Members of 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) on board a tank landing ship, 1943

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, North Africa, 1943.

The Sharpshooters in this group are named as Tom Elkins, Brian Darch and Tom Moore.

While 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) had fought its way to Tripoli after the Battle of El Alamein, the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), sailed into the port in June 1943. The regiment had been withdrawn to Egypt to reorganise, re-equip and train for an assault on the island of Sicily. The men of 3rd County of London Yeomanry, now part of an invasion fleet, were only in Tripoli for a week before re-embarking for Sicily, as part of Operation HUSKY. They travelled in small convoys until they approached Sicily where the invasion force formed up prior to initiating the landings.

While on the American-built 'Landing Ships, Tank', or 'LSTs', the Sharpshooters shared duties with the Royal Navy crew. For example, they manned the vessels' Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, seen in the background of this photograph.

Sergeant Norman Brian Darch survived the campaign in North Africa, but was killed in action, fighting in Sicily, on 13 July 1943. He is commemorated at the Syracuse War Cemetery.

Corporal Thomas Wilfred Elkins, aged 24, was wounded on the 13 July 1943 in Sicily serving with 'A' Company, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters). He died of his wounds ten days later and, according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is buried at Tripoli War Cemetery in Libya, with the personal inscription on his grave reading, 'Sleep Lightly, Lad; Thou art for King's Guard at Daybreak'.

From an album containing 241 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).