1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

Can anyone kindly provide the history of the 1 battalion, South Staffs regiment in North Africa?

 

Here is a summary of the 1st South Staffordshire Regiment's service in the Middle East until its departure for India:

1st Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment

16th Infantry Brigade – 3 September 1939 to 16 October 1939
In September 1938, the 1st Battalion arrived in Palestine and took over the Tiberias-Nazareth area with Headquarters for one month at Tiberias and then the following month at Nazareth. It was still located there at the start of the war and remained there while serving under the brigade.

HQ Jerusalem Area, British Troops in Palestine and Transjordan – 16 October 1939 to 29 March 1940
In October 1939, the 1st Battalion moved from Northern Palestine to Hebron for a two-month period on internal security duties. It was relieved at Hebron in early December and concentrated at Jerusalem. From January to March 1940, it was located in a camp near Jericho.

14th Infantry Brigade – 29 March 1940 to 20 July 1940
The battalion joined the brigade at Gedera at the end of March. The brigade left for Egypt on May 31st, 1940 and arrived on June 1st. On arrival, the brigade was located at Helwan, near Cairo. The battalion left the brigade on July 20th and the brigade was broken up six days later.

22nd Infantry Brigade – 21 July 1940 to 1 September 1940
The 1st South Staffords joined and brigade at Mersa Matruh and served there with the brigade. HQ 22nd Infantry Brigade became HQ Mersa Matruh Fortress on September 2nd, 1940.

HQ Mersa Matruh Fortress – 2 September 1940 to December 1940
It remained at Mersa Matruh sending a small HQ, one company and two carriers to Selby Force during the Sidi Barrani battle in December 1940. Selby Force was to move up the coast, clear enemy minefields and capture and hold Mektila. The rest of the battalion remained in defence of Mersa Matruh. After Selby Force captured Mektila, part of Selby Force including the South Staffords moved toward Sidi Barrani from the southeast. Along the way, it came across a strong Italian position on the main track to Mersa Matruh. The column attacked but the South Stafford Company was held up by heavy artillery and automatic weapons’ fire. After support from British guns, the column took the Italian position, which surrendered.

HQ British Troops in Egypt – December 1940 to 4 February 1942
At the end of 1940 the battalion moved to the Canal Zone and was employed escorting Italian prisoners to India. It served under the Canal Line of Communications Area on January 31st, 1941. The men had one-month leave in Bombay while waiting for a return ship. Upon return to Alexandria the battalion formed small detachments for sea service as AA troops on ships to Greece, Crete, Tobruk, Aden and South Africa. The rest of the unit worked on the Alexandria Line. The battalion was located at Sidi Bishr Camp near Alexandria on May 29th, 1941 and at Alexandria on July 17th, 1941.

23rd Infantry Brigade – 4 February 1942 to 14 September 1943
The 1st Battalion joined the brigade in the Suez area on February 2nd, 1942. The brigade departed from Port Tewfik on February 27th and arrived at Bombay, India on March 3rd.

 

Thanks a lot , dryan

 

No problem. Glad I can help.

 

Probably best not to refer to it as the 'SS regiment'! The recommended abbreviation was 'S Staffords' - not that abbreviated, I know.

 

Yes ,apologies for that.