197. George Bruce ISMAY
History of the Irish Guards
Medjez el Bab
1st Battalion sailed from Greenock for North Africa on 28th February 1943 aboard the P. & O. liner Strathmore. On 8th March, they sailed uneventfully through the Straits of Gibralter. It was then announced that their destination was Algiers. Pamphlets titled "Notes for Troops proceeding to North Africa" were issued and from these the Guardsmen learned to wash their hands before eating with an Arab and to leave scraps on the plate for the women in the kitchen.On 9th March the convoy containing Strathmore turned into Algiers Bay. At 6pm the ship docked at Algiers. In the midst of torrential rains and an air raid, the Battalion disembarked and marched 12 miles to their camp at Sidi Moussa. For the next 3 days they waited in misery. The only person who gained from the visit was Pipe-Major Phair who collected reeds for his pipes. Algerian reeds are said to be the best in the world.
On 13th March the Battalion left Sidi Moussa with orders from the Commanding Officer to the effect that they were Guardsmen, and all clothing and equipment will be in good order for the march. They marched back to Algiers for the boat ride to Bône aboard the Royal Ulsterman, a mailboat from the Glasgow-Belfast service. With the Irish Guards in the Brigade were the 1st Scots Guards and the 5th Grenadier Guards who followed on other boats.
Just before reaching Bône, three Italian torpedo planes attacked the convoy and all guns on deck opened up including the Battalion’s Bren guns. Captain Mungo Park was hopping with excitement, his borrowed Bren bouncing on the rail, and R.S.M. Peilow shouting "Another magazine for the Adjutant!" The aeroplanes dropped their torpedoes and veered off. In the silence which followed Captain George Ismay announced clearly, "There is a torpedo going to hit us. It is just like the films." And so it was. There was the long white wave streaking towards the ship, and soon we could see the torpedo itself, a small one. "It will hit us just beneath where we’re standing," continued Captain Ismay. Nobody moved. "It’s missed!" Still nobody moved; then slowly they began to collect magazines and get ready to disembark.
Here in Bône, the Battalion stayed in "Cardiff Camp" until the day after St. Patrick’s Day. (See related story about St. Patrick’s Day Celebration.) In troop-carrying lorries, the Battalion travelled to what was to be their reserve camp. At Ain Dram, an agitated staff officer from H.Q., First Army stopped the convoy. The Germans had attacked again and Béja was in danger. The Battalion rushed forward and was sent into the line as they were carrying rifles, Brens, and a hundred rounds.
At 2am in the pouring rain the R.A.S.C. lorries dumped the Battalion in a cemetery in
Béja which was part of the front line. The next day, with more reorganising, the Brigade was ordered to leave the Grenadiers where they were and the Irish and Scots were to move to Medjez El Bab. From here they were to take over some hills from the Buffs at Diar el Hammar in Medjerda Valley, nicknamed "Happy Valley" by the guardsmen. The next morning, the 20th March, brought the first casualties from some German shells.
By night the Battalion occupied the forward slope; by day, it could be held by the Bren gunners alone while the remainder took a rest. Across the valley, at the foot of the hill, rose two features. To the left was Recce Ridge and to the right was the fortress village of Chaouach. Between them was a sugar loaf. Occupying these positions was the 756 (Edelweiss) Mountain Regiment.
Recce Ridge
As of 22nd March 1943, the 24th Guards Brigade consisted of the Scots and Irish Guards and a line battalion. After a week’s worth of patrols to Recce Ridge, an attack was to be carried out by No 2 Company alone. On 30th March No 2 Company set out for Recce Ridge. At 5am, they neared the top of Recce Ridge and firing started. At 8:30 the firing died off and the Battalion waited for survivors. Only five wounded men returned. Two more unwounded men returned later that night. Seven out of 103 officers and men were left.
On 7th April, about 90 new reinforcements from Algiers formed a new No 2 Company. Just as they arrived, they watched from their positions as the 11th Brigade of the 78th Division took Recce Ridge. The Germans withdrew to Longstop and the Battalion moved forward and waited another 10 days.
