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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 475

A Second World War group of four to Private J. H. Hatcliffe, Sherwood Foresters, who was wounded in Palestine on 18 August 1939 as a result of gun shot and who was later taken P.O.W. at Tobruk in June 1942

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (4975151 Pte. J. H. Hatcliffe. Foresters); 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star, clasp 8th Army; War Medal 1939-45, very fine (4)

John Henry Hatcliffe was born on 9 May 1919 and was wounded as a result of a gun-shot wound on 18 August 1939 in Palestine. He served in North Africa in the Second World War and was reported as missing at Cyrenaica on 20 June 1942 and was sent to Stalag IV-C at Wistritz bei Teplitz (POW No.225206). Hatcliffe died on 2 September 2002.

Report on 'Haicol A' Operation on 18/19 August 1939:

'Haicol A' -consisting of Captain T. B. Elliott and Column Headquarters, one Platoon 'C' Company, one platoon Headquarter Company and one Platoon Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders attached to 'A' Company - left Barracks at 0815 hrs. on 18th August 1939, for operations in the Arraba area. Columns from 2 Leicesters, 1 S. Staffords and 1 Welch were to co-operate and O.C. 1 S. Staffords was commanding the whole operation. The Foresters column proceeded immediately to Arama where arrangements were made for transport to rendezvous at Marcol after it had taken the column to Mughar. Mughar was reached at 1045 hrs. The column however, did not leave Mughar until an hour later, owing to (a) the breakdown of a donkey lorry and (b) delay caused by bringing in a protective section which had been posted on the roof of one of the houses in Mughar.

As the column was leaving Mughar a gang of about 10 armed men was seen in the large olive groves West and South-West of the village. Two platoons were immediately sent to cut off the gang on either flank, while the third platoon attacked five minutes later through the olive groves. A call was sent asking for assistance from the air, with the request that they would pin the rebels on the South-West edge of the grove. Before the air arrived, however, and about 15 minutes after the call was sent a gang of 30 to 40 men was seen running out of the olive grove in a westerly direction. The air, when they arrived, were unable to locate the enemy for half an hour, but at 1300 hrs. the air and 2nd/Lieut. V. C. W. Sudbury's platoon engaged part of the gang on the slopes East of Pt.598. The gang had apparently split, as shortly afterwards the Argyll Platoon (under P.S.M. Hunter) came under fire from the high ground at Pt.304. 2/Lieut Sudbury's platoon pushed on very fast to the West, and with the assistance of the air pinned down some of the gang and inflicted several casualties. P.S.M. Hinter's platoon - less one section - drove part of the gang, which was in front of it, in a Westerly direction till it reached a track junction.

During this advance the Section and Platoon Headquarters were at one time fired on at close range from the left flank and two of our men were wounded. The Platoon found traces of blood on two or three occasions showing that they had inflicted casualties on the rebels, but no bodies were recovered. It is probable that the part of the gang which they were engaging eventually escaped to the South.

2/Lieut. W. H. A. Becke's platoon which had originally attacked up the olive groves, was left behind and became scattered. Two sections eventually joined P.S.M. Hunter's platoon and a third joined column Headquarters.
Column Headquarters was moving forward in rear of, and between, the two flanking platoons, and eventually made contact with the right of P.S.M. Hunter's platoon. A report then came from the air stating that a gang was pinned to the ground on the far side of the crest. The column Headquarters and the section with it went forward and together with a section of 2/Lieut. Sudbury's platoon, and with air assistance, killed four Arabs in the open.
Whilst their arms were being removed a few shots were fired and Lieut. C. C. Rivett-Carmac, second in command of the column, took a section through the scrub to locate the enemy. Whilst engaging with his revolver two Arabs lying behind cover about ten yards from the scrub, Lieut. Rivett-Carnac was killed and one man wounded. The whole of the party was accounted for by the section. The column concentrated at 1600hrs. and 2/Lieut. Becke's platoon occupied the neighbouring high ground. At 1700 hrs. the Argyll platoon was sent on to Arraba and at 1745 hrs. the Bde. Comd. arrived. The wounded were evacuated and the column started for Arraba. The whole force left Arraba at 0145 hrs. on the 19th August 1939, and arrived back in barracks at 0445 hrs.

For his part in this action Lieut. V. C. W. Sudbury was awarded the Military Cross.

Casualties to the Foresters' Column were:

Killed Lieut. C. C. Rivett-Carnac.

Wounded L/Cpl. S. Elton 1 Foresters; Pte J. Hatcliffe 1 Foresters; Pte A. Davidson 1 Argylls.

Six enemy bodies were recovered with six rifles, 332 rounds of S.A.A. and a saddlebag of documents. Later reliable reports indicate that the actual enemy casualties were 18 dead and many wounded, a proportion of these having been accounted for by air action.

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Estimate

Starting price
£110