Hi all, Does anyone have any information on the 1st Battalion Middlesex Yeomanry while they were in North Africa between 1940-42. Those 142 photos I got are from a man who served with this regiment, in his letters home he mentions 9th & 10th Armoured Brigades. When I have a little time I'll post some of his photos here, they're fasinating. In this album there is a letter to his Mum from one of his mates, as neither of them had heard from him and they both feared the worst. Must have been OK as his Mum received a Xmas telegram 6 months later. But there is a photo of him outside a hospital with his leg all bandaged up so in this period he was probably wounded. Any info on this unit would be much appreciated. Cheers Kieron
Here's a few pictures from Fred's time in North Africa 1/ This is his Brother Martin Notts on a Triumph motorbike in their garden in the UK. 2/ Ken on a AJS motorbike 3/ Ken somewhere in the Western Desert the bike I can't workout.
Surprise...Surprise This following picture is of Ken with a Jock Colmn and too my surprise... Well when looking through this album I came across this newspaper cutting, showing this picture and an arrow pointing to Fred saying me!! I thought to myself "I have seen that picture somewhere", I think it may of had something to do with the dog. I spent ages looking through my books and then too my surprise there it was, in 'Desert Rats at War by George Forty. The book copy is better than mine, mine hasn't aged well. The inscription on the cutting:- THEIR TASK IS HARASSING the enemy supply lines to the Egypt battle front-a cheerful party of sappers in a Motor Brigade Advance Colmn. Their terrier mascot's name is Lady. Ken is the one inside the Cab with a tash Regards Kieron
Was just reading a group of letters from a guy called Bill Applleyard of the Middlesex Yeomanry, Att 104th while stationed in North Arifica between Sept 1942 and Sept 1943. Some nice Christmas stories, mentions many other sodliers You can see it at, as well as others through this link Its down the very bottom of the screen. Hope this is of interest to you. Regards
Does anyone have any information on the 1st Battalion Middlesex Yeomanry while they were in North Africa between 1940-42. Those 142 photos I got are from a man who served with this regiment, in his letters home he mentions 9th & 10th Armoured Brigades. Well as far as I know, they never served in the 9th Armoured. The Royal Wiltshire & The Warwickshire Yeomanry served in the 9th. The 10th Armoured wasn't around long enough before being converted, and again I have no listing for them there.
Well following that my regiment-Cheshire Yeomanry were turned into a Signals unit from a Cavalry unit, I thought that the same fate may have happened to the Middlesex. It seems that the Middlesex Yeomanry served as the Divisional signals unit for 1st Armoured Division in N.Africa
Well I have telegrams from this gentleman to his parents informing them of his transfers to these units and also if you look at other telegrams in this collection they state his regiment and who he was attached to in the senders address section. I have just looked a little closer and he was also attached to the 2nd Armoured Div. I can't remember if I put this in my original thread but The Middlesex Yeomanry was a Signals regiment, so I don't if this would have any reflection on his attachments. Regards Kieron
I have just looked a little closer and he was also attached to the 2nd Armoured Div. 2nd Armoured effectively ceased after April 8th 1941, and the division was disbanded on May 10th 1941
Cheers for the info, here is the Xmas card he sent while on board ship. I've got a couple of these cards written while they've been on board and I love it when you read at the bottom "At sea"...what a place to be at Christmas, every account I've read during these sailings doesn't paint a very nice picture...the smell of sick...cramped conditions and then to get off ship and march to a staging post...could you do it? Cheers Kieron
Kieron, The Middlesex Yeomanry (or 1st County of London Yeomanry) were indeed converted to a signals regiment before the war. At the start of the war the 1st Middlesex Yeo were the 1st Cavalry Division Signals and went overseas with them to Palestine in January 1940. They may have taken part in the campaigns in Iraq & Syria between May and July 1941. They became 10th Armoured Division Signals in August 1941 on the redesignation of the Cavalry Division. They remained in Palestine until April 1942 when the division moved into Egypt and took part in the battles of Gazala, the retreat to Alamein, Alam Halfa and El Alamein. After that they went back to Palestine & Syria before the 10th Armoured Division was disbanded in June 1944. I don't know what happened to the Middlesex Yeomanry after that, or if they were then disbanded. They had been overseas for over 4 years by then so presumably many original men had been repatriated to the UK. However, the 9th Armoured Brigade Signals squadron were definitely Middlesex Yeomanry and I think it is also likely that the 8th Armoured Brigade Signals squadron were also Middlesex Yeomanry, as these 2 brigades were the original brigades of the 10th Armoured Div, and both were also brigades of the Cavalry Division. The 10th Armoured Brigade never left the UK, so the mentions of the 10th Armoured must relate to the 10th Armoured Division rather than brigade. There was also a 2nd Middlesex Yeomanry. These were 2nd Armoured Division Signals from March 1940 and left the UK in October 1940. They were at sea at Christmas 1940, which would tie in the Christmas card sent from on board a ship. The division were caught up in Rommel's first offensive in March/April 1941 and were pretty much overrun and captured. As stated already the remnants of the division were disbanded in May 1941, and I've no idea what befell the 2 Middlesex Yeomanry. The 104th mentioned in epriv's post were probably the 104th RHA (Essex Yeo), also part of the Cavalry/10th Armoured Div.
Hello I'm involved with the Middlesex Yeomanry Association, although new to this forum. I'm trying to pull together some information about the history of the Regiment, especially during its time as 1st Cavalry Divisional Signals in Palestine 1940/41. If anybody is able to point me towards any documents, records of photographs from that time I'd be most grateful.
I can only find a couple of related files at the National Archives WO 169/1400 Middlesex Yeomanry (6 Division Signals) 1941 Apr. WO 169/424 F Troop 1 Middlesex Yeomanry Signal Section (Sigs) 1940 Nov.- Dec. I suspect they (the files) maybe listed under another name.
