North Irish Horse. WW2. C Squadron

Discussion in 'North Irish Horse' started by Kikaoshea, Nov 12, 2017.

  1. Kikaoshea

    Kikaoshea Member

    My neice's Grandad was Sgt. Basil Baker ,
    Served WW2 with North Irish Horse. North africa , landed Feb. 1943. Fought through Italy until 1945. He was in C Squadron.
    He was a great character, I was at his funeral and remember how he was honoured by former soldiers.
    Does anyone have any more info for us?
    I found the War Diaries. I don' know the name of his Churchill tank, but it must have been named with a C and after an Irish town.
    Remembering Sgt Basil Baker on remembrance day.
     
    4jonboy and Owen like this.
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Italian Campaign
    Casa Riccibiti, Jan 1945 Back Row L-R Basil Baker, ?, Boyd, C. Hamilton(?), ?, Terry McGrath, Lt M Bexon, Winyard. Front Row L-R Parfit, Millson, Wardle, Jefferson, ?.
    [​IMG]
    Casa Riccibiti, Jan 1945 Back Row L-R Basil Baker, ?, Boyd, C. Hamilton(?), ?, Terry McGrath, Lt M Bexon, Winyard. Front Row L-R Parfit, Millson, Wardle, Jefferson, ?.
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    [​IMG]
    Ogbourne St. George 1941. L-R ?, T. Eager, Roy Burke, Basil Baker
     
  5. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Clive

    That link to Italian campaign website has just come up as a threat on my pc. AVG blocked it
     
  6. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Kikaoshea.

    If you would like to see what happened to the North Irish Horse on the Hitler Line on 23 May 44, I am taking a group there 17-20 May 18. Your niece's grandfather was one of the very lucky ones - he survived.

    I was out there earlier this year with officers and men from what is now the NIH Squadron of the Scottish & North Irish Horse and they laid on a very moving ceremony to honour the men who were killed that fateful day.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  7. Kikaoshea

    Kikaoshea Member

  8. Kikaoshea

    Kikaoshea Member

    Thank you for your replies.
    Here is Basil, front right. C Squadron.
    I wish I knew more about these things at the time. I would have loved to ask him.
    Basil often returned to the WW2 battlefields.
    I heard he was at Monte Cassino one time.
    I would dearly love to go , but I'd need to save.
    Basil's granddaughter, Paula, said he was mentioned in despatches around that time.
    Thanks again everyone
     
  9. Peter Squires

    Peter Squires New Member

    My cousin, Bruce Leighton Squires was in C Squadron. He was killed 23rd May 1944. I wonder if there might be any pictures with him in them?
     
    minden1759 and Chris C like this.
  10. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Peter.

    Strangely enough, I was standing on the Hitler Line on Thu explaining the NIH attack that supported 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade.

    It was a truly brutal day.

    Regards

    Frank
     
    Chris C likes this.
  11. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    B and C Sqns were allocated to support the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. A Sqn was allocated to support the PPCLI.

    The 2 Cdn Inf Bde attack was two battalions up and one in reserve - Seaforths left, PPCLI right and the Loyal Edmontons in reserve.

    Oliver Leese disapproved of the original 1 (Cdn) Corps plan and insisted that the single Brigade attack was increased to two Brigades. This caused a 24 hour delay during which time the Germans brought 50 more tanks to the area. Coupled with the already dug in Panzerstrums - tank turrets dug in with concrete, this made the Hitler Line more formidable.

    Despite 810 guns firing in support of the Canadian attack, the casualty figures were brutal.

    Regards

    Frank
     
  12. Peter Squires

    Peter Squires New Member

    Thanks, Minden1759. It must have been awful.
     

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