8. Collie Boys in the Middle East

WW2 – Collie Boys in the Middle East

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

Introduction

On 3 September 1939 Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies announced the beginning of Australia's involvement in the Second World War. Almost a million Australians, both men and women, served in the Second World War. They fought in campaigns against Germany and Italy in Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa, as well as against Japan in south-east Asia and other parts of the Pacific. The Australian mainland came under direct attack for the first time, as Japanese aircraft bombed towns in north-west Australia.

‍

The 2nd Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF)

At the outbreak of war Australia had a small full time Army and a larger part time Militia (Citizens Military Force). The militia, by law, could not be sent overseas, except to Australian territories such as New Guinea. As in WW1 the British high command needed troops from the dominion’s to help in the war effort and the Australian government of the day was eager to provide those troops, the 2nd AIF was raised. As their fathers had done before them in WW1, men rushed to enlist and soldiers in the militia resigned in droves to re-enlist into the AIF. Only 20 years after that terrible WW1 conflict, Australia was rushing headlong into another war. Like their fathers before them they headed to the Middle East to fight on the same ground. They were thrown into battles that they could not win and many now lie in graves in Egypt, Libya, Greece and Crete.

The Middle East and North Africa Theatre

British High Command understood the importance of the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea and the oil rich Middle East to the war effort. The British allied Army included the 6th, 7th and 9th Australian Divisions along with forces from New Zealand, South Africa and India. A series of battles turned to victories against Italian forces, before the German Africa Corps under Field Marshal Rommel entered the theatre. The Allies were now fighting against a far superior Army. By June 1942 the British forces were struggling against the German Army.

Tobruk – Campaign 1941

The deep water port of Tobruk was vital to the allies, it provided the avenue for re-supply. Rommel knew that for victory in Egypt, Tobruk had to be taken. The garrison consisting of mainly Australian Infantry held the port for eight months and were not defeated, the “Rats of Tobruk” as they became known, were written into history. However high command decisions from England were soon to alter the course of the war.

Greece/Crete – Campaign 1941

British High Command came to the aid of Greece when it became obvious that they were to be invaded by combined German and Italian forces. Australian commanders on the ground in Libya argued that splitting their forces could only end in defeat, however they were over ruled and in early 1941 the Australian 6th Div was withdrawn from Libya and sent to Greece. Like Gallipoli a disaster awaited the Australian and New Zealand forces (redesignated the ANZAC Corps for this battle). WA’s own 2/11th Battalion were decimated on Greece. The allies were overrun by a vastly superior German force. Elements of the force re-grouped on Crete and again fought heroically but understrength they again suffered defeat. A total of 594 Australians were killed in action in the Greece/Crete campaign a further 5132 were taken POW. Australian Lieutenant General John Coates summed up the Greece/Crete Campaign when he wrote: “Yet, as in almost every allied campaign in the early part of the war, the worst mistakes of the politicians and strategists were moderated by the bravery, fighting qualities and sheer dogged determination of the troops. Greece was no exception”.

El Alamein Campaign 1942

By June 1942 the allies were on the verge of defeat in the Middle East. A stand against the enemy was made at El Alamein (Egypt) in an attempt to delay the fall of Alexandria. Australian Battalions again suffered extremely high casualty rates. By the end of July both Armies had fought themselves to a standstill. On 27 July WA’s own 2/28th Battalion was virtually wiped out when it became surrounded by German tanks. This first battle of El Alamein resulted in the first great allied victory of WW2, the German forces were forced to withdraw. Rommel attempted to again break the allies in October but again failed, signalling the beginning of the end for the German Army in the Middle East and North Africa. El Alamein was a British victory and Winston Churchill famously stated, “Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat”.

Collie Boys in the Middle East

Initially the majority of the 2nd AIF were deployed to the Middle East theatre as part of the allied army fighting German, Italian and Vichy French forces. Australian forces saw heavy action at Tobruk (Libya), El Alamein (Egypt), Greece and Crete. A number of Collie Boys served in the Middle East including 13 shown in the attached photo, (likely taken in a training camp in 1941).

