The superb Second World War North Africa 8th Army Attack on the Buerat position night of the 15th January 1943 Advance to Tripoli ‘immediate’ Military Medal group awarded to Lance Corporal S.H. Beacham, 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. Beacham, who came from Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales, distinguished himself on the night of the 15th January 1943 when tasked with passing through the enemy minefield during the attack on the Buerat position, his battalion being the spearhead for the 153rd Brigade and the 51st Highland Division. Three columns were to push through the minefield, which was nearly five hundred yards in depth. Beacham was in the left flank one, which consisted of two sappers followed by a platoon of Gordons, four Scorpions - flail tanks, a section of carriers with R.E. stores, and two 3-inch mortars of the Gordons, in that order. The columns moved up to the start line in brilliant moonlight, and were so early on the ground that they had to wait an hour before the barrage opened at 11.30 p.m. The companies of the 1st Gordons, closing up in rear, were played forward by their pipers. It proved difficult to locate the forward edge of the minefield, and some sappers and Gordons came to grief on mines before the real work began. It was at this moment that Beacham earned his immediate award of the Military Medal. Beacham was in command of a forward section in the left leading company. A steady advance had been maintained when suddenly the Platoon discovered themselves in the midst of a dense anti-personnel and anti-tank minefield. Considerable casualties occurred as the mines exploded in all directions; his platoon commander and platoon sergeant being amongst those who were first hit. In a matter of seconds, man after man was knocked out by shrapnel from the bursting mines. At this point the enemy began to put down mortar and machine gun fire on the minefield. Instantly realising that the safety of the men around him lay in his hands and that unless a prompt decision was made all his men would almost certainly become casualties, Beacham took a prompt decision. He reconnoitred a route through the maze of mines and smoke out of the minefield, and then led the remnants of his command out of danger, losing not one man on the way. His cool bearing and boldness of action kept the morale of his men alive in the most difficult of conditions, and there is no doubt that but for the personal courage, the calm bearing under fire and the powers of leadership displayed by this junior N.C.O. the casualties suffered would have been greatly increased.’ Beacham’s immediate award of the Military Medal was published in the London Gazette for 22nd April 1943.
Group of 5: Military Medal, GVI 1st type bust; (3911454 L.CPL. S.H. BEACHAM. GORDONS.); 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star with 8th Army Clasp; Defence Medal; War Medal.
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Together with the original War Office headed typed citation for the recipient’s Military Medal.
Samuel Harold Beacham came from Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales, and saw service during the Second World War as a Private and Lance Corporal (No.3911454) with the Gordon Highlanders, and fought in North Africa with the 1st Battalion as part of the 153rd Brigade in the 51st Highland Division, 8th Army.
Beacham was awarded an ‘immediate’ award of the Military Medal for his actions on the night of the 15th January 1943 during the attack on the Buerat position.
Rommel was prepared to make a stand at Buerat, some 220 miles further west from El Agheila. It was now Montgomery’s intention to drive straight through to Tripoli. The advance of the 153rd Brigade began on 11th January, and they moved along the coast by Marble Arch and Nofilia. By the evening of the 14th the 1st Gordons were close in rear of a wadi south of Buerat, and behind them came the 5th/7th Battalion Gordons.
The enemy appeared to be holding a long flat ridge behind an extensive minefield backed by a high apron wire fence. It was the task of the 1st Gordons to ‘punch a hole’ in this position on the night of the 15th so that the Highland Division could pass through and continue the advance.
As the minefield was to be breached in three places the attack was organised in three columns. The flank columns were each headed by two sappers followed by a platoon of Gordons, four Scorpions (flail tanks which carried chains to flail the ground and explode the mines), a section of carriers with R.E. stores, and two 3-inch mortars of the Gordons, in that order. The centre column included no scorpions but was headed by a sub-section of sappers with Bangalore torpedoes. The 40th Royal Tank Regiment were in support and the initial advance, over about 2,000 yards of flat ground, would be covered by an artillery barrage. The guns and ammunition available were sufficient only for a one-battalion attack.
To mark the position of the start-line Captain L.W. Millar of the 1st Gordons directed the building of cairn stones. This he did in daylight and in full view of the enemy: and it is only fair to mention that the stones were carried up by men of the 5th Black Watch.
The columns moved up to the start line in brilliant moonlight, and were so early on the ground that they had to wait an hour before the barrage opened at 11.30 p.m. The companies of the 1st Gordons, closing up in rear, were played forward by their pipers.
It proved difficult to locate the forward edge of the minefield, and some sappers and Gordons came to grief on mines before the real work began. Enemy fire was not heavy, but in clearing the lanes through the minefield, which was nearly five hundred yards in depth, four scorpions were blown up. A Gordon mortar did good work, one round setting an enemy ammunition truck on fire after which a few more silenced an anti-tank gun which was said to have knocked out two of our scorpions. The sappers, as usual, worked gallantly and well, the apron wire was demolished by a scorpion, and at 2.40 a.m. the centre gap was reported clear. On getting through they fanned out south-westward but found no enemy. He had made a swift retreat from his positions before the Highlanders could close. Even so, the 1st Gordons reported 31 casualties, including two subalterns, Lieutenants Reekie and B.D.M. Rae, wounded.
It was in the initial contact with the minefield that Beacham won his award. The recommendation reads as follows: ‘On the night of 15th January 1943, during the attack on Buerat position, L/Cpl Beacham was in command of a forward section in the left leading company. A steady advance had been maintained when suddenly the Platoon discovered themselves in the midst of a dense anti-personnel and anti-tank minefield. Considerable casualties occurred as the mines exploded in all directions; his platoon commander and platoon sergeant being amongst those who were first hit. In a matter of seconds, man after man was knocked out by shrapnel from the bursting mines. At this point the enemy began to put down mortar and machine gun fire on the minefield. Instantly realising that the safety of the men around him lay in his hands and that unless a prompt decision was made all his men would almost certainly become casualties, L/Cpl Beacham took a prompt decision. He reconnoitred a route through the maze of mines and smoke out of the minefield, and then led the remnants of his command out of danger, losing not one man on the way. His cool bearing and boldness of action kept the morale of his men alive in the most difficult of conditions, and there is no doubt that but for the personal courage, the calm bearing under fire and the powers of leadership displayed by this junior N.C.O. the casualties suffered would have been greatly increased.’
Beacham’s immediate award of the Military Medal was published in the London Gazette for 22nd April 1943.
During the 16th and 17th January the other brigades of the Highland Division came through the 153rd Brigade. It was on the 17th that General Montgomery, feeling that progress was not fast enough, applied the spur to all troops and commanders. Tripoli was the goal. The success of the whole campaign depended upon a swift advance to Tripoli so that the port might be opened and the almost intolerable strain upon the communications of the Eighth Army relieved
