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Battle of El Mreir (2d Ruweisat Ridge)
The Battle of El Mreir (also known as the 2nd Battle of Ruweisat Ridge) was a part of the larger First Battle of El Alamein in Western Egypt and took place on 21-23 July 1942. It resulted in a tactical defeat for Allied forces. The main Allied units involved in the battle were the Indian 161st Infantry Brigade, the New Zealand 6th Brigade, and the British 2nd and 23rd Armoured Brigades.
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Those known to have fought in Battle of El Mreir (2d Ruweisat Ridge) during the Second World War 1939-1945. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
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Want to know more about Battle of El Mreir (2d Ruweisat Ridge)? There are:0 items tagged Battle of El Mreir (2d Ruweisat Ridge) available in our Library
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Pte. Maurice Gosling Cammish A Coy., 25th Btn. 2nd New Zealand Division Maury Cammish was captured in the Battle for El Mreir, just before the main battles for El Alamein, on 22 July 1942. He was transferred via camps in Benghazi (6 weeks), Bari (3 months) and Gruppignano (10 months) before being transferred to Stalag 344 in Nov 1943. He was subsequently transferred to Gorlitz. Dates are soft unfortunately. His written records show that he was held or worked at KDE 732 and at KDE 1. He took part in one strand of the 'Long Marches' throughout Feb-April 1945, eventually meeting up with American troops.
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L/Cpl. Stanley George Jones 26th Canterbury Regiment My Grandad Stanley Jones, was captured at the El Mreir Depression July 22, 1942 (along with so many other New Zealanders). He told me that he was taking a piss when the Panzers rocked up. He didn't put his hands down as he was afraid they would shoot him. He ended up with frostbite on his bits.
He had seen service in Greece, Syria, Cyrenaica & Egypt.
He had been placed into an Italian POW camp (I'm trying discover which ones) and escaped for the first time on the Italian Armistance. He and a mate had made for the hills and been hidden by Partisans. He lived and worked as an Italian until being recaptured 12 months later and transported to Germany. They eventually gave themselves up (both were in a sorry state and had dysentry). I am not sure of the details of his second escape as he told me when I was a young boy.
On 8.9.1943 Escaped from POW camp Italy (Italian capitulation)
After being in several camps in Italy he made his escape at the time of the Italian capitulation in 1943. In 1944 he was recaptured and sent to
Lager 11a Alton Grabow, near Madgeburg (NCO camp) then Stalag 357 Fallingbostel, north of Hanover and then to Stalag XIII. He took part in the
Long march into Mechlenburg-Schwerin and was liberated at Salam-bi-Ratzburg
On the 23.12.1945 he returned to Christchurch, New Zealand on the Troopship Mooltan and was discharged on 10.5.1946.
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