A short service detail follows;

WX9535 Private Frank GREEN - POW

Frank Green age 20, Raymond St Collie enlisted 1940. He was taken POW during the first battle of El Alamein along with many other 2/28th Bn soldiers. Frank spent a total of 31 months as a POW in various camps in Italy and Germany.

WX9566 Private James Robert MILLER

Jimmy Miller age 24, Johnston St Collie enlisted 1940. He was badly wounded in action at El Alamein. He returned to Australia in Feb 1943 before embarking for New Guinea in Aug with the 2/28th Bn.

WX7293 Signalman Frank Harvey SIMPSON

Frank Simpson age 21, Roberts St Collie enlisted 1940. He served with 2/28th Bn in the Middle East before transfer to 9th Div signals. He returned to Australia in Feb 1943 before moving to New Guinea in Aug. Hospitalised with Malaria in Nov 1943 he returned to Australia in Jan 1944. In May 1945 Frank Simpson embarked for British Borneo, one of the few servicemen who served in all three theatres of war.

WX7859 Private Trevor (Taffy) ARNOLD

Trevor (Taffy) Arnold age 33, Moira Rd Collie enlisted 1940. He served with the 2/28th Bn in the Middle East and returned to Australia in Jan 1943 before moving to New Guinea with the 9th Div Carrier Coy in Aug. Hospitalised with Dengue Fever in Nov 1943 he returned to Australia in Mar 1944.

WX9530 Lance Sergeant Cyril Thomas STOCK

Cyril Stock age 25, Wallsend St Collie enlisted in 1940. He was badly wounded in action at El Alamein. He returned to Australia in Feb 1943 before embarking for New Guinea in August with the 2/43rd Bn. Hospitalised with Malaria in Oct 1943 he returned to Australia in Jan 1944.

WX13447 Private Leonard (Gus) FETZER

Leonard Fetzer age 32, River Ave Collie enlisted in 1940. Serving with the 2/43rd Bn in the Middle East he was hospitalised sick in Mar 1942. He was returned to Australia in Apr 1942 and discharged medically unfit in Apr 1943. Gus Fetzer died of his illness in Jul 1944 he is buried in the Collie cemetery.

WX7899 Private Stanley Houghton BALLINGALL (POW)

Stanley Ballingall age 22, enlisted 1940. Wounded he was taken POW during the first battle of El Alamein. Stanley spent a total of 33 months as a POW in various camps in Italy and Germany.

WX7860 Private Newton MOORE (POW)

Newton Moore age 24, Steere St Collie enlisted 1940. He was taken POW during the first battle of El Alamein. Newton spent a total of 26 months as a POW in various camps in Italy and Germany.

WX7290 Private John Edward FLYNN (POW)

John Flynn age 28, Worsley enlisted 1940. He was taken POW during the first battle of El Alamein. John spent a total of 33 months as a POW in various camps in Italy and Germany.

WX6481 Corporal Edwyn Charles RIEBELING (POW)

Edwyn Riebeling age 23, Hughes St Collie enlisted 1940. He was wounded in action in Aug 1941, and taken POW during the first battle of El Alamein. Edwyn spent a total of 33 months as a POW in various camps in Italy and Germany.

WX7919 Private John (Jock) HENDERSON

John Henderson age 34, Ewington enlisted 1940. He served with the 2/16th Bn in the Middle East, he was hospitalised in Palestine in 1941 and returned to Australia in Mar 1942. In Mar 1945 he re-joined the 2/16th Bn in New Guinea before returning to Australia in Sep 1945.

WX991 Private Jack Oliver OWENS (POW)

Jack Owens age 21, a Bunbury boy enlisted 1939. He was serving with HQ Coy AASC in Greece when he was taken POW in Jun 1941. Jack spent a total of 48 months as a POW in various camps in Germany.

WX14107 Private Stanley EARL

Stanley Earl age 24, Collie boy enlisted in June 1941 (service record un-available). He is shown in the group photo of Collie Boys in the Middle East. He was discharged in Apr 1943.

Note: 556 Collie Boys enlisted for service during WW2, 45 were killed on active service. Three were killed in action in the Middle East, one died of sickness whilst being held as a POW and one died of sickness in Australia (Fetzer).

Remembered Forever at the Collie-Cardiff RSL Sub Branch