CSM Arthur Balls, A Coy 10th Rifle Brigade

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by Alex Ball, Nov 25, 2020.

  1. Alex Ball

    Alex Ball New Member

    Hi all,

    I have seen quite a lot of posts on here about 10th Rifle Brigade and I was wondering if anyone had any information on A Company's movements/actions during Operation Torch in North Africa.

    The reason for asking is my grandfather Arthur Balls was CSM for A Coy and I am doing some research on him for the family. Unfortunately 10th Rifle Brigade information is quite thin on the ground, but I am heading down to Kew once lockdown is over to have a look at the battalion's war diaries and though I'd post here in the meantime on the off chance anyone has any information or documents.

    Thanks,
    Alex
     
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  2. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  3. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Casualty lists report that he was wounded in North Africa:
    6845653 BALLS CSM AE wounded 24.4.43
     
  4. Alex Ball

    Alex Ball New Member

    Thanks Tony. I believe he was at Kasserine/Thala and Medjez el Bab but the idea he may have been a part of Blade Force was new to me, thanks for linking the video it's opened up a new avenue to go down.

    Yes unfortunately he was wounded during the campaign and he permanently lost the hearing in his ear as a result. I was able to track down the date on forces-war-records.com and can also see that J Stuart who wrote the attached piece for the BBC in 2005 and served with A Coy 10th Rifle Brigade was also wounded on the same day it appears...

    BBC - WW2 People's War - To Sleep Perchance To Dream
     
  5. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    Following a quick scan through the Regimental History, (I have italicised units and made locations bold):

    p.215
    p. 217
    p. 218
    p.220
    p.221
     
  6. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    I was really linking the Blade Force diaries.
     
  7. Alex Ball

    Alex Ball New Member

    Understood. Looking through the diaries it looks as though B coy 10RB were attached to Blade Force. Interesting reading nonetheless!
     
  8. Alex Ball

    Alex Ball New Member

    Thanks, some of that seems to tally with the limited information we had eg he was at Thala and that a platoon commander Lt Toms was killed in a bombing raid. The detail of the pursuit outlined on p. 221 and Two Tree Hill are brand new to me.

    Could I ask where you got the regimental history? Apologies if that's a thick question, I'm new at this!
     
  9. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    I bought it from Abebooks a few years ago.

    I am going to look through the remaining portions and see if I can find anything else.
     
  10. Craig day

    Craig day Member

    Hi Alex, My father was a wireless op in B Coy.
    I have attached the war diary entry for the day your grandfather was wounded, also attached is the diary for 10/04/43 the day
    Lt Toms was killed in a stuka raid the day after the action at Fondouk Gap,
    regards
    Craig
     

    Attached Files:

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