Does anyone have any further information on - Private 989990 Alfred Turton 211 Battery Royal Artillery 64th Medium Regiment. Killed in action on 2nd January 1942. Buried in HALFAYA SOLLUM WAR CEMETERY Egypt. Regards Richard.
Hi, His location of death is given at Sidi Azeiz which is close to the Libya/Egypt border near Sollum and the Halfaya Pass. It was well behind the allied front line at the time of his death as it had advanced towards El Agheila at the end of Operation Crusader. Uncle Target link above shows 211 Battery were near Bardia in December 1941 - some 40 miles distant from his place of death. An educated guess is that he was wounded in the vicinity of Bardia and evacuated to Sidi Azeiz and died at a medical facility there. You’ll really need to have sight of the unit war diary (UK National Archives) and the official casualty list (on findmypast) to confirm the brief details recorded on the tracer card. Good Luck. Steve
Hi Joined RA in 1939 courtesy of FMP. Unfortunately no RA tracer card found on Ancestry. Hope this helps Gus
Not quite. It was pretty on the frontline, as this was the the final day of the assault on Bardia, which had remained occupied by a German-Italian garrison (Halfaya surrendered on 17 January, due to lack of water). http://rommelsriposte.com/2019/02/06/bardia-halfaya-and-the-january-offensive/ There was quite a bit of fighting around there even after, but I would agree it is likely he died at a medical facility. All the best Andreas
Thanks for your expert clarification. Much appreciated. My knowledge of Op Crusader events after 23rd Dec - when my father was captured at Antelat - is limited. Steve
Hi, He was a pre war regular and had been in Number 2 Company 3rd Coldstream for over 4 years. The incident gets a mention in the WD. Capture down to Platoon Officer not using his field glasses to look at vehicles in Antelat as they returned at dawn from a standing patrol. Battalion HQ had withdrawn eastwards overnight as DAK advanced…..although WD is not so informative. Steve
Hi, worth joining 64th medium regiment 211 and 212 battery on Facebook. Lots of photos and info may be useful.
Just a minor point to some but he is Gunner Turton, confirmed on #2 Private is not an Artillery term unless attached to the RA from another Regiment or Corps.
Sorry Harry, need someone like Gus to get his details like those above. I don't have membership of FMP or Ancestry. Once I know his Regiment I can research them, then need his Service Record to find out what he did, where he went and when. We use teamwork in most cases.
See below and attached Here we have a recommendation for an award: Recommendation for Award for Kirby, Robert Kenneth Rank: Bombardier Service... | The National Archives - we know it's him from his personnel number from his Tracer Card. I see on the recommendation for award, it states ''64th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery''. I came across a diary of their movements (64th Medium Regiment, RA) and where they've served (64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) - The Royal Artillery 1939-45).
