Blake Family Tree - pafn18 - Generated by Personal Ancestral File

Lt.Colonel in the Light Horse Regiment (previously the Imperial Light Horse Regiment). Actively served in Allied campaigns in WWII during which time he was awarded the DSO.

Imperial Light Horse Regiment, Kelvin, Johannesburg
This is a part time force unit situated in the suburb of Kelvin in Johannesburg. Originally an ‘Uitlander’ unit (Foreigner unit), it was raised in part from among the aggrieved Britons of Johannesburg on the eve of the Anglo-Boer War, and in which four of its members won the Victoria Cross. It served in Zululand in 1906; in German South West Africa; and, following the demobilisation of the Active Citizen Force, many of its men volunteered for service abroad in other units. The 1st Battalion, raised in June 1940, served under Lt Col. E.J.R. Blake as part of 3rd SA Infantry Brigade, losing many men in fierce fighting at Bardia on 1 January 1942 and with the fall of Tobruk. The 2nd Battalion served in East Africa as 13th SA Armoured Car Company (2nd Battalion, Royal Natal Carbineers) and going on to North Africa. The ILH amalgamated with the Kimberley Regiment as 11th Armoured Brigade of 6th SA Armoured Division and, under Lt Col. R. Reeves Moore, distinguished itself in the Italian campaign, being among the first into Florence, the first into Castiglione dei Pepoli, and finishing the War close to the Alps. More recently, the unit has served as an active citizen force unit during the war in SWA/N and in the internal conflict.

Additional background on the ILH
The Second World War, however, highlighted the courage and determination of the men of the ILH. The 1st ILH was brought up to strength in 1939, and the 2nd ILH reformed. Although both were Infantry Battalions, the 2nd Regiment was soon transferred to the South African Tank Corps to form the 13th Armoured Car Company, which in turn amalgamated with Royal Natal Carbineers to create the 6th Armoured Car Regiment. Later, a further amalgamation with the 4th Armoured Car Regiment formed the 4th/6th ACR under command Lt. Col. Robert Reeves-Moore M.C. who was later awarded the Bar to his M.C. for the armoured breakthrough in the final stages of the El Alamein Battle.

The 1st ILH had sailed from Durban in a large convoy bound for Suez on April 10 1941. They were to provide the advance party for the 2nd Division and it was in June that their first task of digging the defences at El Alamein began. Although unspectacular then, it was there less than a year later, that the 3rd Brigade as part of the 1st Division was to earn the undying destinction of being the first to stop Rommel's all but successful thrust to drive the allied forces out of Egypt. In December of 1941 the Division was given orders to clear the coast between Bardia and Tobruk.

Outstanding achievements included a daring sweep along the coast road and the destruction of the German tank workshops when 22 enemy tanks were destroyed. On December 31 1941 the final thrust on Bardia together with RLI commenced, and although the casualties were heavy, this together with the Gazala Defence, played a major part in stopping Rommel's advance towards the Nile Delta. Then on October 23 1942 the ILH formed the left flank of the spearhead when the 8th Army attacked El Alamein under General Montgomery.

Soon afterwards the Regiment was reorganised back in South Africa and the First and Second Regiments together with Kimberley Regiment were amalgamated to form the ILH/Kim. Regiment under Lt. Col. R. Reeves-Moore D.S.O., M.C. and in September 1943 again sailed for Egypt to join the 6th Armoured Division in the role of a motorised Battalion. Then in April 1944 the Division sailed for Italy and ILH/Kim.R. was attached to the 12th S.A. Brigade which was operating on a front in the mountains above Cassino. After a series of fierce battles north of Rome the unit triumphantly entered Florence on August 4 1944. After a brief rest the Division came under command of the American 5th Army and was given the task of attacking the Gothic Line on the southern slopes of the Apennines. In September heavy fighting culminated in the capture of Monte Bagno at the cost of almost a quarter of the Regiment killed or wounded. The fighting continued until the capture of Monte Salvaro or point 826 where ILH/Kim.R. drove the enemy off the rocky peak after sustaining heavy losses. After the winter in March 1945 the 6th S.A. Armoured Division broke through the last of the German defences around Bologna and the army headed for Venice with the objective of routing the enemy before static defences could be formed along the River Po.

Fittingly the last serious engagement took place at Finale south of Venice, where the overwhelming strength of the allies forced the enemy to surrender thus ending the Italian Campaign and the Regiments tour of duty overseas.

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At the outbreak of World War II the 1st ILH was brought up to strength and the 2nd ILH reformed. Although both units were infantry battalions, 2 ILH was soon transferred to the South African Tank Corps in order to form the 13th Armoured Car Company, which in turn was amalgamated with Royal Natal Carbineers in order to create the 6th Armoured Car Regiment. This unit later malgamated with the 4th Armoured Car Regiment to form the 4th/6th Armoured Car Regiment.

The 1st ILH sailed from Durban to Egypt on 10 April 1941, as advance guard of the South African 2nd Infantry Division. Less than a year later the Regiment, as part of the 3rd Brigade of the South African 1st Infantry Division, played a crucial part in stopping Rommel's Afrika Korps during the First Battle of El Alamein. The unit subsequently took part in other fighting in North Afica, including the Second Battle of El Alamein.

The Regiment was subsequently shipped to South Africa where it was reorganized - 1 and 2 ILH Regiments were amalgamated with the Kimberley Regiment to form the Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment (ILH/Kim). This combined Regiment sailed for Egypt again in September 1943 to join the South African 6th Armoured Division in the role of a motorised battalion.

In April 1944 the Division sailed for Italy, where the ILH/Kim was attached to 12 South African Brigade, which was operating on a front in the mountains above Monte Cassino. After a series of battles north of Rome the Regiment entered Florence on 4 August 1944.

The South African 6th Armoured Division was then placed under the command of the United States 5th Army and was given the task of attacking the Gothic Line, which culminated in the capture if Monte Bagno in September 1944. During the heavy fighting almost a quarter of the Regiment was killed or wounded. After taking part in other actions, including breaking through the German defences at Bologna, the Regiment fought its last serious engagement at Finale south of Venice.

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The British Capture of Bardia (December 1941 - January 1942): A Successful Infantry-Tank Attack (Information Bulletin No. 21, U.S. War Department, WWII)

The British capture of Bardia was part of the Libyan campaign against Rommel's Afrika Corps from November 1941 to January 1942. The British defeated a numerically superior Axis force in a strongly fortified position with a combined infantry and tank force.

The bulletin was based on reports of American official observers, British comments, and British operation orders used in the battle. The bulletin includes British orders given verbatim for training.

The bulletin can be found http://www.lonesentry.com/bardia_intel/index.html