GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
Guest with his Bren gun in the desert
Only 6 Bars to the Military Medal awarded to South African forces during the Second World War, out of only 181 throughout the Commonwealth for the entire war.
M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1941 (East Africa). The original recommendation states:
‘Private Harry James Guest, 1st Transvaal Scottish. For Marked Gallantry in Action at COMBOLCIA PASS on 22 Apr 41. When his Company was pinned by fire, Pte Guest crept forward with a Bren Gun and put two
M.Gs out of action with the result that the Company was able to continue its advance.’
Bar to M.M. London Gazette 8 March 1945 (Italy). The original recommendation states:
‘Corporal (temporary) Harry James Guest, 1st Royal Natal Carbineers. For outstanding leadership and gallantry. On the morning of 10th Oct 44 “D” Coy were attacking Mount Stanco. No. 13 Platoon was held up by very heavy M.G. & rifle fire. No. 27087 Cpl. H. J. Guest was ordered to work round to the rear of the enemy encountering dug-in enemy on his way. These were destroyed and others forced to withdraw in disorder. Continuing, 5 more enemy were encountered and 4 destroyed and 1 taken P.O.W., and the advance was able to continue. Cpl. Guest by his courage and initiative and example was in a large measure responsible for this success.’
Harry James Guest was born on 3rd May 1920 at Kranskop, near Greytown, Natal, and educated at Greytown High School. His father, then Trooper C. W. Guest, Natal Mounted Police, was awarded the Natal D.C.M. for bravery at Impanza between Keate’s Drift and Greytown during the Bambata Rebellion of 1906, when a small body of Natal Police were ambushed and their casualties were four killed and five wounded. The father and son combination of Natal D.C.M. and M.M. and Bar is probably unique in the annals of South African military history.
Harry left school at 16 and his first job was with African Guarantee and in due course he was called up for peacetime training, from 7 January 1937, with the Natal Mounted Rifles. African Guarantee transferred him to Johannesburg in April 1940, which also brought him a transfer to the 1st Batt. The Transvaal Scottish. It was at Combolcia that Private Guest was awarded the Immediate Military Medal in the action when Captain “Doolie” Briscoe, M.C., had been badly wounded and, in spite of the efforts of his Runner Private Lightfoot to carry him to safety, died. Private Lightfoot was awarded the D.C.M. for his part in this action.
Private Guest with his No. 2 on the Bren, Eddie Ford, then decided to try to outflank the Italian position, which they did and got behind 4 Italian Machine Gun positions. The Bren in Guest and Ford’s hands did the rest - “They were sitting ducks” Harry remarked. Harry’s ability and sixth sense to be able to recognise the opportunity to outflank a position accounts in some way for his many successes not only on patrol but when engaged in a set piece attack, and in addition to be able to extricate his platoon on occasions when they were in extreme danger and very vulnerable.
Throughout the Western Desert campaign, especially during the time when the roster meant a night patrol every ten days that stories of Harry’s escapades would circulate the Battalion, always aggressive, always a deadly shot with his Bren, especially from the hip.
Just before “A” Coy went in at Alamein his platoon commander Lieutenant Mike Webb turned to him and said “I bet you five pounds I get a pair of Gerry binoculars before you.” Guest said, “You’re on, Sir” - and then it was Fix Bayonets - through the wire and into German positions. No quarter given and none expected. When the positions had been taken and it was possible to take stock of the situation the gallant Mike Webb had been wounded and was cursing his fate. Harry walked across to see how he was, and when Mike Webb saw a pair of Gerry binoculars around Guest’s neck he looked up at him and said: “You bloody bastard Harry”.
At Alamein, it had been a close thing for Harry as his Bren jammed, luckily so did the Luger of the German officer whom Harry had singled out. In a split second Harry dropped his Bren and grabbed his spare barrel from his No. 2 and felled the Gerry with one mighty swipe across the chest and face.
Harry says that when the Battalion was at Qassasin due to return to the Union, one day Mike Webb returned to the Battalion, as he had been discharged from hospital and was due to second to the British Army, where he won a Bar to his M.C. with No. 2 R.M. Commando, to say “Good-bye”. The first person Mike Webb looked for was Harry, and when he found him there was an outstretched hand and a £5 note in it. “That was Mike Webb” said Harry with a smile.
After service in Abyssinia and the Western Desert, Harry Guest returned to South Africa in January 1943. He was presented with the M. M. at Pretoria on 3 December 1943. The battle at Combolcia Pass earned the Transvall Scottish the sixth of their seven Battle Honours for the campaign in East Africa and Abyssinia 1940-41. In addition to his Immediate M.M., Guest was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 30 December 1941) for services during the period February to July 1941.
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