Vehicles used by 7th Queens Own Hussars in North Africa.

Discussion in 'RAC & RTR' started by HighTow, Aug 8, 2016.

  1. HighTow

    HighTow Junior Member

    All,

    After a trip to the Tank Museum at Bovington, my mother has asked me if I could make her a scale model diorama depicting her father and his tank in North Africa during WWII.

    His service records states he was in the RAC and belonged to the 7th Queen's own Hussars, was sent to Egypt on 21st January 1938, fought in North Africa campaign and then shipped out to Burma 26th January 1942. He was a tank commander and as far as I can ascertain, was part of A Squadron.

    Sadly he never kept any diaries and what photos he has are from Burma and thereafter so I have no record of what vehicle he commanded in North Africa.

    I've found reference to B Squadron using A13 Cruiser Mk.IVa tanks and my mother mentioned him possibly driving some sort of small reconnaissance tank as well during the time. I've also seen it mentioned they had Mk I crusader tanks. What I do know is when they were in Burma he was driving a Stuart tank but I don't know if that was one that was brought with them from North Africa.

    Can anyone help shed some light on what vehicles A Squadron were using? Also is there any information on vehicle markings they might have carried?

    Any help appreciated.
     
  2. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    Just a very quick reply whilst I keep searching, Stuarts might be a choice for 1941: Operational Report 7th Queen’s Own Hussars December 1941

    There is also this short bit of information from www.desertrats.org.uk/orgarmour.htm#H7:

    Between the World Wars the regiment had a short and uneventful tour of India Up to 1923, then a period at Aldershot before sailing to Egypt in 1935. The present generation of armoured cavalrymen can have little conception of the impact of mechanisation as it was announced to the regiment in May 1936. Training with their mark II tanks filled their next years and proved valuable practice as the Second World War started and the 7th were called into battle against the Italians in North West Africa in June 1940. The first action was taking the fort of Capuzzo that they had to capture twice in a month. In January 1941 the 7th were involved in the fighting around Bardia and Sidi Barrani then came the attack on Tobruk, which earned the regiment high praise from the Australian infantry. At Beda Fomm came the final destruction of the Italians and the 7th fought alongside the 3rd Hussars for 36 hours helping to capture 20,000 prisoners and 112 tanks.

    A far sterner enemy took over from the Italians when Rommel's Africa Korps with its superior tanks started to push the allies back into Egypt. On 21st November 1941 the 7th Hussars were ordered to a blocking position north of Sidi Rezegh, where they encountered the might of the German advance in the shape of fifty Panzers, whose armament completely outclassed the mark VI. For four days the regiment carried out its mission, holding off a German armoured division until by the 28th November, the 7th had only two surviving tanks, had lost their Commanding Officer Killed among many other casualties, missing and prisoners. They went back to Abassia to refit until embarking in January 1942 for Rangoon in Burma, where again they were part of 7th Armoured Brigade.

    The situation was desperate and the 7th moved straight up to Pegu to fight the marauding Japanese. Pegu was untenable so the British began their historic retreat northwards using the 7th Hussar Stuart Tanks to smash road blocks, cover the withdrawal and carry the wounded. There were countless acts of heroism by the 7th in the face of the inhumanity of the Japanese, and epitomised in Field Marshall Alexander's words about the 7th Hussars:

    "Without them we should never have got the Army out of Burma; no praise can be too high for them"

    Soon the British had been pushed back beyond Prome and the start of May 1942 when they crossed the river Chindwin, the regiment had to destroy their tanks, and became pedestrians for the final 150 miles of the retreat. On 17th May the remnants of the division staggered into Imphal. The 7th had covered nearly one thousand miles in three and half months losing forty six killed and fifty wounded, and earning the highest regard from all who had met them.

    The regiment moved back to Egypt, where it was equipped with Sherman tanks but spent two years idle until May 1944 when they joined the advance up Italy seconded to the 2nd Polish corps. They fought first for Ancona, a hard forty eight hour battle; and then in August for the gothic line earning the praise of the Polish who granted the 7th Hussars the privilege of wearing the Maid of Warsaw for their "Magnificent work - fine examples of heroism and successful action". By October the allies were nearing Bologna, prepared to sit out the winter which provided the Queen's Own time to practice in new swimming tanks and conduct foot reconnaissance into enemy territory. Both these factors proved vital in the battle for the Po plains and ensured that by 2nd May 1945 the German Army in Italy had had to surrender.​

    You could check direct with the Regimental Museum: Regimental Museum.
    Mark
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2016
  3. MarkN

    MarkN Banned

    From the beginning of the war to the end of 1941, A/7H would have used Light Tanks Mk.VI, VIA and VIB as well as Cruiser Tanks Mk.I (A9), IIA (A10), IVA (A13) and VI (A15-Crusader).

