John Frederick Boyce Combe
Encyclopedia
Major-General
John Frederick Boyce Combe CB
DSO
& Bar
(1 August 1895 - 12 July 1967) was a British Army
officer before and during World War II
. He was twice awarded the DSO for his service in the Western Desert Campaign
before being captured in April 1941 and spending nearly two and a half years as a prisoner of war in Italy. Released in September 1943 when Italy withdrew from the Axis, he made his way back to Allied territory and from October 1944 until the end of the war commanded an amoured brigade.
Jane Seymour Conyngham
.
In 1914, Combe joined the B Squadron of the 11th Hussars
(Prince Albert
’s Own).
Combe was the commanding officer
of the 11th Hussars for the initial stages of the Western Desert Campaign
during World War II
. He had been promoted lieutenant-colonel to take command in September 1939 and was partly responsible for the high level of training that prepared the regiment for the battles in North Africa
. Under Combe's command, the regiment played a part during the early British raids into Libya and as part of the cover force for the Western Desert Force
(WDF) during the Italian invasion of Egypt
. The 11th Hussars were part of the divisional troops of the WDF's 7th Armoured Division
during Operation Compass
. He was appointed to command an ad hoc mobile flying column
known as "Combe Force
," comprising a squadron of 11 Hussars, B Squadron 1st King's Dragoon Guards
, C Battery Royal Horse Artillery
(RHA), some anti-tank guns from 106th Regiment RHA and the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade. In February 1941, Combe and "Combe Force" cut off the retreating Italians at Beda Fomm
. The Italians were forced to halt and in spite very determined attempts over two days, were unable to break through Combe Force's defensive lines. Unable to move forward and picked off by attacks from their flank by 4th Armoured Brigade and from the rear by the 7th Support Group
, the bulk of the Tenth Army surrendered. Some 25,000 prisoners were taken and more than 100 medium tanks as well as over 100 guns were destroyed or captured.
Combe was promoted to temporary brigadier
on 3 April 1941, handing over command of the 11th Hussars to Lieutenant Colonel W. I. Leetham. As a result of Erwin Rommell's advance from El Agheila, he was appointed by the Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command
, Archibald Wavell, to accompany another desert-experienced officer, Lieutenant-General Richard O'Connor
(the former commander of the Western Desert Force
which had become the XIII Corps
) as adviser to Lieutenant General
Sir Philip Neame
, the commander of HQ Cyrenaica Command (the successor to XIII Corps). On the night of 6 April 1941, Combe was travelling by car with Neame and O'Connor from their Advanced HQ at Msus to its new location at Tmimi. They were captured by the Germans and taken to mainland Italy
to be held as prisoners of war
(POW).
He was initially sent to the Villa Orsini near Sulmona
in the Abruzzo, where he was amongst other distinguished officers, apart from Neame and O'Connor they included, Air Marshall Owen Tudor Boyd
, and Major-General Adrian Carton de Wiart
. He was later transferred to another camp, Castello di Vincigliata
PG12 near Florence. He settled into camp life becoming one of the gardeners , as well as keeping sixteen hens, ‘and tended them like a mother.’ . He was an enthusiastic escaper, taking it turns in tunnelling and one of the six officers to escape in April 1943. Unfortunately he was caught the next morning in Milan railway station, whilst studying a timetable .
was known . He arrived at Allied lines in May 1944, re-joining the Eighth Army.
. In October 1944 he was given command of 2nd Armoured Brigade (which position he held until after the German surrender) and had his substantive (permanent) rank advanced from lieutenant-colonel to colonel.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
John Frederick Boyce Combe CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(1 August 1895 - 12 July 1967) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer before and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was twice awarded the DSO for his service in the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
before being captured in April 1941 and spending nearly two and a half years as a prisoner of war in Italy. Released in September 1943 when Italy withdrew from the Axis, he made his way back to Allied territory and from October 1944 until the end of the war commanded an amoured brigade.
Early life
John Frederick Boyce Combe was the son of Captain Christian Combe and LadyLady
The word lady is a polite term for a woman, specifically the female equivalent to, or spouse of, a lord or gentleman, and in many contexts a term for any adult woman...
Jane Seymour Conyngham
Marquess Conyngham
Marquess Conyngham, of the County of Donegal, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1816 for Henry Conyngham, 1st Earl Conyngham. He was the great-nephew of another Henry Conyngham, 1st Earl Conyngham, the member of a family of Scottish descent which had settled in County Donegal...
