Halfaya Pass
Commonly known
amongst troops as Hellfire Pass
May - June 1942
With the
conclusion of operation ‘Crusader” in early February 1942 came the
stabilisation of the Gazala Line. 4 Indian Division, veterans of the Western Desert
and Eritrea, also a runner in the ‘Jebel Stakes’ was relieved by the newcomers
to the desert 5O(TT) Div.
The HQs and its
three Brigades moved back to the Egyptian frontier at El Hamra to build
‘defensive localities’ as a fallback position should the Gazala Line fall. On
24 March with these two fortifications completed, which in the event were never
used, the Division moved to Sollum to relieve 2 SA Div.
In early April
the Division was split up in order to meet the German threat from the Russian
front. 7 Bde was despatched to Cyprus, 5 Bde to Palestine whilst 11 Bde moved
to the Canal Zone for Combined Ops training.
HQ with signals
and ciphers remained at Sollum until 18 April when we left command of 8th Army
and reverted to GHQME. Our sister division, the 5th Indian, new to the desert,
arrived to relieve us. As I was the sole cipher operator I put my pencil down
for the last time, closed my cipher book and tables and handed over to my
opposite number at 5 Ind. Div. saying, “It’s all yours!” Fortunately I was not
to know these roles would be reversed at Alamein on Sept 9th when 5 Indian
Division returned to their mother country,
Two days later I
bade farewell to my successors, slung my bedding roll, kit and metal cipher
box, chairs and tables into the back of the truck and climbed in. After eight
months in the Western and Libyan Deserts the war was over for me. It was a
grand moment. Fear, tension and stress slipped away and a wonderful glow of
happiness and contentment engulfed me as we sped forever eastwards towards
Kabrit in the Canal Zone.
Even so, life in
the army was never certain especially with an experienced division such as the
4th Indian. A huge question mark was to hang over us -‘For how long?’ This I
tried to ignore and rejoiced in my newfound happiness. Not even sleeping rough
that first evening with my bedding soaked with early morning dew could dampen
my spirits.
Five weeks later
on May 26th with Rommel’s attack on the Gazala Line imminent HQ 4 Ind. Div.
with a skeleton signal and cipher staff were hastily recalled to the front.
With heavy hearts we retraced our steps back to the Western Desert. After a
two-day journey we reached Halfaya Pass. HQ was given command of all 8th Army’s
forces at the southern end of the Gazala Line.
Before taking
over, however, Rommel had rounded Bir Hacheim, overran and scattered the
defenders forcing them to withdraw. Our intended command just melted away.
Once again we
were left high and dry! Our 11 Bde arrived but was promptly given to 5Ind. Div.
and later, most unfortunately, was transferred to 2 SA Div. in Tobruk to man
the eastern perimeter. 5 Bde arrived from Palestine and was given to 5 Ind.Div.
To replace her losses.
So we stayed in
Halfaya Pass - an awful location! Rocks and in hospital hard ground. Gullies
and ravines abounded. The cipher team was allocated two stone-walled shelters
with tin roofs. One for sleeping and one for an office. Halfaya Pass had been
used continuously since June 1940, first by the Italians and later by the
Germans (Bach’s Boys) in 1941/2.
Rats running
about were one thing but by far worse were the hordes of flies. Never had I
seen so many. The sky was black with clouds of them. Where the cooks prepared
the food nets were erected in an effort to keep them out. There was no water issue,
we had to exist on what we had brought with us.Tea was rationed to half a cup.
Cipher traffic
was quite heavy and most nights it was1am before I could snatch some sleep.
By the 3Oth May
8th Army appeared to be on the brink of victory, but was unable to exploit the
situation due to Ritchie’s intransigence. This allowed Rommel on 1st June to
break through gaps in the centre of the Line. Next day the inevitable sandstorm
brewed up. Visibility was nil. The gale blew off the roof of our office sending
it hurtling down the ravines.
Disaster struck
on 5th June. Two Bdes of 5 Ind. Div. were destroyed. 7th Armd Div and 5 Ind.
Div. were overrun. We were lucky! 10 Indian Division arrived to relieve us and
once more we sped back to the Delta where we were to be helpless bystanders to
the catastrophic events that were to follow.
The Hqs of the
Division was placed in a most curious position. Its three Brigades were under
three different commands in the Middle East. 11 Brigade in 8th Army, 5 Brigade
in Palestine,7 Brigade in Cyprus under XXV Corps. Whilst we at HQs were
isolated under GHQ ME with no troops to command.
Our new home 400
miles from Halfaya Pass was at Beni Yusef Camp some 5 miles from the Pyramids
at Giza.
With disaster
facing 8th Army at Knightsbridge on the Gazala Line, 5 Brigade was hastily
recalled from Palestine. After a thousand mile journey the Brigade was placed
under command of our sister division, the 5th Indian to replace her losses. 7
Brigade remained in Cyprus.
It was to Cyprus
we were despatched to join XXV Corps, and on 14th July we were shipped across
the Med to Famagusta.
Contrary to all
expectations our stay in the British Colony was relatively short-lived. Towards
the end of August we too were recalled to Egypt. Arriving at Mena Camp in the
shadows of the Pyramids on 28th August I unrolled my bedding on the chilly
sands and slept.
On 7th Sept. we
took the road back to the desert and three days later I relieved my opposite
number at 5 Indian Division’s cipher section as they headed back to their
mother country. 5 Brigade and 7 Brigade returned to the fold and we welcomed
161 Ind Bde as a replacement for 11 Brigade lost in Tobruk.