John Wise was from Bradford, my dad went to visit his parents' house, which is in a place called Wrose, in Bradford. He went during the war to visit John, but he was still in the 70th, working his way through Italy, at that time.’
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John Wise: 'We had a very tough foe. I remember the very first action we were involved in. Our infantry were the 5th Battalion the Sherwood Foresters. We watched their Bren carriers go up a hill in front of us and heard the sound of battle. We were firing in support, but in no time the German artillery started on us. Fortunately for us, our OP was overrun and silenced--the OP officer was taken prisoner, so we had to cease firing. The troop in front of us were able to carry on for a while, but the Germans hit the gun position and their ammunition caught fire and exploded. They had two gun sergeants killed and several gunners wounded. The attack failed and the Sherwoods had to retreat with heavy losses. We had to retreat, too, to new gun positions two miles or so down the road.'
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The Forward Observation Officer attached to the 5th Foresters, was Captain Jerry Green, who was FOO for C Troop, 279 Battery. As recounted by John Wise above, he was taken POW. Of the other FOOs of the 70th Field Regiment in action on 2/3/43, only Captain Harry Craggs was still with the unit by the end of the day. As recounted in his narrative,
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on this page,
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he was FOO for D Troop, 279 Battery, supporting C Company, 16 DLI. Captain John Dawson, FOO for F Troop, 449 Battery, supporting B Company, 16 DLI, was killed in action. According to the 70th Field Regiment War Diary, he was last seen fighting alongside the DLI with a sub-machine gun. His body was never found and, like so many other Sedjenane casualties who have no known grave, he is commemorated on the Medjez-el-Bab Memorial. Captain Canning, FOO for E Troop, 449 Battery and supporting D Company, 16 DLI was taken POW. Also, Major Arthur B Blaxland, who was the Battery Commander of 279 Battery, was killed while on a recce from his gun position when his carrier encountered several German armoured cars on the afternoon of 2/3/43. This incident is described by Captain Harry Craggs MC
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on this page.
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Captain Green later successfully escaped to Switzerland in the aftermath of the Italian Armistice of September 1943.
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Iain Shackleton: ‘When dad was shipped back, he was declared unfit for war due to his injuries, though he wanted to return. Dad never caught up with John again, But would love to, if he is still alive. Dad's Number 3 (gun-layer) was nicknamed Taffy.’
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The photograph above is of James Shackleton’s wartime wedding on July 2nd 1942. John Wise, who features at second from right, back row, was his best man.
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NEXT PAGE:John Shckleton Photograph: in service Dress, 1939.
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