.
In 1914, Combe joined the B Squadron of the 11th Hussars
11th Hussars
The 11th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-History:The regiment was founded in 1715 as Colonel Philip Honeywood's Regiment of Dragoons and was known by the name of its Colonel until 1751 when it became the 11th Regiment of Dragoons...
(Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
’s Own).
World War II
Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Combe was the commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the 11th Hussars for the initial stages of the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He had been promoted lieutenant-colonel to take command in September 1939 and was partly responsible for the high level of training that prepared the regiment for the battles in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. Under Combe's command, the regiment played a part during the early British raids into Libya and as part of the cover force for the Western Desert Force
Western Desert Force
The Western Desert Force, during World War II, was a British Commonwealth army formation stationed in Egypt.On 17 June 1940, the headquarters of the British 6th Infantry Division was designated as the Western Desert Force. The unit consisted of the 7th Armoured Division and the Indian 4th Infantry...
(WDF) during the Italian invasion of Egypt
Italian invasion of Egypt
The Italian Invasion of Egypt was an Italian offensive action against British, Commonwealth and Free French forces during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. Initially, the goal of the offensive was to seize the Suez Canal. To accomplish this, Italian forces from Libya would have...
. The 11th Hussars were part of the divisional troops of the WDF's 7th Armoured Division
Combe Force
Combe played a major part in the defeat of the Italian Tenth ArmyItalian Tenth Army
The Italian Tenth Army was one of two Italian armies in Italian North Africa during World War II. The Tenth Army in Cyrenaica faced the British in the neutral Kingdom of Egypt...
during Operation Compass
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
. He was appointed to command an ad hoc mobile flying column
Flying column
A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ad hoc unit, formed during the course of operations....
known as "Combe Force
Combe Force
Combe Force, or Combeforce, was an ad hoc flying column formed by the British Army for a specific purpose during the latter stages of Operation Compass. Combe Force was formed to cut across the open desert of Cyrenaica and cut off the retreating Italian Army which was traveling along the coastal...
," comprising a squadron of 11 Hussars, B Squadron 1st King's Dragoon Guards
1st King's Dragoon Guards
The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1685 as The Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed The King's Own Regiment of Horse in 1714 in honour of George I...
, C Battery Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
(RHA), some anti-tank guns from 106th Regiment RHA and the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade. In February 1941, Combe and "Combe Force" cut off the retreating Italians at Beda Fomm
Beda Fomm
Beda Fomm is a small coastal town in southwestern Cyrenaica, Libya located between the much larger port city Benghazi to its north and the larger town of El Agheila further to the southwest...
. The Italians were forced to halt and in spite very determined attempts over two days, were unable to break through Combe Force's defensive lines. Unable to move forward and picked off by attacks from their flank by 4th Armoured Brigade and from the rear by the 7th Support Group
7th Support Group (United Kingdom)
.The 7th Support Group was a brigade size formation within the British 7th Armoured Division.-History:The 7th Support Group provided whatever support the division's armoured brigades needed for the operation in hand...
, the bulk of the Tenth Army surrendered. Some 25,000 prisoners were taken and more than 100 medium tanks as well as over 100 guns were destroyed or captured.
Prisoner of War
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
on 3 April 1941, handing over command of the 11th Hussars to Lieutenant Colonel W. I. Leetham. As a result of Erwin Rommell's advance from El Agheila, he was appointed by the Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command
Middle East Command
The Middle East Command was a British Army Command established prior to the Second World War in Egypt. Its primary role was to command British land forces and co-ordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to defend British interests in the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean region.The...
, Archibald Wavell, to accompany another desert-experienced officer, Lieutenant-General Richard O'Connor
Richard O'Connor
General Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO & Bar, MC, ADC was a British Army general who commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of World War II...
(the former commander of the Western Desert Force
Western Desert Force
The Western Desert Force, during World War II, was a British Commonwealth army formation stationed in Egypt.On 17 June 1940, the headquarters of the British 6th Infantry Division was designated as the Western Desert Force. The unit consisted of the 7th Armoured Division and the Indian 4th Infantry...
which had become the XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)
XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...
) as adviser to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Sir Philip Neame
Philip Neame
Lieutenant General Sir Philip Neame VC, KBE, CB, DSO, KStJ was a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, the commander of HQ Cyrenaica Command (the successor to XIII Corps). On the night of 6 April 1941, Combe was travelling by car with Neame and O'Connor from their Advanced HQ at Msus to its new location at Tmimi. They were captured by the Germans and taken to mainland Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to be held as prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
(POW).
