Background
It is not often that I come across an entry in a war diary that makes me sit back and take a deep breath. Today however this happened.
The First Battle of Gazala – 12-16 December 1941
I have previously written about this battle at this link. That was the rather dry official report. Today I had another look into the 5 Indian Brigade report, and noted the last words transmitted from the radio set of 1st Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment). While the rather cool signing off by the English Lt.Col. in command can be expected, the Sikh signaler’s last message threw me. I had read it before, but at the time didn’t look it up.
Below are two diary entries that give a feel for the drama of the day. First, 31 Field Regiment, whose 25-pdrs did good execution amongst the German tanks, but not enough. Then the entry in the Brigade war diary.
ASSAULT ON THE GAZALA LINE, 13-16 DECEMBER from the New Zealand Official History. The map shows clearly how exposed the position of the Buffs was.
The War Diaries
31 Field Regiment, 15 December 1941
At about 1400 hours a strong force of enemy tanks and infantry came in from the N.W. after strong artillery concentrations had been put down. 105/119 Battery were overrun and the enemy then turned his attention to the “soft” vehicles and personnel causing casualties to both with M.G. fire. “B” Troop continued to engage until they were forced to evacuate the position and the order was given to withdraw. Three of “B” Troop’s guns were limbered up but only one eventually got away. Captain HALL and Lieut. RIDLEY were wounded and all vehicles and men that could, made their way back to Brigade H.Q. where they were collected up and sorted out into a composite Battery to man 6 new guns that just arrived in case the tank attack was followed up. 2/Lieut. ROBINSON was wounded during the withdrawal and there were a large number of Other Rank casualties. About 1/3 of the regiment was left after this action. 105/119 Battery suffered the most severe losses only one officer and a small number of personnel returning. It is not known how many enemy tanks were knocked out but that the enemy withdrew after this fight can be directly attributed to the regiments magnificent fight.
1 Buffs 15 December 1941
At about 1400 hrs 1 BUFFS at pt 204 Reported a heavy attack developing on their posn. The shelling was particularly intense and an attack by 27Tks, some GERMAN Mk IV and ITALIAN was pushed home with great determination. At Pt 204 there were 7 “I” Tks, eighteen 25 prs of 31 Fd Rgt RA, 3 Lt AA Bofors, 1 Tp A Tk Bty and 1 Pl of the Bde A Tk Coy. In guns the posn was very strong but the attack led by tks and accompanied by about two Bns of Inf eventually overran the posn. The guns fired till crushed by the enemy tanks.
Interception showed that the stand made by the 1 BUFFS and tps under Comd had forced General ROMMEL to alter his plans considerably. His intended offensive having to be called off. Lt-Col. H.E.KING, Comd 1 BUFFS spoke on the capital W/T set till almost the end, his last message was “If you do not hear from me again you know I can no longer communicate.” a moment or so later the SIKH signaller on the set sent his “SAT SIRI AKAL”.
Bde Comd was informed by Div Comd that our armed forces had been ordered to pt 204 where the enemy would be at great disadvantage in contact with them owing to being engaged with the 1 BUFFS. Our armour failed to arrive however.
During the night patrols were sent to Pt 204 to collect and bring in any man found but the posn was held strongly by the enemy. In all some 300 men escaped of whom 200 were of 31 Fd Rgt RA and rejoined the Bde.
Sat Siri Akal
This is the second part of the ancient Sikh war cry “Bole So Nihal – Sat Siri Akal” (Shout aloud in ecstasy – truth lives on), and it is still the official war cry of the Sikh Regiment, even though Sat Siri Akal is nowadays also used as an everyday greeting amongst Sikhs.
Why a Sikh Signaller?
The Royal East Kents are about as English a regiment as you could imagine. But having a Sikh signaler means you have the advantage that they can transmit in open, uncoded messages over radio, using Punjabi/Urdu, a language unlikely to be understood by German radio intercept signalers.
Sikh troops, armed with Bren guns and a 2-inch mortar, training in the Western Desert, 6 August 1941. IWM
The other side of the hill
The attack on Pt. 204 was a spoiling attack, taking advantage of 1 Buffs being far out front of the overall Allied position. It was a combined Italo-German attack, under the direction of Gruppe Menny of the D.A.K.
Ariete’s Report
At 1400 hours, the fire of German batteries that had approached started falling on the enemy positions. The English now felt that combined action was coming closer and took to their position. Nine tanks then took position to attack and at 1515 hours the first elements of German infantry joined our tankers. The whole front got up and moved and began driving forward like a machine towards the enemy positions. The opponents, faced with such irreverent daring vacillated and began to pull back before the German-Italian forces. The position showed itself to break and in flight. At 1730 hours the engagement ceased and a General and over 500 prisoners were in our hands. By night Pt.204 is finally occupied. Over 40 enemy guns silently remain left behind in the combat zone. Trucks, burning vehicles mixed with British tanks with smashed up hulls. This canvas is a true mirror of the furious combat that showed again the high fighting spirit of the units that were employed and their decisiveness in facing enemy forces with greater strength and supported by artillery fire.
M13/40 Tank of Ariete Division’s armoured regiment, photographed on 22 Dec 1941 ‘southwest of Gazala’. It is quite possible that this was on the Pt. 204 battlefield, and the level of damage indicates it was hit with something more serious than a 2-pdr. IWM7246
Further Reading
The Crusader Project 