surrounded by
dwellings |
Coldstreamers with honour
2665046
Gdsn. A. McKeon
2662256 Gdsn. T M Prentis
2659319 Gdsn. S Wardle
2660906
Gdsn. A T Newland
2663627 Gdsn. C R Watkins
2664649 Gdsn. W Hindle |
|
THIBAR
This
cemetery is the smallest, containing only 94 soldiers, 4 Airmen, and one from
the Canadian Army. |
Coldstream Comrades
2659617
L/Cpl. S Hall
2655573 L/Cpl. F W Broad
2655579 L/Cpl. A Hainsworth
Gdsn. J A Dunn |
ENFIDAHVILLE
This
site is close to Sousse and Hammamet and also the port of EL Kantaoui, it is the
most visited by tourists to these areas.
The cemetery holds the graves of
1,551 servicemen who lost their lives in the final battles in the North African
Campaign
The make up of the graves are. UK 1315, Canada 38, New Zealand, 172,
South Africa 9, Australia 11, India 2, High Commission Territories 4.
Of the
above there are 18 souls known only to God.
The Memorial
to the fallen was designed by Sir Hubert Worthington |
BejaIn
Memory of Guardsman
4451777 WILLIAM HUTCHINSON
2nd Bn. Coldstream Guards
who died age 33 on 04 March 1943
Son of William and Ann Hutchinson, of Thornley,
Co. Durham;
Husband of M. Hutchinson, of Thornley.
Remembered with honour
BEJA WAR CEMETERY TUNISIA |
 Nuilli
Secundus |
The
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
14 Rue Hassen 1BN
Noomane 1082
Tunis
PO. BP282 Belvedere, 1002 Tunis.
Tel. 01780932......Fax. 01 801109 |
| The following pictures
and information was donated by Reg Counsell, former 2nd Bt. who has been the prime
mover in organizing the Malaya reunions, with return visits of comrades and families
to the scene of the Malaya campaign.
We are extremely grateful to Reg. not
only for his contribution to this Memorial page, but also for his outstanding
contribution to retaining the memory of brave Coldstreamers |
| Hover
the cursur for script and Click to enlarge pictures |
The
state of emergency which arose in Malaya, had its root cause in the unstable period
after the war in the Far East.
After the end of the war there was a large
emigrant population in Malaya, many drawn there by the opportunity to work in
the rubber plantations. In 1948 there was 2.5 Million Malay's, a similar number
of Chinese and some 300,000 Tamils from India. Into this cooking pot was added
3000 communism terrorists, whose aim was to take over the  country
by killing as many rubber planters as possible, plunging the country into economic
disaster and also depriving the western world of its precious rubber.
These
dissidents called themselves the Malayan Peoples Anti British Army (MPABA). The
CT's (communist terrorists) relied on provisions from the villagers at the edges
of the jungle, usually obtained by threat. The objects of the British troops were
to protect and support the locals, while eliminating the CT's. |
It was to this
scenario that the 2 Bt. Coldstream Guards were ordered to form part of the second
Guards Brigade and depart to Malaya, commanded by Lt. Col. Gooch DSO. MC.
 They
duly arrived in Oct.48, to a very wet Singapore, acclimatization took place in
the jungle environment, with temperatures in the 90's and extreme humidity. As
guardsmen are so famous for, they soon had camps organized and started to make
a difference to the local people, as well as taking a toll on the CT's. |
In early days
of 1950 a new phase of the conflict was introduced. The Battalion command was
taken by Col. Victor FitzGeorge-Balfour CBE MC, he implemented a plan, in which
the whole of the border villagers were relocated into approx. 30 villages, these
were protected by wire fence, police, and patrolling troops. This method was a
huge success and almost totally denied supplies to the terrorists.
In July
1950 the Battalion handed over to 45 Royal Commando, after what was a outstanding
tour of duty. On its 
return to the UK in the Sept. 1950, the members of the Bt.
had been awarded a DSO, two MC's, one MBE, five MM's, two BEM's and thirteen members
of the Regiment Mentioned in Dispatches.
This was a wonderful achievement,
but not without loss, it is to the memory of those courageous Coldstreamers that
lie in that far off land that we dedicate this memorial |
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| 2671295 L/Sgt Tate
M
2670845 Gdsn Medley H
28/5/50.. Gdsn Palfry T |
2660279.. Sgt Lawson J D (BEM)
21007205 Gdsn Brown J D
| 2659956..
Sgt Dowsen J R
22029247 Parkin JF
22214447 Gdsn Rowe P S |
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