Description
Coldstream Guards, Pre-War Palestine and WW2 North Africa Group.
General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine, 2657523. Gdsmn. B. Barlow. C. Gds.; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; together with the recipient’s riband bar that additionally shows entitlement to an 8th Army clasp to the Africa Star.
Given the combination of medals it is likely that Barlow served in the 3rd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards.
Palestine:
The Battalion landed Haifa on the 1st October 1936, but returned to the UK in December 1936. Returning to Egypt in October 1938, going on to Jerusalem in October for the capture of the Old city where the battalion fought as Monck’s Regiment to preserve secrecy then deployed in the South to Gaza, Jerico, and Bethlehem and subsequently to Jaffa and Haifa, Acre, Lydda, Tulkarm Abu Dis, and Sarafand.
Second World War – North Africa:
The 22nd Infantry Brigade (Part of XXX corps of the 8th Army) ( Which included the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, from 11 March 1941, left 20 June 1942) was formed by the redesignation of the 29th Infantry Brigade on 3 September 1939 and in March 1940 became responsible for all the troops in the Mersa Matruh Garrison area. In February 1941 the unit was reformed and renamed the 22nd Guards Brigade on 20 March 1941. It was converted to the 200th Guards Brigade (14 January 1942) and then finally the 201st Guards Motor Brigade Group (25 May 1942).
The 201st Guards Brigade saw extensive service in the North African Campaign, in Operation Crusader in late 1941 and later the Battle of Gazala, where it was forced to surrender on 20 June 1942 when Tobruk was captured by German and Italian forces, although some men managed to escape capture.
Medals – NVF, some edge bruising and contact marks to GSM and Defence Medal.
