Father & Son medal groups: John Mitchell Crosby, 32nd Brigade RFA, Royal Engineers & Royal Signals, Military Medal: LG 13 March 1919 (France), and son Benjamin George Crosby, Queen's Regiment, killed in action Burma 11 Jan 1944, Rangoon Memorial
Father and son medal groups.
72424 Gunner John Mitchell Crosby
32nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Later 2538454 2nd Corporal, 4th Divisional Signals, Royal Engineers, and 2304169 Corporal, Royal Signals.
Group comprising:
- Military Medal - London Gazette 13th March 1919 (France).
- 1914 Star with clasp
- British War Medal
- Victory Medal
- Defence Medal
- War Medal
6103053 Private Benjamin George Crosby
1st Battalion Queen's Regiment.
- 1939-45 Star
- Burma Star
- Defence Medal
- War Medal
Killed in Action – 11th January 1944 (Burma).
Commemorated with honour on the Rangoon Memorial.
Included is a full account of the action at Awlanbyn, where the Battalion was engaged in operations in the Arakan campaign. Records detail the Battalion's move to the Teknaf Peninsula, subsequent operations around Awlanbyn, and the fighting in which casualties were sustained.
Training on the Teknaf Peninsula
The Battalion moved to the Teknaf Peninsula in the Arakan in August 1943. While there, it absorbed a draft of 100 officers and men who had arrived direct from England. These reinforcements had been several weeks on the move, had no experience of the climatic conditions, and had received no jungle training. It was greatly to their credit that they settled down so well and so quickly.
During this period D Company maintained a standing patrol on a track marked on the map as Elephant Point. It lived up to its name. No animals had been seen, but one afternoon a wireless message was received at Battalion Headquarters that the patrol had been forced to move from its position by a herd of elephants which had rampaged through the camp, scattering and trampling equipment.
While based at Teknaf, many patrols were carried out. It was splendid training, as the Battalion lived under operational conditions though not actually in contact with an active enemy. Supplies had either to be carried over a mud road which, as the rains were not yet over, was impassable six days out of seven, or by local boat (sampans) up the marshy creeks off the Naf River. From there they had to be manhandled or carried on mules through swamp and mud to camp.
The Fighting for Awlanbyn
On 26 November, orders were received for the Brigade to capture the road from Maungdaw to Buthidaung.
On 1 December, the other two battalions in 33 Brigade, the 4/1st Gurkha Rifles and the 4/15th Punjab Regiment, attacked the Awlanbyn West feature. Later that afternoon, B and C Companies of the Queen's were ordered to move onto Awlanbyn East after dark.
B Company, commanded by Captain M. A. Lowry, was to make for Nakragyaung, while C Company, commanded by Captain J. A. Hamilton, was to advance to Point 206. If opposition proved too strong, they were to withdraw.
The two companies moved off at 2000 hours, crossing approximately 1,000 yards of paddy. B Company encountered strong opposition and accordingly withdrew. As they returned to their own positions they were counter-attacked by a Japanese patrol. The Japanese leader killed two men with his sword before being despatched by Corporal Cunningham with his Tommy gun.
The enemy patrol persisted and, under a shower of grenades, managed to remove its casualties, with the exception of its leader.