129th Battery 15th (Isle of man) Regt LAA Royal Artillery Crete 1941

Hi Dan

I'd be very interested in their experience in the Western Desert during the time 11/41 - 02/42. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It is also too kind of the RAF to name one of their airfields on the Isle of Man after me.

All the best

Andreas

 

Hi Andreas,

I will see what I can find out for you, I'll ask my dad too.

Thanks,
Dan

 

Many thanks Dan!

All the best

Andreas

 

Hi Dan and welcome to the forum. It was the museum that asked me to do the work for them. Are you one of the volunteers?

 

Irish Solider, my grandfather is in the picture you posted of Stalag 3d....he is the second from the right in the front row. Do you have any more pictures or can sent me any more info??

hello... sadly since I started this thread the veteran I interviewed, George Hamlet has passed away... fortunately I have a 2hr interview on DVD in which George tells me about his war from his joining up until his eventual capture on Crete and subsequent captivity... I discovered the photo on a POW website, for the life of me I cant remember which one... I dont have any other photos and I think this one is a rarity since it was posed as a German propaganda shot ' look how well we treat our prisoners'... the reality was much different!
It was a toss of the coin whether George went to Crete or the desert... maybe if he had gone to the desert he would not have survived the war and lived to the age of 91 years... He was a wonderful man with a great Irish sense of humour which I feel went a long way to his surviving 4 years as a POW... sorry I cant be of any more help...

 

Hi Andreas & Drew,

No I am/was not a volunteer, my father was originally in 1985 - he is a professional artist and I recall he painted a muriel on one side of the museum using an original bofor gun photograph (though I understand that the original museum artifacts have now moved down to Ronaldsway Aviation museum - the curator is Ivor Ramsden - he is also available to contact in this forum).

I was originally drawn to this forum after searching the Internet on my Grandad Curwen Clague.

After speaking with my dad, the best avenue would probably be to contact the museum (Ivor) if you require any further information. Alternatively, my Grandad did write/publish 'Ack-Ack' which accounts for his service time in Europe, Mediterannean, North Africa and I think Afganistan.

My Grandad's senior officer was Colonel Brian Mylchreest; and I understand that he is still alive and well on the Island. It might be possible to obtain information from him (obviously if he is willing to discuss), although I do not have his contact details. As a first point of call his family own and still run Mylchreest Motors Home | Mylchreests Isle of Man - they may be able to help you (Andreas) in obtaining further & detailed information on experiences in the Western Desert during WW2.

I do have a friend whose Grandad also served in the IOM 15th Reg. - and I understand that he has a suitcase with all his diaries from WW2. I don't know whether he is willing release this as yet - I will ask.

BR - Dan

 

Hi Dan

Many many thanks! I'll start with the museum.

All the best

Andreas

 

It was Ivor who I did the work for.

Cheers

 

Is there anything about their time during Operation CRUSADER in the book (11/41 - 2/42)?

 

You're a star Drew!

All the best

Andreas

 

I'm under orders to switch the Laptop off and sit on the sofa but I did notice a 4 page Intel Report in January '42. I'll attempt to post it later if I'm allowed to stop up

 

Oh yes please!

All the best

Andreas

 

Part 1

 

Part 2

 

Who says appendices are not worth copying ?

 

Someone give that man a cigar!

All the best

Andreas

 

Andreas, I'm here if there's anything else that you need.

 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=276829525640&set=a.243561485640.282724.726370640&type=3&src=http%3A%2F%2Fsphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash3%2F9724_276829525640_1360349_n.jpg&size=604%2C453My Maternal Great Grandfather Ken Conibear served with the 15th Light Ack Ack (The Manx Regiment) and was with 129 Battery in Crete. Immediately prior to surrender and being taken prisoner despite waving white flags they were strafed by a German Aircraft and he took an aircraft shell through his shoulder which passed through his chest puncturing both lungs and causing a shunt of his heart and lungs and taking the head off the man next to him (though this might sound an unbelievable it is verifiable as my Father had seen a chest xray taken later in life which clearly showed the shunt of these organs). The strafing only stopped when some nearby Austrian Gerbirgjager's laid down swastika's as a signal to the aircraft to hold their fire. His life was only being saved by the actions of both German and captured British Doctors (I have to say I have a considerably higher opinion of the way my Great Grandfather was treated by the Germans when contrasted to my paternal Grandfathers treatment by the Japanese after Hong Kong and the Lisbon Maru).

He spent some time in a German Field Hospital where I believe he met Rommel who was there on a PR visit. Apparently Rommel's remark on hearing that my Great Grandfather was from the Isle of Man was something (typical of Germans) about the TT Motorbike Races. After this he was repatriated as unfit for war service.

I understand (from a comment my Father made) that 129 Battery had claim to one of the highest 'kill rates' for any ack ack battery, and such was the toll they exacted from the German Airborne division that Hitler himself would never again commit Fallengeshirmjagers to an airborne action on a similar scale.

I also believe a distant relative (I think a cousin of my Grandfather's) a Major Phillip Conibear is one of the few surviving officers of the 15th and is in his 90's now.

I and my brother have been clearing my Great Grandfathers recently as the house is due to be sold, and he has come across a considerable amount of material and diaries related to the war which he is currently digitising.

Both of the 15th's on Island barracks still exist. The original still retains a rifle range underneath used by a local shooting club. I believe it had a history as a Barracks before the 15th used it, being used by the Manx Service Company in the First World War.

The 15th existed for a period after the war and they had a Second Barracks built in Tromode (which is now a waterboard headquarters), which still retains the Royal Artillery Crest above its door. A long time ago we had the opportunity to look around and it was interesting. In addition to this nearby the site is based the local Sea, Air and Army Cadets, (I belive to a certain extend the ACF continues the traditions of the 15th).