He was initially sent to the Villa Orsini near Sulmona
Sulmona
thumb|150px|Celestine V's hermitage and the remains of the Shrine of Hercules Curinus.thumb|150px|Palazzo SS. Annunziata and Museo Civicothumb|150px|Church of SS...
in the Abruzzo, where he was amongst other distinguished officers, apart from Neame and O'Connor they included, Air Marshall Owen Tudor Boyd
Owen Tudor Boyd
Air Marshal Owen Tudor Boyd CB, OBE, MC, AFC was an officer in the British Royal Flying Corps during most of World War I...
, and Major-General Adrian Carton de Wiart
Adrian Carton de Wiart
Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart VC, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO , was a British officer of Belgian and Irish descent...
. He was later transferred to another camp, Castello di Vincigliata
Vincigliata
Vincigliata Castle is a medieval castle which stands on a rocky hill to the east of Fiesole in the Italian region of Tuscany. In the mid-nineteenth century the building, which had fallen into a ruinous state, was acquired by the Englishman John Temple-Leader and entirely reconstructed in the...
PG12 near Florence. He settled into camp life becoming one of the gardeners , as well as keeping sixteen hens, ‘and tended them like a mother.’ . He was an enthusiastic escaper, taking it turns in tunnelling and one of the six officers to escape in April 1943. Unfortunately he was caught the next morning in Milan railway station, whilst studying a timetable .
Partisan in Italy
He escaped again with all remaining officers and men during the Italian Armistice in September 1943. He reached Camaldoli with Neame, O'Connor and other British officers. In Romagna, he joined the Italian partisans led by Libero as Riccardo FedelRiccardo Fedel
Riccardo Fedel was an Italian anti-Fascist, Communist political fighter, and war-time partisan leader...
was known . He arrived at Allied lines in May 1944, re-joining the Eighth Army.
Back with Eighth Army
After his escape Combe re-joined Eighth ArmyEighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
. In October 1944 he was given command of 2nd Armoured Brigade (which position he held until after the German surrender) and had his substantive (permanent) rank advanced from lieutenant-colonel to colonel.
Post war
After the end of hostilities in Europe Combe had brief periods as an acting major-general commanding successively 78th Infantry Division and 46th Infantry Division in Austria. In October 1946 his rank of major-general was made permanent and he was appointed Deputy GOC British Troops Austria. He retired from the army in October 1947 but continued to hold the ceremonial post of Colonel of the Regiment of the 11th Hussars to which he had been appointed in July 1945 and was to hold for twelve years. It was as Colonel of the Regiment that he took part in the procession behind the coffin at the funeral of King George VI in 1952. He died on 12 July 1967.Marriage
On 21 July 1947, Combe married Helen Violet St. Maur, daughter of Major Lord Percy St. Maur and Hon. Violet White.External references and sources
- Playing with Strife', The Autobiography of a Soldier, Lt-Gen. Sir Philip Neame, V.C., K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., George G Harrap & Co. Ltd, 1947, 353 pages, (written whilst a POW , the best narrative of Vincigliata as Campo PG12, contains a scale plan of Castello di Vincigliata, and photographs taken by the author just after the war)
- 'Farewell Campo 12', Brigadier James Hargest, C.B.E., D.S.O. M.C., Michael Joseph Ltd, 1945, 184 pages contains a sketch map of Castello Vincigliata page 85, route of capture and escape 'Sidi Azir - London (inside front cover),(no index)
- 'Happy Odyssey', Lt-Gen. Sir Carton De Wiart,V.C.,K.B.E.,C.M.G.,D.S.O., Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1950, in PAN paperback 1956, re-printed by Pen & Sword Books 2007, 287 pages, ISBN 184415539-0 (Foreword by Winston S Churchill)
- 'Always To-Morrow', 1951, John F Leeming, George G Harrap & Co. Ltd, London, 188p, Illustrated with photographs and maps, (Tells of the authors' experiences as a prisoner of the Italians during WW2)
- 'To War with Whitaker', 1994, The wartime diaries of The Countess of Ranfurly 1939 -1945, William Heinemann Ltd, London, 375 pages, ISBN 0-434-00224-0
- 'War in Italy 1943-1945', 1994, A Brutal Story, Richard Lamb, Saint Martin's Press, New York, 328 pages, ISBN 13 9780312110932