Tank Commander : From the Fall of France to the Defeat of Germany - by Bill Close

Author:Bill Close [Close, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781783830541
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2013-08-18T16:00:00+00:00

This setback for the battalion signalled the end of the battle as far as 3RTR was concerned and although we spent the next two days receiving orders and counter-orders, there was no notable action. We were combined with 5RTR, so depleted were both battalions, and it was no surprise when we received orders to return to the delta for a rest and re-equipping.

Now followed a period of inactivity and a lot of further reorganisation. Lieutenant Colonel Roberts left the battalion on his return from hospital; he was promoted and went to command 22nd Armoured Brigade. Bob Crisp, badly wounded at Sidi Rezegh, had returned and took over command of A Squadron. I, newly promoted to captain, took over as second-in-command, still remaining as troop commander of 3 Troop.

Our new commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Pete Pyman, who had been GI Staff officer with 7th Armoured Division in most of the previous battles. He was therefore extremely experienced, but it was his first command at regimental level. We were somewhat apprehensive as to how he would compare with our well-loved Pip Roberts. We need not have worried. He became one of our best and trusted COs, an excellent commander and skilled tank tactician, and most considerate in his use of the tank crews. This was borne out by the fact that before the end of the war he became a major general, as did Pip Roberts too.

It was about this time that the use of ‘jock columns’ became popular. These were marauding armoured columns, operating independently behind enemy lines. They usually consisted of a tank squadron, a battery of twenty-five-pounders, and a motorised company of infantry. They were considered to be great fun, but obviously not liked by commanding officers as it deprived a regiment or battalion of a major part of its unit.

Nevertheless, it appealed to Bob Crisp and he immediately volunteered A Squadron to form a column. Colonel Pyman, although somewhat reluctant, agreed and so off we went.

For about eight weeks we swanned about in the desert with very little success. We did have one or two minor actions, capturing a couple of armoured cars and half-tracks with 75mm anti-tank guns. We also shot up an enemy airfield not far from El Adem.

It was during this operation that the first, certainly to my knowledge, mutinous incident happened. I was some distance away from Bob Crisp’s tank when I saw it had halted. Bob and his driver were obviously having a tremendous argument. I dashed over when I saw Bob take out his revolver and was about to shoot Gillespie, his driver.

Bob was absolutely livid: ‘Get back in the tank, or else. I mean it.’

‘Do what you like. You can drive the bloody thing yourself. I’ve had enough.’

I said to Gillespie: ‘Come on, you’ve got to get back in.’ He simply shook his head.

I took Bob aside and said: ‘Leave him alone. We’ll have him dealt with later.’

Gillespie was sent back with a bailed-out tank crew and I understood he was court-martialled but I don’t know what happened to him after that.

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