Ernest (Ernie) James Harcombe was born on 31st July 1915. He married Freda in 1938 and they had a daughter, Jeanette, born in 1939. Sergeant Ernest Harcombe was a pre-war TA soldier and, like many of the core staff of 140 Regiment, was serving in 92nd Field Regiment prior to his transfer into the newly-formed 140 Field Regiment in 1939.
Ernest Harcombe as a new recruit
In 1940 he was one of the four Gun Sergeants (No 1) in ‘F’ Troop of 367 Battery. He was wounded on 28th May during the Cassel fighting and evacuated from Cassel before it was surrounded, presumably by using a route similar to Lt. Jack May.
Back in England, after recovery, he rejoined 140th Regiment and was posted to 504 Battery in Tunisia; by this time he had been promoted to Warrant Officer Class II and was Battery Sergeant Major.
Sergeant Ernest Harcombe, Dursley 1939
On 26th February 1943 a group of soldiers of 504 Battery were at the Battery Command Post priming hand grenades. This involved the delicate operation of inserting the detonator mechanism into the grenade body. Something went wrong and a grenade exploded killing Harcombe out right and wounding eight others.
Medjez-el-Bab Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery.
B.S.M. Ernest Harcombe was 27 years of age when he died. He was originally interred in Bou Arada Military Cemetery and was reinterred in the Medjez-el-Bab Commonwealth War Cemmetry in Tunisia on 13th July 1944.
BSM Ernest Harcombe
His great nephew Stephen Capon visited Medjez-el-Bab during Christmas time 2011 and left a photo of Ernest and a brief account of his family with the records in the gardeners’ hut. He is the only family member who has been there. His family have two letters of condolence from Major Dennis Clarke and the Regiment’s commanding officer Lt Col Twomey. With permission I’ve reproduced those letters below:
‘Dear Mrs Harcombe
Please accept my fullest sympathy in your great loss.
Your husband’s death was a great shock and loss to us in the Battery, almost as it must be to you. He lost his life very bravely trying to prevent others from injury – an action typical of him and of which we are all proud.
It is a great personal sorrow to me to lose him. He was my loyallest servant in the Battery, took a pride and interest in his work and was an example to all men at all times. I hope I shall have an opportunity of meeting you when we return.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help in any way. I shall only be too glad to do so.
Yours very sincerely
DW Clarke. Maj. R.A.’
‘My Dear Mrs Harcombe
I want to assure you of the great sympathy everyone in my regiment feels for you just now.
Your husband’s death in action – one of our first casualties – is a terrible shock and loss to us. I think we all feel we have lost a good friend and as a regimental commander I have lost my best Battery Sergeant Major.
I can tell you that he suffered no pain before he died. As to the circumstances and place of his death and grave, we shall be able to tell you more when the lapse of time makes security and censorship less important.
Yours very sincerely
LP Twomey. Lt. Col. R.A.’