    The markings they carried varied according to the precise timeframe concerned.

    Perhaps the most interesting period for you to consider would be the early skirmishes that A/7H had with the Italians during June-July 1940 around Fort Capuzzo. At that time they had Light Tanks Mk.VIB and Cruiser Tanks Mk.I (A9) and carried the AoS 24. Pictures of both types of tanks in these markings can easily be found on the internet and/or literature.

    PS.
    I wrote that 7H carried AoS 24 at that time since that is what authors who know about such things have published. However, AoS 24 seems to be more common to 1RTR vehicles!
     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2016
  4. HighTow

    HighTow Junior Member

    All,

    Thanks for your input. I actually remember my grandfather telling me about a battle with the Italians where he got out of his tank to relieve himself when suddenly about a hundred Italians came towards him with their hands up to surrender. I *think* that might have been Fort Capuzzo.

    I'm leaning towards a Vickers VIB at the moment - fairly small vehicle to model and a bit different I suppose. I don't suppose you know anything about the naming convention? I've heard different units/squadrons usually had a theme for the names of their tanks.
     
    BFBSM likes this.
  5. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    They had 7x A9 & 38x Lt MkVI. At the Italian declaration of war.

    They received 8x A10 in June 1941. & 7x A13 in July.
    In September they received 20x A15 MkI.

    That's all the different marks I can see prior to them being withdrawn from theatre in February 1942.

    Kind Regards,
    David.
     
  6. HighTow

    HighTow Junior Member

    Thanks for that Dave.

    By chance I walked into my local model shop and there was a 1:35 Vickers VIB in North African spec on the shelf in front of me. Must be a sign. :)
     
  7. MarkN

    MarkN Banned

    When did they give up their Light Tanks Mk.VI/VIa/VIb or did they lose them all in combat?

    They were all cruiser by autumn 1941. But none of them were A15 Crusaders.

    28 September 1941
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    5 October 1941
    [​IMG]
     
  8. HighTow

    HighTow Junior Member

    MarkN,

    What's the source for that document? War Diary? I wouldn't mind seeing it more in context.
     
  9. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Hi Mark.

    Sorry, don't know what happened to the Lt MkVI.

    I shall look back and see what document falsely gave me those Crusaders in the Autumn.
    Thanks for the correction.

    Kind Regards,
    David.
     
  10. MarkN

    MarkN Banned

    The two excerpts come from documents compliled and filed by AFV Branch of HQ ME.

    The September account relates to RHQ and all 4 squadrons of 7H being operational in the Western Desert. The October snippet recognises that A Squadron 7H (the one that interests you) had subsequently withdrawn from the front line and returned back to the Delta for a spot of R&R and retraining. They took with them the 15 most decrepit tanks of the Regiment for overhaul at RAOC Workshops - hence the difference in tank numbers.

    As I posted earlier, A/7H was then gradually re-equipped with A15 Crusaders (Cruiser Tank Mk.VI) starting in the latter half of October (wrong timeframe David) as they became available from the workshop. Once fully equipped and up to speed on their 'new' mounts, the Squadron returned to the Regiment in the Western Desert during November shortly before the commencement of Op Crusader.
     
  11. MarkN

    MarkN Banned

    When people think of light tanks in the desert, they almost always assume that this means Light Tank Mk.VIb.

    However, during the timeframe up to August 1940 - ie including the initial border skirmishes - 7H and 8H were using a greater number of the initial Light Tank Mk.VI or Light Tank Mk.VIa as opposed to the VIb. 8H were still operating up to 15 Light Tank Mk.III until May/June 1940!

    If you want your model to be 'different' to everybody else's, and at the same time be more historically accurate, then it would maybe be a wise punt at modelling one of the initial Light Tank Mk.VI.
     

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