Palestine Arab Rebellion and Second World War Western Desert 1941 unique casualty group awarded to Private A. Moffatt, 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Moffatt from Carry Bridge, Colne, Lancashire, whose parents later lived in Nelson, worked in the local mill and with the Mercantile Marine before he joined the army. After service in Palestine, he fought in the Western Desert and would have been present at the Battle of Sidi Barrani, after which the 1st Argylls had only enough men left to form three Companies. The battalion was then detailed in the three weeks leading up to 16th February 1941 in collecting and guarding prisoners, and clearing up the battlefield in the Salum area after the Australian attack on Bardia. It was during this period, on 6th February 1941, that Moffatt was killed, most probably as a result of a mine or similar explosive device discovered whilst clearing the battlefield. He has the unfortunate distinction of being the only Argyll soldier to be killed in the Western Desert in 1941.
Group of 5: General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVI 1st type bust, 1 Clasp: Palestine; (2982260 PTE. A. MOFFATT. A. & S. H.); 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star; Defence Medal; War Medal.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
Allan Moffatt was born in Colne, being brought up in Carry Bridge, and his parents later lived in nearby Nelson, Lancashire. Whilst in Colne he had been educated at the West Street Council School and the Colne Grammar School. He went to work in the local mill, and then joined the Mercantile Marine, before enlisting into the British Army as a Private (No.2982260) with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Moffatt saw service in Palestine with the 1st Battalion during the Arab Rebellion, and was out in the Middle East on the outbreak of the Second World War. Participating in the campaign in North Africa, he was killed in action in the Western Desert on 6th February 1941.
After the Battle of Sidi Barrani, the 1st Argylls had only enough men left to form three Companies. On 2nd January 1941 they moved to the Salum area after the Australian attack on Bardia, and they were employed in collecting and guarding prisoners, and clearing up the battlefield during the six weeks up to the 16th February 1941 when they were embarked at Salum for the Nile Delta. It was during this period of battlefield clearance and prisoner of war guarding work that Moffatt was killed, most probably as a result of a mine or similar explosive device discovered whilst clearing the battlefield. He has the unfortunate distinction of being the only Argyll soldier to be killed in the Western Desert in 1941.
Aged 22 at the time of his death, his body was presumably buried on the spot that he was killed and never relocated, and he is now commemorated by name on the El Alamein Memorial.
