Description
India General Service Medal 1936, GVI, bar North West Frontier 1936-37, 4340373 Lance Corporal Henry Wick, 4th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment, Dunkirk Evacuee, Battle of Gazala Libya POW, 3 years a POW in Italy and Germany.
Corporal Henry Wick was taken Prisoner at the Battle of Gazala on 31st May 1942, on this day the German General Erwin Rommel took to the field personally to lead a Panzer Grenadier division against what he called “the toughest British resistance imaginable”, taking apart “Piece by piece the elaborate British defences were won until by early afternoon the whole position was ours. The last British resistance was quenched. We took in all 3,000 prisoners and destroyed or captured 101 tanks and armoured cars, as well as 124 guns of all kinds.”
A veteran of 2 decades in the Army, he had survived the Dunkirk Evacuation, to spend 3 years as a Prisoner of War in Italy, and then Germany, before liberation in May 1945.
Officially impressed: “4340373 Cpl H. Wick. E. York. R.”
This medal confirmed on the medal roll, for services at “C.I.M.H. Bannu” with the 1st Bn East Yorks Regt.
Corporal Henry Wick, was born on 3rd September 1907, and had enlisted with the Army on 2nd January 1926.
As recalled in his MI9 Liberated POW Questionnaire following liberation on 8th May 1945:
During the war, he was Captured at “Gazala (Libya) on 31st May 1942” whilst serving with the 50th Division, 4th Bn East Yorks as a Lance Corporal.
He was then taken to Italy spending July to 14th September 1942 at the “Campo 66” in Capua, Italy.
Before moving to “Campo 87” in Benevento, Italy from 16th September 1942 – 18th October 1942.
Followed by Campo 52, in Cimavari, Italy, from 20th October 1942 – 14th September 1943.
He would then be amongst those POWs taken back into Germany from Italy:
Arrived at Camp VII B 344 in Lamsdorf, Germany from 20th September 1943 – 3rd March 1945.
Followed by a transfer to Camp VII B in “Memingan” (Memmingen) from 8th March 1945 until 7th May 1945, when he was liberated.
He stated that he behaved well, not being mistreated but was interrogated at “Libya in Transit, by question and answer and conversation”
Following on from his service in India, he was deployed early into World War 2 to France, before the British were forced out.
During that time he took part in the famous evacuation of Dunkirk, after that he was redeployed out to North Africa to the “Western Desert” serving in Libya with 4th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment.
On 31st May 1945, the battalion was overrun by the Axis at the Battle of Gazala, many of them were taken as Prisoners of War, including Corporal Wick.
Further information on the Battle of Gazala:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gazala
During the Battle of Gazala, he was with the 4th Bn East Yorks, part of the 15th Infantry Brigade, notably this small group of Yorkshire regiments were assaulted by a Platoon of Panzer Grenadiers, led personally by Rommel.
Rommel writes of his victory, translated from German:
“In the afternoon [30th May] I personally reconnoitred the possibilities for an attack on Got el Ualeb [the Sidi Muftah box] and detailed units of the Afrika Korps, 90th Light Division and the Italian Trieste Division for an assault on the British positions next morning.
The attack was launched on the morning of the 31st May. German-Italian units fought their way forward yard by yard against the toughest British resistance imaginable.[…] Nevertheless, by the time evening came we had penetrated a substantial distance into the British positions. On the following day the defenders were to receive their quietus. After heavy Stuka attacks, the infantry again surged forward against the British field positions.[…] Piece by piece the elaborate British defences were won until by early afternoon the whole position was ours. The last British resistance was quenched. We took in all 3,000 prisoners and destroyed or captured 101 tanks and armoured cars, as well as 124 guns of all kinds.” – Rommel
Another account writes:
“Early on 30 May elements of the Afrika Korps attempted to break through the brigade’s position but drew off after taking losses. Next day the Italian Trieste Division and German 90th Light Division attacked, but made little progress against a defence that they described as ‘skilful and stubborn’.
On 1 June Rommel reinforced the attackers with the 21st Panzer Division and more artillery, and the assault was resumed after heavy dive-bombing. Early in the afternoon 150th Bde was overcome by a series of concentric attacks and overrun, Brigadier Haydon was killed, and the survivors, including Brigadier O’Carroll, became prisoners of war.
Panzerarmee Afrika said in its daily battle report. “The encircled enemy, supported by numerous infantry tanks, again resisted most stubbornly”, “Each separate element within the fortress-like strengthened defences had to be fought for. The enemy suffered extraordinary heavy, bloody losses. Eventually the operation, which also caused considerable losses to our troops, ended in complete success”
He spent 3 years as a POW, being first shipped off to Italy, before being moved to Germany.
After all that he returned home after the war, but was soon after hauled before a Court Martial, being accused of stealing a number of Army Blankets to sell.
The Hull Daily Mail, 19th June 1946, reports on his long and varied career over 20 years and proceedings of the Court Martial:
“THEFT OF ARMY BLANKETS
Corporal HENRY WICK, 38, of No 5 Holding Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, a Soldier with more than 20 years of service was found ‘Guilty’ at a court martial at Victoria Barracks, Beverley, of being concerned in the stealing of 12 Army Blankets from the barracks.
It was stated that Wick, who had taken part in the Dunkirk Evacuation, and, after being captured in North Africa, was for 3 years a Prisoner of War, had accompanied another Corporal (previously placed on trial and found guilty) in a Taxi to Hull, taking the blankets with them.
The Taxi Driver, Mr C. Watson, of 68 Norwood, said that the 2 Corporals hired his taxi to ‘take some kits through to Hull’, during the journey Donachy, the other Corporal said: ‘I want 15s each for these.’
INTO EMPTY HOUSE
Witness described their arrival in Hull, and how Donachy took the blankets into an empty bomb damaged house while Wick appeared to keep watch for passersby, Watson informed his employers.
Donachy called for the defence by Captain J. Neild, denied that Wick knew anything about the blankets being in the cab and stated that there was no conversation in the taxi concerning any business or financial matters.
Captain Neil submitted there was no case to answer, since there was no evidence of theft or of any intent to deprive the owner of the blankets.”
