WW2 KIA AUSTRALIAN MEDAL GROUP 2/32 BATTALION WX10881 CHANEY EL ALAMEIN ANZAC

Description

WW2 Australian Army El Alamein ‘killed in action’ group of 5 medals to Private F.F. Chaney, who served ‘B Coy’, 2/32nd Battalion. 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, with clasp ‘8th ARMY, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Australian Service Medal 1939-45. All named WX10881 F.F.CHANEY, first 2 medals pantographed style naming, the rest impressed. Court mounted for display & comes with copy service records, C.W.G certificate.

Medals come direct from the family.

Francis Frederick Chaney was born in Perth Western Australia on 3/10/1920. He enlisted at Claremont on the 28/1/41 giving his occupation as junior mail officer and was initially posted to the Army Postal Service. 16/4/1941 he departed Fremantle and on the 3/5/41 arrived Middle East to 9th Division Postal Unit. 6/10/1942 Transferred to 2/32 Bn. 31/10/42 He was reported ‘missing believed to be P.O.W.’ but on the 1/11/42 reported K.I.A. He was buried at the El Alamein box cemetery on the 2/11/41. The 2/32nd Battalion and the Battle of El Alamein. Field Marshall Montgomery, Commander of the British Eighth Army, originally planned his break out operation, ‘Super-charge’, for the night of 31 October-1 November 1942. However, to ensure that it was adequately planned and prepared, the attack was postponed until the night of 1-2 November. During this planning stage it was vital that the pressure remained on the enemy and the 9th Australian Division launched an ambitious attack with two brigades on the night of 31 October-1 November. The 2/32nd Battalion’s role was to capture the enemy’s position at the main road at Barrel Hill. Forming defensive flanks to the north, northwest and west, they would form a screen for the 2/48th and the 2/24th Battalions to advance. In the last stage of the attack, the 2/32nd would provide the 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion with anti-tank gun and machine-gun support. On the night of 30 October 1942, the 2/32nd Bn under Lieutenant-Colonel Balfe assembled for its attack due to begin at 10 pm. A German sniper shot at two of the battalion’s officers who were reconnoitring before the attack, killing one of the officers. Casualties increased during their advance on the railway line. Despite their increasing casualties, the Australians captured the vital bridgehead known as the ‘saucer’, the 1-kilometre area which included the German medical post, the Blockhouse, Barrel Hill and a crossing in the railway embankment. During the next day the Australians struggled to hold the area as together with British troops they fought a furious battle against the counter-attack by German tanks. By the evening of 1 November, the exhausted and depleted Australian units were still holding their positions at the ‘saucer’. The Eighth Army launched ‘Operation Supercharge’ at 1.05 am on 2 November.