An Infantry Officer with the Eighth Army: The Personal Experiences of an Infantry Officer During the Eighth Army's Campaign Through Africa and Sicily

by Major H. P. Samwell

Overview

First published posthumously in 1945, this is a descriptive account by Major H. P. Samwell, MC of his experiences serving as an Infantry Officer with the Desert Army in the Western Desert and Sicily between 1942 and 1943.

A rare account of the North African campaign as it happened, day-by-day, and includes Samwell’s thoughts from the frontline regarding the problems of occupation in Italy.-Print ed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787205741
Publisher:	Arcole Publishing
Publication date:	06/28/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	190
File size:	727 KB

About the Author

Major Hugh Peter de Lancy Samwell was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion The Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders in January 1938. He was shipped to Egypt in June 1942 as part of the 51st Highland Division in preparation for the Second Battle of El Alamein, promoted to Major, and then fought with the Eighth Army across Libya and on to Sicily.

Wounded in Italy, he was awarded the Military Cross and returned home to recuperate in November 1943. He wrote daily during his time in North Africa and Italy. In April 1944 his battalion transferred to East Anglia in preparation for D-Day and by the end of the year the 51st was on the Dutch/Belgian border.

It was there, on 12 January 1945 that an advance party of 51st Highlanders was ambushed by the enemy and the man leading, as ever, from the front, Major Hugh Samwell, was killed, aged only 33 years.