el almein
Rowan
Active member
One of the lesser known stories around the time was the Australian attack on Syria and the Vichy French. My Grandfather was an Australian LT COL and was with the first group to occupy Damascus. It was a hot fight with strong French resistance and some Australian VCs such at LT Roden Cutler RAA who was late Sir Roden and Governor of NSW. He got his leg blown off bet kept calling the Fire Mission. Crazy to think that we were fighting the French and that they actually put up spirited resistance!
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
I am not sure why it is a surprise that the French put up a spirited resistance, even during the battle of France the fought well where they could but they were horribly led during the battle and everywhere else both Vichy and Free French forces fought extremely well given the relative conditions of both forces.
LeEnfield
Active member
Auchinleck fell out with Churchill when he refused to attack until he was ready, so Churchill replaced him and the replacement was killed so Monty got the job and like Auchinleck he also refused to attack until he was ready and by that time Churchill had changed so many Generals that he had grin and bear it. El-Alieim was as a defensive position was Auchinleck Idea and taken on by Monty who then claimed it was his idea. Monty saw the power of the press and used it to his advatage where as some of the other Generals did not. I am not a great fan of Montgomery but his plans at El-Almein worked and were he did his best work. Also another General that never got the credit for his work out there was Wavell.
As far as the comments that the British were not there in Force well three of my family are buried in North Africa two at El-Alemein another in Tunsia, and two more died in the Navy on the attack on Oran Harbour where the ships they were on loaded with American Marines were blown out of the water with the death of nearly every one on board. So five of my family are still there are in the waters near by.
HMS Hartland sinking in Oran Harbour with the loss of 600 Americans and almost the whole crew of the ship
As far as the comments that the British were not there in Force well three of my family are buried in North Africa two at El-Alemein another in Tunsia, and two more died in the Navy on the attack on Oran Harbour where the ships they were on loaded with American Marines were blown out of the water with the death of nearly every one on board. So five of my family are still there are in the waters near by.
HMS Hartland sinking in Oran Harbour with the loss of 600 Americans and almost the whole crew of the ship
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