St. Patrick’s Day 1943 with the 1st Battalion in North Africa
The Battalion did not mind much when it went into theline, but it did want to know where it was going to be on the 17th of March. "Probably still here," was all Brigadier Colvin could say, but that was good enough. shamrock had been flown out to General Alexander in Algiers and was brought to Bône by his A.D.C., Captain Sir Rupert Clarke. Colonel Scott asked the Brigadier to present the shamrock, and invited to lunch the officers of the cruiser Aurora, then lying in the bay. The Adjutant and Sergeant-Major chose a flat stretch of ground and put the Battalion through a few rehearsals. The Quartermaster descended on the Naafi in Bône and extracted from it extraordinary supplies of bee, chocolate and cigarettes. His method was simple. He walked into the dump and demanded them. The head clerk looked as if he was going to ask a question, but the Quartermaster said firmly, "It’s St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow, you hadn’t forgotten had you?" Captain John and Lieutenant Desmond FitzGerald were went out to buy local produce. They inspected and rejected pigs which resembled greyhounds, very active and bad-tempered beasts, and loathsome old goats, but bought two huge casks - Bordelaises - of sweet red wine. The wine was recommended by some Zouaves, who fixed a fair price for it, and also gave the Battalion two sheep, the property, so they said, of the French Republic. In return they accepted an invitation to the Sergeants’ Mess party. To be on the safe sid ethe Sergeants held their party on the evening of the 16th. It was in the true style - beer, whiskey, smoke and singing. There was wine for those who wanted it, but the Sergeants urged their guests not to touch such dangerous stuff. The Zouaves did not need urging; they happily drank much more dangerous mixtures and smiled in bewilderment at the rebel songs and the repeated references to General Hoche and ‘98, the Irish Brigade, Kevin Barry and Terence MacSweeney. They insisted on singing a song they has specially practised in honour of the glorious Irish Guards, "Ce n’est qu’un au revoir, mon vieux." It was "Auld Lang Syne" in French, but even the Scots Guards present said nothing about it and joined the applause. The singing died down about midnight, and the bullfrogs in the marshes took over from the Sergeants.
The Battalion paraded on St. Patrick’s Day in the morning. "It makes one proud to see them," wrote Brigadier Colvin. "An American liaison officer with us was so moved when the Battalion marched past that he blubbed freely." With the shamrock General Alexander sent a message from himself: "Welcome to the Micks. Now we’ll get cracking."
The Final Offensive
The Irish Guards in North Africa: 22 April 1943 - 4 December 1944
22 April 1943: Attack for Tunis starts for 1st Army. The infantry, to make an opening for the tanks, were to attack the Germans in front of Medjez; V Corps attacking with 1st Division in centre; 1st Division attacking with 24th Guards Brigade on right of 2nd Brigade; 24th Guards Brigade attacking with 1st Scots Guards on right, 5th Grenadier Guards on left, and 1st Irish Guards in reserve.
In preparation for the attack, a system of gullies called Tella Sefra in front of Medjez and Grenadier Hill were to be cleared. On 18th April No 3 Coy joined the 5th Grenadiers to clear the gullies. The attack would start on the 20th at night.
On the night of the 20th the Herman Goering Division launched a spoiling attack isolating the 5th Grenadiers along with No 3 Coy. The Irish Guards were ordered to move to Djebel Touila hill to cover Medjez. Touila Hill lay to the right of Grenadier Hill. Nos 1 and 4 companies took positions on the hill and No 2 Coy at its foot with the orders "If you see a German, shoot him." Churchill tanks were brought into position on the hill to cover the Grenadiers and No 3 Coy. At dawn on the 21st, the Germans attacked the Grenadiers and were pushed back with heavy losses to their original lines thanks to the Churchills. In the end, the Germans succeeded in postponing the Divisions attack by only 1 day.
At midnight on 22nd/23rd April the attack started as was planned before the German spoiling attack. The attack started off well with the Grenadiers with No 3 Coy reaching the village of Crichet el Oued and the Scots Guards in an open field at the foot of some hills. The Scots Guards needed help to get into the hills so Colonel Scott sent No 1 Coy to help. The remainder of the Battalion moved out of the gullies and onto the plains. Out on the plains, the Battalion experienced the first hot summer day that season. The men discarded their jackets and from then on fought in their shirt-sleeves. No 3 Coy had by this time rejoined the Battalion.
