'Bill', William 'Billie' Palmer, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), North Africa, 1942

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, North Africa, 1942.

Tank commander Bill Palmer sits in the turret of 'Ailsa II' (T43709), a Crusader Mark 6 tank. 'Ailsa II' was crewed by Jimmy Sale, Gordon Bridge, Peter Maxwell and Brian Darch.

The war diary of the Sharpshooters records Lieutenant William Henry Palmer's death in Sicily on 17 July 1943 after heavy fighting around the Primosole Bridge over the Simeto RIver. During Operation FUSTIAN Allied airborne troops had attempted to capture the bridge and 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) were involved in the supporting ground attack.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records Palmer's grave at Catania War Cemetery, Sicily, but records the date of his death as 19 July 1943.

From an album containing 189 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).