A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties (Part II) 981
Four: Sergeant B. A. Ratcliffe, New Zealand Corps of Signals, who died of wounds at Minqar Qiam, North Africa, 27 June 1942
1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR;WARMEDAL 1939-45; NEW ZEALANDWAR SERVICEMEDAL; together with the recipient’s NEW ZEALAND MEMORIAL CROSS,
G.VI.R. (5919 Sjt. B. A. Ratcliffe), in case of issue, extremely fine (5)
£180-220
Brendan Allen Ratcliffe was born at Kaitangata, Otago, New Zealand, on 17 June 1908, and served during the Second World War in the New Zealand Corps of Signals in Egypt from 13 February 1940. He was promoted Corporal on 27 January 1941, and Sergeant on 7 February 1942.
On 27 June 1942 the New Zealand Division at Minqar Qiam, Alamein, was surrounded by vastly superior German forces, in particular the 21st Panzer Division, and faced with imminent destruction they prepared to break out. The Divisional Signals, by C. A. Borman, gives the following account: ‘Fourth Brigade’s positions were under heavy artillery fire for most of the day but little trouble was experienced in keeping lines of communication intact. J Section, however, sustained heavy casualties, three men being killed and four wounded, two of them seriously The first to fall was a lineman, Signalman Serjeant, who was repairing a line termination at the signal office. At 5:35 p.m. Serjeant, standing only a few feet behind the exchange operator, was killed instantly by a shell which burst close by. The exchange operator escaped unhurt but there was considerable havoc in the signal office shelter. Only a few minutes later Sergeant Ratcliffe, like Serjeant one of J Section’s original stalwarts, was severely wounded by a shell splinter while working on the open with some of his men repairing line faults in the Headquarters area. As he fell Ratcliffe called out to his companions “take cover you chaps, I’ve got mine”. He had indeed dreadful multiple wounds from which his life ebbed away later that night in a Regimental Aid Post. Ratcliffe was a pugnacious little man who had been a persistent rebel against authority but for all that was a likeable fellow and a good soldier. Several times that day more than one J Section man had watched his recklessness as he moved about in his jaunty manner in the open and had said “Shorty’s asking for it today!” But most linemen were like that, and Ratcliffe was typical of the breed of men in the unit who faced the daily hazards of their tasks with an unconscious devotion to duty, call what they might in their own rough way.’
Ratcliffe was aged 33 at the time of his death. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. 982
Three: Gunner L. N. Goldsmith, Royal Artillery, who was taken Prisoner of War in North Africa, and was killed when, borne in the Italian cargo ship S.S. Scillin, she was torpedoed by H.M. Submarine Sahib and sank off the coast of Tunisia, 14 November 1942
1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR;WARMEDAL 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. D. Goldsmith, “Mulbarton”, 16 Dalmary Road, Worcester Park, Surrey’, extremely fine (3)
£100-140
Leslie Norman Goldsmith served during the Second World War as a Gunner in No. 4 Survey Regiment, Royal Artillery, and was taken prisoner of War in North Africa. He was held captive initially at the Italian Campo P.G. 154 at Benghazi, Libya. Following the Allied advance on Tobruk, in November 1942 the Italian authorities decided to evacuate the Camp, and prisoners were transported to Italy. Goldsmith was one of 814 Allied Prisoners of War embarked onto the Italian cargo ship the S.S. Scillin on 13 November.
On 14 November, the Scillin was intercepted by H.M. Submarine Sahib off the coast of Tunisia. Sahib fired two shells at the cargo ship and then launched a single torpedo, which hit Scillin’s hold causing her to rapidly sink. The Allied prisoners in the hold had little chance of survival. The Sahib rescued 27 Allied P.O.W.s, Scillin’s captain, and 34 Italian crew before the arrival of an Italian warship obliged her to leave. Only when Sahib’s crew heard survivors speaking English did they realise the ship’s purpose. 787 Allied Prisoners of War are believed to have been killed in the sinking. Recent evidence suggests that Allied Headquarters were aware of the Scillin’s cargo, having learned of it through Ultra decrypted signals, but that, in order to protect the source of the Ultra intelligence, this information was suppressed and not passed onto the captain of the Sahib.
Goldsmith was amongst those killed, aged 36. He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. His medals were sent to his widow Doris Goldsmith.
983 Three: Trooper J. Robbins, Royal Tank Regiment, who was killed in action in the Western Desert, 24 November 1942
1939-45 STAR; AFRICA STAR, 1 clasp, 8th Army;WARMEDAL 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. M. Robbins, 18, Lundie Street, Everton, Liverpool 6’, extremely fine (3)
£100-140
Jonathan Robbins served during the Second World War as a Trooper in 1st Royal Tank Regiment, and was killed in action in the Western Desert on 24 November 1942, shortly after 8th Army had broken out from El Alamein and had reached Benghazi.
Robbins was aged 23 at the time of his death. He is buried in Benghazi War Cemetery, Libya. His medals were sent to his mother Margaret Robbins.
984
Three: Gunner G. Bareham, Royal Artillery, who was taken Prisoner of War in Batavia, 9 March 1942, and died in captivity on 14 January 1943
1939-45 STAR; PACIFIC STAR;WARMEDAL 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. L. D. Bareham, Harringay, Oakleigh Road, Great Clacton, Essex’, extremely fine (3)
£100-140
George Bareham was born on 23 October 1903 and served during the Second World War as a Gunner with 95th Battery, 48th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. On 6 December 1941 the Regiment sailed from the Clyde for the Middle East. By the time the convoy had reached Durban in early January 1942, their destination had been changed to Singapore. On departing Durban their destination was changed yet again to Batavia in Java which was under imminent enemy threat. They arrived in Batavia on 4 February 1942 aboard the Empress of Australia and were deployed around the various Dutch ‘secret’ airfields. 95th Battery were posted to Andir airfield, near Bangdun. The exact location of these airfields were disguised on maps and some contained multiple strips to confuse the enemy. To maintain levels of secrecy for as long as possible only the minimum of ground facilities were provided- in the majority of cases there were little more than grass strips with small dispersals and a stock of fuel and ammunition. Some of the airfields had a radio beacon but these were dismantled when the Japanese began their invasion. Despite all these precautions one by one the secret bases fell to the Japanese and on 9 March 1942 the 95th Battery capitulated. Taken Prisoner of War, Bareham left Batavia on 22 September, and arrived in Singapore on 26 September. After being held briefly at Changi prison, he was transferred to the infamous Jesselton Camp in North Borneo in October 1942, as part of Java Party 2. Conditions at the camp were hard; the prisoners were badly treated; and disease was rife. Bareham contracted amoebic dysentery on 15 November 1942, and died in captivity on 14 January 1943.
Bareham was aged 39 at the time of his death. He is buried in Labuan War Cemetery, Malaysia. His medals were sent to his widow Louisa Daisy Bareham.
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