At half past eleven, orders were received to attack two hills called 151 and 187 that night at 2:00 am. Nos 1 and 4 companies were chosen for the attack which was to start from the Scots Guards lines. (See Map on page *********) Not knowing where points 151 and 187 were and having a company of Scots Guards between them on point 145 who did not know they were coming, it was decided to postpone the attack.
25th April, Easter Sunday, the Battalion moved through the Scots Guards lines and their position on hill 145. At 5:00 am on the 26th the attack started. The attack was a success with no casualties. Two complete German sections were captured. By daylight, Nos 1 and 4 companies were in position on hill 187, No 2 Coy on hill 151 with No 3 coy behind them, and Bn HQ between 151 and 145. With daylight came the German artillery fire from 88mm guns which could see both sides of hill 187. Thirty men were killed this day from the deadly German fire.
The Battalion could see Germans firing on them from point 212 across the valley so No 4 Coy was sent out that night to attack it and to reconnoitre for future attacks on the "Bou."
No 4 Coy destroyed the observation post on 212 and also brought back prisoners. From this action, it was decided that a night attack on the "Bou" would be easy so an attack was planned for the next night at 6.30pm The objectives would be Hills 212, 214, 181, and 128. The Scots Guards were given 226 and the Grenadiers were given 171 and 154. No 3 Coy and No 2 Coy were to take Hill 128. No 4 Coy were to take Hill 214 and No 1 Coy Hill 181.
With no cover between the positions, Col Scott decided to attack in the cover of the olive groves to the east of their current positions. At midday, the Battalion learned that the start time had been moved forward to 4pm. This meant the attack would be in broad daylight in the heat of the afternoon.
The "Bou"
Just behind Hill 151 the Battalion assembled for the attack. In the blazing sun, No 3 Coy started across the open plain towards the olive grove in single file. The rest of the Battalion followed. Before the first man reached the olive grove, the Germans opened fire. In the words of one guardsman, "They threw everything but their cap-badges at us." Losses were mounting at a terrific rate. The olive grove was a registered German target and their fire was dead on. By this time, Nos 2, 3, and 4 Companies each had only one officer left. HQ Coy had just reached the edge of the olive grove when RSM Peilow was killed by a shell that completely obliterated him and the tree he sheltered behind.
By six o’clock, No 4 Coy and No 1 Coy were pinned 400 yards in from of the first olive grove and No 2 Coy and No 3 Coy were fighting in the second. As soon as No 4 Coy emerged into the open again Lieutenant Attlee, the only surviving officer, and CSM Kiely were wounded. Sergeant Lynch laid Lieutenant Attlee in a hole, stood to attention, saluted, and asked "Leave to carry on, sir." By this time No 4 Coy and No 1 Coy joined to form one company. It was decided to wait until dark to press the attack.
After dark No 1 Coy plodded up the hill toward point 212 with fixed bayonets. The Germans withdrew before they reached the point. The rest of the Battalion joined No 1 Coy at the top. 173 men were left in the Battalion. The rest lay down in the grass or in the olive groves calling to stretcher bearers, or silent, and marked only by a rifle butt silhouetted in the glow of burning Arab huts.
While the Battalion dug in, Father Brookes with his black thorn stick and three German prisoners beat the grass looking for the fallen. At dawn, the Germans had cut the Battalion off from support. Of the 173 men on Hill 212, only 5 were officers and only 1 senior NCO. They had 20 boxes of .303, three or four sacks of bread and bully, and a dozen jerricans of water and tea. No 1 Coy held point 212, Nos 2 and 3 held point 214, and No 4 and HQ the saddle between.
Brigade HQ now gave Col Scott a squadron of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment and three companies of the North Staffordshire Regiment. With these new troops, they fortified points 151 and 187 to support the Irish Guards across the gap. At 2 o’clock, the Germans attacked through the Gabgab Gap with tanks and infantry further cutting off Hill 212. The Germans then unsuccessfully attacked Hill 212 and then Hill 187. Every attempt was made to supply Hill 212 and then Hill 187. Every attempt to supply Hill 212 had to run the gauntlet of Tiger tanks in the gap.
Wednesday, 28th April: At 3pm the Germans put in their first attack against Hill 214. Nos 3 and 4 Companies (what was left of them) halted the Germans half way up. No 1 Coy attacked their flank and the Germans fled.
