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Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 430

A 'Defence of Bir Hacheim' North Africa 1942 casualties group of three awarded to Corporal J. W. Tillott, 9th (1st Bn. The Tower Hamlets Rifles) Battalion, Rifle Brigade, who was killed in action attempting to resist a mixed German force of tanks, infantry and guns which 'arrived in a sandstorm' and forced a withdrawal to Bir el Gubi and on to the Knightsbridge Box

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, with original condolence slip named to 'L/Cpl. J. W. Tillott' and O.H.M.S. box of issue addressed to 'Mrs J. Tillott, 36, Cairn Ave, Ealing, London W5', the latter missing card wing to side, nearly extremely fine (3)

John William Tillott was born in 1910 at Muswell Hill, the son of insurance clerk Frank Thomas Tillott of 101 Sutton Road, Muswell Hill, and husband of Jessie Minnie Tillott of 36 Cairn Avenue, Ealing, Middlesex. Posted to North Africa with the 9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, Tillott spent the late spring of 1942 guarding the supply dumps near the Gazala Line and then taking over the defence of the oasis of Bir Hacheim with the 60th Battalion at the end of May. As such he had experienced a relatively quiet time of it, before all of a sudden the men were singled out for the attention of the Luftwaffe:

'A concentrated attack by Junkers 88 bombers on the position was regarded by some as an ominous pointer to the enemy's intentions in the neighbourhood' (The Rifle Brigade, Gazala to Alamein - Retreat of 1942, refers).

Reported as 'confident' (ibid) despite the drubbing from the air, the Free French Forces under General Marie-Pierre Koenig and the 9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, soon found themselves in the path of a significant and audacious attack by General Erwin Rommel as he attempted to strike north towards the Mediterranean:

'The following morning further measures for the relief were abruptly interrupted by the arrival in a sandstorm of a strong, mixed German force of tanks, infantry and guns. As we had neither tanks nor field guns we were in no position to argue with the enemy, and accordingly cleared out, doing what damage we could. Unfortunately, the enemy was assisted by a strong khamseen (a dry, hot, sandy, local wind) which cut down visibility almost to zero and caused most of the Battalion's rather antiquated trucks and carriers to boil like so many kettles.'

Outgunned and outnumbered ten to one, the 3,703 Allied troops had little choice but to make a stand amidst clouds of sand and dust, firing rounds into the sandstorm with unknown effect. Amidst scenes of confused fighting stretching from Bir Hacheim to Bir el Gubi and then Elvet el Tamar, Tillott was killed in action on 3 June 1942, one of 370 Allied casualties by the Italian 132nd Armoured Division Ariete and Rommel's panzers under Friedrich von Mellenthin. Aged 32 years, Tillott is buried at Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery in Egypt, located on the east side of 'Hellfire Pass' and approximately 12 kilometres from the border of Libya; sold with copied research and C.W.G.C. details.


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Sold for
£70

Starting price
£60