Sidi Rezegh, 1941
In this hard-fought subsidiary Action, 7th Armoured Brigade, 7th Support Group, 5th South African Brigade and 6th New Zealand Brigade, were all involved in the defence of the airfield against bitter enemy attacks.
Brigadier J. Campbell, commander of the Support Group, won the VC for his gallant leadership here.
The Honour is borne on the Guidon of the 7th Hussars.
Detail
A far sterner enemy took over from the Italians when Rommel’s Africa Korps with its superior tanks started to push the allies back into Egypt.
On 21st November 1941, the 7th Hussars were ordered to a blocking position north of Sidi Rezegh, where they encountered the might of the German advance in the shape of 50 panzers, whose armament completely outclassed the Mk VI light tank.
For four days the regiment carried out its mission, holding off a German armoured division until by the 28th November, they had only two surviving tanks, had lost their Commanding Officer killed among many other casualties, missing and prisoners.
