Rawmarsh & Parkgate - Panel 5
John Henry Ratcliffe - 2657795
John Henry Ratcliffe was born in Rotherham on 23 October 1918 to Herbert Edward Ratcliffe and Elizabeth (nee Horton) of 154
Victoria St, Parkagte. After leaving school he was employed at Kilnhurst Colliery. He enlisted in either 1936 or 1937 and served in Palestine and Alexandria before war. He served as a Guardsman with the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, service number 2657795. His unit were serving in North Africa when Operation Brevity was launched on 15 May 1941. Nearly two weeks later the British were on the defensive and it was decided to halt the German advance and pulled back to defend Halfaya Pass, above Sollum, which was defended by a squadron of 4th RTR and 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards. On 27th May, a force of 70 German Tanks in three battle groups attacked Halfaya Pass and two weeks after the Operation had started the force holding it was pushed it out, with the Coldstream Guards falling back with the loss of 100 men. Guardsman Ratcliffe was reported missing in May 1941 and by he was reported as killed on 3 September 1942. John Henry Ratcliffe death is recorded as 27 May 1941, he was 23 years old, he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial. Note His elder brother Edward Lloyd George Ratcliffe was killed in 1943. |