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handtohand22 · 12-06-2005, 02:55 AM

Operation Crusader and Force 'E'
When Operation Crusader was launched, the Coleraine (6th LAA) Battery was part of a unit called Force 'E' commanded by Brigadier Reid. 'E' Force (or Oasis Force) was a diversion to the main attack in Operation Crusader. Both operations were launched on November 18th 1941.
According to a security unconscious BBC news item at the time, the Eighth Army had 'started a general offensive in the Western Desert, with the aim of destroying the German-Italian forces in Africa'. Stewart (2002) The Allie's main objectives were to lift the siege on Tobruk, retake Cyrenaica and then advance into Tripoli. The Oasis Force diversionary line of attack was based on an earlier plan that had been rejected because of the difficult terrain involved.
[attachmentid=796]

Operation Crusader was also the debut of the SAS. On the night of 16/17 November 1941 the SAS were tasked to attack Axis airfields in the Gazala-Timimi areas. This was a tragic operation. The parachute drop left the troops dispersed and separated from their munitions. Only a third of the troops reached the final rendezvous with the LRDG As a consequence of this failure, the SAS used the LRDG to insert and extract them in future operations. This marriage was a total success. When the Western Desert War was concluded, the SAS had accounted for over 400 Axis aircraft, tons of stores and had also restricted the free movement of the Axis forces at night.
There was a relationship of types between L Detachment and 6th LAA Battery because the respective Commanding Officers knew each other personally. Blair Mayne of L Detachment and the Officer Commanding the 6th Battery, Jack Christie, had been to Queens University Belfast at the same time. They were reading Law and graduated as solicitors in April, 1938.
In 1939 Blair Mayne was commissioned into the 5th Light Anti Aircraft Battery at Newtonards and Jack Christie was commissioned into the 6th Light Anti Aircraft Battery at Coleraine.X
On 4 April 1940 Blair Maine transferred to the Royal Ulster Rifles and was then seconded into the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in late spring 1940. (Ross, 2003) In the same year Mayne went on to volunteer for 11th (Scottish) Commando. Blair Maine then moved on to L Detachment.
By 28 Sept 1942, L Detachment had been absorbed into the unit called 1 SAS Regiment.X
When Blair Maine and Jack Christie met up in the desert for the first time, the interaction went like this. Jack Christie was out on a Jock Column patrol when the came upon a camouflaged and tented area. Jack pulled back one of the tent flaps to have a look in and was greeted by Blair Maine, "Christie, what the F*** are you doing here. Clear off before you compromise us!" ...End of exchange.

12-06-2005, 02:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
handtohand22 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Coleraine Co. Londonderry NI Posts: 312	Operation Crusader and Force 'E' When Operation Crusader was launched, the Coleraine (6th LAA) Battery was part of a unit called Force 'E' commanded by Brigadier Reid. 'E' Force (or Oasis Force) was a diversion to the main attack in Operation Crusader. Both operations were launched on November 18th 1941. According to a security unconscious BBC news item at the time, the Eighth Army had 'started a general offensive in the Western Desert, with the aim of destroying the German-Italian forces in Africa'. Stewart (2002) The Allie's main objectives were to lift the siege on Tobruk, retake Cyrenaica and then advance into Tripoli. The Oasis Force diversionary line of attack was based on an earlier plan that had been rejected because of the difficult terrain involved. [attachmentid=796] Operation Crusader was also the debut of the SAS. On the night of 16/17 November 1941 the SAS were tasked to attack Axis airfields in the Gazala-Timimi areas. This was a tragic operation. The parachute drop left the troops dispersed and separated from their munitions. Only a third of the troops reached the final rendezvous with the LRDG As a consequence of this failure, the SAS used the LRDG to insert and extract them in future operations. This marriage was a total success. When the Western Desert War was concluded, the SAS had accounted for over 400 Axis aircraft, tons of stores and had also restricted the free movement of the Axis forces at night. There was a relationship of types between L Detachment and 6th LAA Battery because the respective Commanding Officers knew each other personally. Blair Mayne of L Detachment and the Officer Commanding the 6th Battery, Jack Christie, had been to Queens University Belfast at the same time. They were reading Law and graduated as solicitors in April, 1938. In 1939 Blair Mayne was commissioned into the 5th Light Anti Aircraft Battery at Newtonards and Jack Christie was commissioned into the 6th Light Anti Aircraft Battery at Coleraine.X On 4 April 1940 Blair Maine transferred to the Royal Ulster Rifles and was then seconded into the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in late spring 1940. (Ross, 2003) In the same year Mayne went on to volunteer for 11th (Scottish) Commando. Blair Maine then moved on to L Detachment. By 28 Sept 1942, L Detachment had been absorbed into the unit called 1 SAS Regiment.X When Blair Maine and Jack Christie met up in the desert for the first time, the interaction went like this. Jack Christie was out on a Jock Column patrol when the came upon a camouflaged and tented area. Jack pulled back one of the tent flaps to have a look in and was greeted by Blair Maine, "Christie, what the F*** are you doing here. Clear off before you compromise us!" ...End of exchange.