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