Although under continuous shell fire and machine gun fire and on half a water bottle of water a day, morale was high. As long as water and ammo held out, they felt they could also. At 7:00 pm, the next attack came. This time, the Germans reached point 214. A bayonet charge forced them off. At the critical moment, a 3in mortar was recovered and used which forced the Germans to retire from the Hill completely. During this attack, a troop of the Reconnaissance Regiment dashed across the Gabgab Gap and ditched their carriers and ran up the slope to point 212. They were pursued by the Germans and only a handful reached the top.
Thursday, 29th April: At dawn the CQMS made it through with some badly needed ammo and cigarettes. At 9:00 am, the Germans formed up for another attack. As they were assembling below hill 212, L/Cpl Kenneally decided it was time to attack with his Bren gun. He ran down the slope firing at the hip and broke up the attack. No 1 Coy followed to finish the job. No 1 Coy then moved to point 214 to foil that half of the attack. A few minutes later, another German attack was stopped. This time, they left their slit trenches and chased them down. They made it as far as point 181 where they captured a German machine gun post. This was brought back as they didn’t have enough men to hold 181. Later that afternoon a couple of German tanks worked their way half way up the hill to the rear of the positions. Nothing could be done about them.
Friday, 30th April: At dawn, two more carriers arrived with badly needed rations and ammunition. At 11:00 am, the Germans made their last and biggest attempt at the hill. The German infantry came up in exactly the same way as before, but in greater numbers and with greater persistence. We noticed a higher percentage of officers than we had ever seen with any troops - half were in front leading (these were easily picked off) and half were behind, driving on their troops (these were harder to get at). The assault on 212 was broken up by Lance-Corporal Kenneally and Sergeant Salt before it got under way. In the words of the citation awarding him the Victoria Cross: "Lance-Corporal John Patrick Kenneally repeated his remarkable exploit on the morning of the 30th April 1943, when, accompanied by a sergeant of the Reconnaissance Corps, he again charged the enemy forming up for an assault. This time he so harassed the enemy, inflicting many casualties, that this projected attack was frustrated. The enemy’s strength was again about one company. It was only when he was noticed hopping from one position to another further to the left in order to support another company (No 4), carrying his gun in one hand and leaning on a Guardsman (Cafferty) with the other, that it was discovered that he had been wounded. He refused to give up his Bren gun, claiming that he was the only one who understood that gun, and continued to fight all day with great courage, devotion to duty and disregard for his own safety . . . . His extraordinary gallantry in attacking single-handed a massed body of the enemy and breaking up an attack on two occasions was an achievement that can seldom have been equalled."
The Germans actually made it to point 214 again. Two sections were overrun. One escaped 20 minutes later, the other escaped in Tunis. No 3 and No 4 Coy counter attacked shouting "Up the Micks!" They drove the Germans from the hill. Later that day, the Grenadiers cleared the plain behind the hill and a company of Gordons joined them. At 3:00 am on 1st May the Irish Guards were relieved. Only 80 men were left.
A great white cross now stands on Hill 212. "To the memory of the Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Guardsmen of the 1st Bn. Irish Guards who died on and around this hill April 27th-30th, 1943. Quis separabit?" Who indeed?
On 3rd May the Battalion moved across the banks of the Medjerda where the available rifleman formed one company of 110 men. The Battalion
also received khaki drill for the first time. On 13 May the Battalion entered Tunis
In late 1925, Mr. and Mrs. William R. Edrington of New York set off on a world tour and by the end of the year were visiting Naples. Their daughter, Florence, left later on November 25 on the Belgenland, planning to join her parents on their trip. It was aboard the ship that she met and quickly became enamored of another passenger, George Bruce Ismay. Engagement followed quickly and the couple were married in early November of 1926. Diana Bruce Ismay was born to them in 1932 followed by her sister, Margaret Ann Bruce Ismay in 1934. The family lived in England when the girls were small but life was to change when George was killed in North Africa on April 30, 1943 while serving in World War II. Following his death his widow returned to the United States with her daughters. Florence followed a daughter to Fort Worth, Texas and remained there until her death in 1970. Diana survived her mother by 13 years, dying in 1983. While it seems unremarkable that some of Bruce Ismay's descendants still live in luxury on English estates, it is singular that others thrive on the grand prairie of northeastern Texas where the luxury liners of days past are only read about in books and seen in movies.