Officer Commanding 'B' Squadron's Churchill

Ballyrashane (6) - a Mark V
Her crew:
Turret L-R:   L/Cpl Alan Hughes   Author   Major R.S.H. Sidebottom OC
Drivers L-R:   L/Cpl "Darkie" Gault    Tpr Tommy Bowers (Photo Author's Collection)

Another of Ballyrashane and her crew. (Photo Author's Collection)

The Regiment's first days in battle were at Hunt's Cross in Tunisia. On 27th February 1943 A Squadron's OC Major Ketchell was seriously wounded and two of his crew killed. Five days later, B Squadron's OC Major Rew was also killed. As the sad news became known, word went around that there must be some sort of jinx attached to Squadron Leader's tanks and their crews. Pure superstition but, as events unfolded, the jinx seemed to stay with Ballyrashane. Here is the history of the six Churchills that carried the name.

Number I - Mark I: Delivered to the Regiment at Ogbourne St.George. Wiltshire, February 1942. Major John Rew commanding.

Number 2 - Mark III: Delivered at Thetford, Norfolk, June 1942. Loaded aboard freighter H.127 at Cardiff for shipment to North Africa.

Number 3 -Mark III: As the freighter carrying her returned to the UK, having been damaged in a storm, replaced from Forward Delivery Squadron inventory at Algiers, February 1943.

Extract from Battle Report:
"On the morning of 4th March A and B squadrons, who were still in position in "The Loop" and Ksar Mezouar Station, were heavily mortared. Major Rew, while looking out of his tank, was killed by the blast of a mortar bomb. His death was an irreparable loss to the Regiment; his organisation of the defences of Hunt's Gap in most difficult conditions was splendidly executed.
Capt. [subsequently promoted to Major] Gordon P.Russell immediately took over command of the squadron. On 5th March Major E. V. Strickland, who had been commanding Brigade H.Q. squadron, arrived to take over A squadron."

Number 4 - Mark IV: Delivered at Ain Mokra, Algeria, September 1943. The following month the author joined her crew as the Squadron's senior operator, serving in this capacity until war's end.

Ballyrashane (4) was knocked out 23rd May 1944, during the assault on the Hitler Line, Cassino area, Italy.
Extract from Battle Report:
"At 0800 hours Major G.P.Russell, M.C., led the move of B squadron out of the wood and across the open ground towards the objective. One hundred yards from the objective very heavy anti-tank gun fire was opened on this squadron as a result of which five tanks, including those of Major Russell and Capt.M.B.Pope, M.C., were knocked out. Major Russell was seriously wounded, Capt. Pope slightly. Major Russell's tank was found later to be not more than thirty yards from a Panther turret emplacement but tank commanders could not see more than ten yards at this time owing to the dust."
The driver, Lance-Corporal Harry Jenkins was killed while baling out, the author being slightly wounded at the same time.

Number 6 - Mark IV. Delivered from 253 Forward Delivery Squadron 24th May.
Major William M. Mackean M.C. subsequently took over command of B Squadron.

Extract from Battle Report for 10th October 1944:
"Major Mackean's force continued up the road but found the next culvert blown. There was no way round so he had to come back and go up the track used by Capt. Sidebottom. He eventually tied up with the 2nd-3rd Gurkhas at mid-day. At 1400 hours a very heavy counter-attack developed and Lieut. Irwin took his troop right up the east side and fired on Cidla Araldi where the attack was forming up. There were two more counter-attacks during the afternoon, both of which were beaten off. Shelling during the whole period was heavy and unfortunately Major Mackean was hit late in the afternoon and died in the regimental aid post."
Captain Robert S.H.Sidebottom was promoted Major taking over command of B Squadron.

Extract from Battle Report for 24th October 1944:
"B squadron pushed up the Monte Cavallo road to support the 3rd Mahrattas who were held up outside Teodorano. A plan was made by Major Sidebottom and the company commander, and No, 4 troop with a platoon of infantry reached Ardiano with No. 5 troop in support. There was heavy shelling and the Commanding Officer, Lieut. Colonel The Lord O'Neill was killed and Major Sidebottom wounded. The tanks stayed till last light and then withdrew with the infantry."
Captain Anthony K.E.Finch-Noyes took over command of B Squadron..

Number 5 - Mark V. Delivered by 253 Forward Delivery Squadron, November 1944.
On 1st December, tanks of B Squadron, including Ballyrashane and her sister Mark V Bushmills, went into action supporting the Canadian West Nova Scotia Regiment in a large scale attack with its objective crossing the River Lamone. Sadly, Bushmills and another Churchill were knocked-out by an A/T gun killing four of their crews and wounding two more. Despite being in much heavy action until war's end, these were the last tanks to be lost.

A few days before Christmas Major Sidebottom, having recovered from his wounds, returned to take over command of B Squadron.

The final days.

Extracts from Battle Reports:
"On the 30th April, 1945, the North Irish Horse was ordered to "Stand Down" for the last time.
The regiment took part in some of the hardest fighting of the Campaign. From the 1st until the 30th April only one officer - Lieut. D.L.Knight, B.E.M. - was slightlv wounded Several tanks were hit but not knocked out. This was due to the skill of tank commanders".

"The remarkable achievement of having every tank in the regiment still going when the Campaign ended was due to first-class recovery and repair work by the regimental fitters and the light aid detachment. No other tank regiment has ever achieved this, even with Shermans. Churchill tanks are by far the most difficult to keep on the road."

In September the crew of Ballyrashane bade her farewell - the Regiment having been ordered to take up Garrision Duties in Austria.

Additional to the medals awarded to Ballyrashane's commanders the following were Mentioned in Despatches; Major John Rew, L/Corporal William Wheatly, Trooper Alan Hughes and the author.

Sources:
North Irish Horse War Diaries
North Irish Horse Battle Reports

Return to
NIH Tank Names and WD Numbers