Death of a regiment

This is not a family story, but a story of a personal hero. I am a living historian with the World War 2 Display Team, who portray the South Notts Hussars.

I have met Harold Harper a couple of times and have been facinated by his stories, along with those by his comrades at the regimental dinners we attend in Nottingham.

The South Notts were a field regiment of the Royal Artillery equipped with 25pdr Field guns. They went to the middle east in 1940 and went up the line in '41.

Amoung their battle honours are Tobruk, Gazala and many more. They helped push the advance across the desert against the Italians, and also took part in the retreat back towards Egypt. They ended up in Tobruk, one of only 2 field regiments in the besieged port. Bitter fightng took place and the regiment distinguished itself in repelling the enemy.

The South Notts became very well thought of by the Austailian infantry, who they were supporting, and became know to them as "the Acorn Gunners".

After the breakout they continued on the front and became involved in the ill fated "Battle of the Couldron".

The desert was divided into boxes, each being a map reference with a name. The South Notts were in the Knightsbridge Box.

Early on the 6th June 1942 a cloud of dust was stopped on the horizon to the south west. Being at the ready to move, they were told not to dig-in. The first thoughts about the cloud of dust was that it was british troops moving to the start line.

Harold Harper was in a recon vehicle with Major Birkin. Captain Birkin, Major Birkins brother was also in a recon vehicle not far away. The first signs of trouble came from Regimental HQ, saying the Germans were very close. Soon Harper and the recon cars had spotted them, and the Germans had spotted them. Captain Birkins ar was hit, and Birkin had been hit in the stomach, and two of the three radio operators heads had been knocked clean off, all died instantly.

Major Birkin saw his brothers car take the hit and ordered his driver to head over there. Harper persuaded Major Birkin that there was nothing they could do and they mounted up and headed for the lines to warn the regiment. In the confusion that followed, the car hit a grant tank and bounched back, bursting into flames. The occupants managed to get out and clambered onto the back of the tank.

The tank was going into action, and the survivors were clinging to the back dodgeing the gun as it swept round to engage another enemy tank. In the end the tank cammander opened up and found the men holding on, with shrapnel splinters all over them. He took them to an aid station.

Later the aid station was overrun and everyone taken prisoner. There was fairly little in the way of guards, and Harper and a signaler made their escape.

They had eacaped from captivity with only what they were standing in. Moving only at night, they drank from the radiators of disabled and wreck vehicles. After a couple of days, the signaler was dead, he had troden on a mine.

Harper carried on, surviving on his own urine. After 6days he made it to friendly lines.

During his time in German hands he had noticed little details, such as markings on the commanders tanks and the use of purple smoke to let the luftwaffe know they were german vehicles. He handed this information on.

During this time, the rest of the South Notts had been fighting for their lives. Shortly after Harper and the others in the Armoured cars had been put out of action, the german armour attacked the rest of the regiment.

The regiment was told "on no accounts will you retreat, you will fight to the last man and the last round"

This the South Notts did to te letter. After a morning of fighting, many of the men and machines had been destroyed or captured.

The last gun to fire was manned by Sargent Ray Ellis. There were machine gun bullets flying everywhere, and shells landing in the positions, but the gunners kept firing. Casualties were so heavy that soon, there were not enough men to crew the gun, and signlers took their place. The guns of the South Notts had to be turned round to face the tanks as the drove past their positions. The last round was fired with a Panzer IV only 20 yards infront of the last remaining gun. At this point the men had to give up, out of armour piercing shells and with very few crew members left.

Out of the entire regiment around 90-100 were taken prisoner and 6 managed to escape.

For a period, the South Notts Hussars had ceased to exist.

Later they were reformed as a medium battery using 5.5inch guns.

By the end of the war Harper had made Seargent Major.

What was the 107th South Notts Hussars fought in El Alamin and went on the fight in France.

The other regiment of the South Notts was the 150th Field Regiment, who served in Normandy until they were dispanded in December 1944.

I feel this is a very distinguished regiment. They remain today a battey strengh as Royal Artillery, Territorial Army. Next time you hear someone talk about the TA playing soldiers, think of this story and the remarkable men behind it!!

There is a briliant book out call "to the Last Round" by Peter Heart. It tells the story of the South Notts time in world war 2 up until the evening of the 6th June 1942. It covers their formation as Yeomanry in the 1700 and breifly covers the changes from cavalry to machine guns to Artillery. It is a very good read!!!

I have total respect for all men and women of nations who fought in the Second World War.

David Petters
World War 2 Dispaly Team
Registered Educatuional Charity No. 1065760
www.ww2.org.uk

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