Mersa Matruh June 1942

[K K Rossokolski]

Two formations or units in the British OOB for the stand at Mersa Matruh were the mobile detachments "Gleecol" and "Leathercol" assigned as a mobile defence between the escarpments bordering the centre of the line. I expect they were small support groups, named for the COs, but I have had no joy in finding definitive information.
If anyone has any hard stuff on these I would be most grateful.

[JasonC]

Have you checked "Crisis in the Desert" by Agar-Hamilton, the official South Africa history? He is easily the best of the official historians, and that volume covers the period. (The previous year's key fight for the relief of Toburk is excellently covered in "the Sidi Rezegh Battles", "Crisis" covers the Gazala line to first El Alamein).

[K K Rossokolski]

Thanks mate...will try and track it down.

[K K Rossokolski]

There was not much to them..A couple of Coy of Inf, and a Bty each of 25pdrs and AT guns 2pdr or 6pdr not revealed. All motorised. A really mini support group

[JasonC]

Great - where'd you find the info?

Also, I would note that a single battery of 25 pdrs well sited and bravely handled was a reasonable threat to the tiny remaining armor fleets DAK had by the time they pushed into Egypt, post Gazala. One of them provided a significant portion of the check at first Al Alamein, for example. If the Germans had all arms and a deliberate attack set, a battery of 25 pdrs isn't much. But when they didn't, just anything that could KO at Panzer at a kilometer or more, would make them rather less frisky. The rest of the force is mostly security and a check on light recon elements only.

[K K Rossokolski]

Thanks Jason...got it from the SA History...second Volume "Crisis..." Both these small groups were brushed aside....at this stage, 8th Army, still reeling from the constant series of defeats suffered under the unspeakable Richie, was a fragile thing.

[JasonC]

Cool, glad you found it there.

Agar Hamilton is a solid historian. His description of the chaos that resulted from a German combined arms attack in the Sidi Rezegh Battles (including the full role of dust) is unsurpassed in any history I know of.