Roll of Honour - Palestine 1938 - 1939 - Worcestershire Regiment

This section provides details of all those men of the Worcestershire Regiment who gave their lives during action in Arab Revolt in Palestine (covers period 1938 to 1939).

In April 1936, riots broke out in Jaffa this was the beginning of a three-year period of violence and civil strife in Palestine that is known as the Arab Revolt. The Arab Higher Committee, headed by the Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini, led the campaign of terrorism against Jewish and British targets. In August 1936 the British took military action against Arab terrorists following which there was a period of peace. However, by September 1937 the Arabs resumed their attacks. This campaign of violence continued through 1938 and then tapered off, ending in early 1939.

In September, 1938, the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, which was then stationed in Aldershot, received orders to move to Palestine. The Battalion landed at Haifa on the 26th September 1938, and the same day moved in Motor Transport down the coast road through Tel Aviv and Jaffa to Sarafand. The Battalion was given the task of “maintaining public order and security in the Bethlehem and Hebron sub-districts “, a task of some magnitude, involving, as it did, an area of some eight hundred square miles.

The Battalion had only been in Palestine 2 days when they suffered their first casualties, one of which was Private Hare who was seriously wounded at Beit Sahur, he died later in hospital.

At Bethlehem the Battalion was billeted in the monasteries adjoining the historic church of the Nativity.

The 1st Battalion eventually left Palestine at the end of August 1939 and set sail for action in Sudan.

 

Private Harry Potter grave

 

Surname

Forename/s

Number

Rank

Location

DOD

Battalion

Age

Darby

Joseph

5251346

Pte.

Jerusalem

07/09/1939

1st

20

Davidson

John G.

4267767

Pte.

Jerusalem

18/12/1938

1st

29

Dwyer

Anthony

5250987

Pte.

Al Walaja

11/10/1938

1st

20

Hare

Bartle

5770527

Pte.

Jerusalem

??/09/1938

1st

25

Hayes

Charles G.

5249722

L/Cpl.

Hebron

13/08/1939

1st

22

Potter

Harry

5251351

Pte.

Jerusalem

22/07/1939

1st

19

Ryan

Patrick Michael

5333597

Pte.

Artuf

17/11/1938

1st

26

Notes: Pte. Darby, Pte. Davidson, Pte. Hare and L/Cpl. Hayes all died of wounds.

Private Harry Potter

On the evening of 22nd July 1939, “D” Company, returning from As Samu, engaged an armed band at Kilo 39 on the Hebron-Beersheba road. This gang had earlier ambushed an R.A.F. armoured car. During the engagement Private Harry Potter (5251351) was killed and Privates Darby, Warwick, Pearson and Simmonds were wounded. Private Joseph Darby later died of his wounds in hospital in Jerusalem on 7th September 1939.

 

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Private Harry Potter

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