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Auction: 25111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 582

Four: Trooper F. Fairclough, 44th Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment, who was taken Prisoner of Aar in Sicily and whilst imprisoned committed sabotage 'on every occasion possible'

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 8th Army clasp, detached; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, sold together with named and addressed box of issue, Soldier's Release Book and an archive of original material, good very fine (4)

Frank Fairclough was born on 14 November 1910 and was living at 127 Eccleshall Street, Manchester in 1939, prior to enlistment on 26 June 1941 with the Royal Tank Regiment. He saw service in North Africa and was later part of the British forces during Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. There the 44th Battalion was serving with the 1st Army Tank Brigade.

After the initial landings, Catania was one of the early objects for the invasion force, part of General Alexander's Operation Instruction No 1. They pushed up the coast road and managed to take the city but only after heavy fighting which saw Fairclough taken prisoner of war on 16 July 1943. Taken to Capua first he was moved from Italy to Austria in October and put to work at Stalag 18 as a labourer in a paper mill. Whilst there his Prisoner of War Questionnaire notes:

'On every occasion possible, I committed sabotage, such as , sand in electric motors, loosening bolts likely to cause stoppage and organising go-slow campaigns.'

Despite this he remained employed at the mill until April 1945 when he was moved to Stalag 18C and liberated the next month. He noted additional in his questionnaire:

'I should like to state that I was man of con. At A.91.GW. Pols, Nr. Judenbirg [SIC], Stalag 18A. & received very friendly treatment and important B.B.C. news from two persons. One Herr. Franz Gurgli and one Frau Maria Siedl, these two persons often gave our boys food, which was very acceptable under the conditions.'

Upon his return Fairclough was married in the Summer of 1955; sold together with copied research and an extensive original archive comprising:

i)
A large collection of photographs, many annotated, including images of the recipient and his service especially in the Desert.

ii)
A large quantity of Correspondence and documentation addressed to the recipient.

iii)
A newspaper clipping related to his return from captivity.

iv)
A copy of Action News Service dated 21 May 1940.

v)
Correspondence specifically relating to the recipient's time as a Prisoner of War.

vi)
Pension information.

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Estimate

Starting price
£110