For sale is a 1939 – 45 Star, Africa Star, War Medal all unnamed as issued; Territorial Efficiency Medal (G.VI.R.) named 6138591 B.Q.M. SJT. T.A. WREN. R.A. Court mounted for display they come with the original card box of issue, copies of medal roll extract, MIC, POW extract and picture.
Battery Quarter Master Sergeant Thomas Alfred Wren was born in Steatham, Soth London in 1911. He enlisted into the Territorial Army on 16/1/1929, he transferred to the 57th Anti-Tank Regiment 9 (T.A.) in November 1938 as the Battery Quarter Master Sergeant. He was awarded his Long Service Medal in 1941.
He was serving with the 11th Field Regiment as the Battery Quarter Master Sergeant when he was taken Prisoner of War on 27/6/1942 during the Second Battle of Ruweisat Ridge (El Mreir) as part of the First Battle of El Alamein.
The 11th Field Regiment (25 pounders) was attached to the Indian 5th Division at the time. After stopping Rommel, the plan was for the Indian Infantry 161st Brigade to attack along Ruweisat ridge to take Deir el Shein, while the New Zealand 6th Brigade attacked from south of the ridge to the El Mreir depression. The Australians were attacking along Ruin Ridge to the north at the same time.
The 5th Indian Infantry Division executed a night attack to attempt to capture the western half of Ruweisat ridge and Deir el Shein. The 3/14th Punjab Regiment from 9th Indian Infantry Brigade attacked at 02:00 on 23 July but failed as they lost their direction. A further attempt in daylight succeeded in breaking into the position but intense fire from three sides resulted in control being lost as the commanding officer was killed, and four of his senior officers were wounded or went missing. Wren was captured in the confused night action and sent to POW Camp 18A (Wolfsberg, Austria). Camp XVIIIA was one of the biggest P.O.W. camps in Austria. Up to 48,000 prisoners were incarcerated either there or in one of the many Arbeitskommandos in its orbit.
He was liberated at the wars end and died in 1971 in Lambeth, London.
