A tank crew from 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) take cover in an entrenchment, North Africa, 1942

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

The men posing as if taking cover from an air attack are named as 'Norrie', 'Geof', 'Mike' and 'Bill'. Norrie Allison is on the far left, wearing a beret while Bill Patterson is on the far right wearing a steel helmet. One soldier (second from right), Mike Carter, is armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun, another, Geof Fiske, takes cover with a Bren gun behind him. The four men made up the crew of the Crusader Mark II tank (T16569) nicknamed 'Anitha', 4 Troop, 'A' Squadron, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).

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.

Corporal Michael Carter fought through the campaigns in North Africa and Sicily but his luck ran out near Termoli on mainland Italy. On 6 October 1943 the Sherman tank he was commanding was knocked out and Michael died of the wounds he received, aged just 20.

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