A superb Second War 1942 ‘Battle of Gazala’ Immediate M.M. awarded to Corporal, later Lieutenant, A. McLachlan, Royal Durban Light Infantry, one of “The Three Fighting Macs”, who gained legendary regimental status when he and Privates McDermid and McKenzie successfully stormed 4 heavily defended sangars, 2 June 1942; the last he attempted to take on his own with a broken Tommy Gun. McLachlan was twice wounded, including at the battle of Alam el Halfa, 31 August 1942, and he led a platoon in the capture of 15 prisoners and a 20mm gun during Operation Lightfoot - as part of the Second Battle of El Alamein. Commissioned, he continued to lead by personal example throughout the campaign in Italy, and took the surrender of 63 men of the 296th Regiment during the assault on the Mount Sole Massif in April 1945

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2206 Cpl. A. McLachlan. 1 R.D.L.I.) minor official correction to unit, very fine £1800-2200

M.M. London Gazette 13 August 1942 (originally recommended for an Immediate D.C.M.):

‘For conspicuous courage, initiative, and devotion to duty in action at Gazala on 2 June 1942.

At 0900 hrs. on 2 June, Cpl. McLachlan and two other volunteers went out beyond the minefield ahead of their sec. post to ascertain the results of enemy activity the previous night.

A well camouflaged observation post, with telephone link to the rear and commanding a view of a neighbouring bn. sector, was observed.

Closer investigation showed it was also a machine gun nest, consisting of at least 3 sangars, each occupied by 2 Germans.

Displaying commendable qualities of leadership, coolness and bravery, Cpl. McLachlan decided to destroy the posn. He detailed a man to attack each sangar. Cpl. McLachlan overcame his 2 opponents, assisted one of his own men, and kept the occupants of a fourth sangar subdued with his fire until they surrendered. 5 Germans were killed, 3 taken prisoner and two M.G.s and other arms captured.’

Archibald McLachlan served with the 1st Battalion Royal Durban Light Infantry, as part of the 3rd South African Infantry Brigade, 1st South African Division, during the Western Desert Campaign. By the start of February 1942, the Gazala defences were organised on a two division basis, with the left (southern) sector occupied by the 4th Indian Division and the 1st SA Division taking responsibility for the right sector, reaching down to the sea. Whilst Rommel advanced through ‘The Cauldron’ in May, the 1st SA Division’s position north of the Gazala line, and opposite the German 15th Rifle Brigade and the Italian Sabratha and Trento Divisions remained relatively quiet. It was into this ‘stalemate’ that McLachlan led his men on a raid. His actions are recorded in a chapter entitled ‘Encounter of the Three Fighting Macs’ from The Durban Light Infantry 1935-1960:

‘In the early morning of the 1st June the enemy was back again. About 50 were located in front of “A” Company where there was good cover. These were driven off with mortar and machine-gun fire at 3.30am.... The minefields were again attended to. Major Metcalfe, Lieut. Norris and others allowed tapes which had been laid by the Germans to remain, but altered their direction somewhat imperceptibly, so as to direct anyone following the tapes towards nicely prepared positions with machine-guns on fixed lines.

All were alerted for a night attack, and special advance listening posts were set up.

Soon was to occur the spirited encounter known as that of “The Three Fighting Macs”.

Major Metcalfe had assigned to Cpl. Archibald McLachlan’s section the duty of listening at a post forward of “A” Company sector. The section played matches to decide whether Nobby Clark, “Peewee” Phillips or E. W. S. McKenzie was to mount the post. It fell to McKenzie. He did not relish the job. As the dark night deepened, the atmosphere amongst the bushes and rocks of the ridge became more and more eerie. The bushes seemed to move, and even the rocks. Then he heard someone crawling. To his relief it turned out to be Nobby Clark who had decided to share his vigil with him... At 1am they heard sounds from the enemy, which they reported and they prepared to open up with a Spandau. The night passed without incident, however.

In the early morning Major Metcalfe told McKenzie that he was not satisfied and wanted positive information of any developments ahead. McKenzie pushed forward into the rocky scrub but saw nothing and reported accordingly. This did not satisfy Major Metcalfe and he instructed Cpl. McLachlan to make further investigations. Cpl. McLachlan was about to set out with Pte. G. R. McDermid when McKenzie said: “If you two Macs are going, I am going too.” So the trio set out in single file, McDermid, McLachlan, and McKenzie, in that order. The two former were armed with tommy-guns, McKenzie with a rifle.

They picked their way along the lower scrub on the northern side of the ridge which ran from east to west from “A” Company lines to Pt. 141. After they had gone some distance McKenzie’s attention was caught by a sound higher up the ridge and behind them. He then spotted a black Spandau box projecting from behind some scrub. He drew McLachlan’s attention to it, and with the aid of field glasses he quickly picked out three sangars occupied by the enemy and distant about 6 yards from each other. The sangars were shaped like three horse-shoes with the open ends pointing towards Pt. 141. It was obvious that the enemy were unaware of their presence.

Cpl. McLachlan quickly gave his orders. Each was to attack a sangar. McDermid was to take the most westerly one, McLachlan the middle one, and McKenzie the easterly one. The movement was well co-ordinated and expertly executed.

Though the surprise was complete, complications immediately developed, and the Macs were to be surprised.

McKenzie found two Germans in his sangar, one with a Spandau. Firing from the hip he dealt with the man at the Spandau but was not sure whether he had killed him. The second man put up his hands, but when he saw that McKenzie was reloading he knocked his rifle clean out of his hands and made a dart for it. McKenzie was a rugby player and did an immediate dive tackle to bring down his man. The German started hitting him on the head with a stone but McKenzie also knew something of Judo and countered with a neck chop. It was now that he discovered that there was yet a fourth sangar and that the Germans in it were about to make in his direction. They had, however, to reckon with McLachlan.

This stout-hearted soldier had had difficulties similar to those of McKenzie. He had shot one German and thought he had got the other, when he spotted the fourth sangar. Whilst his attention was momentarily distracted by this, the second man in his sangar caught him from behind by the neck. McLachlan hit him with the butt of his tommy gun, and, though this broke, it appeared that he had knocked out his man. However, as the fight developed he was able to crawl away unobserved to reinforce the fourth sangar. This was because McDermid was in trouble and needed the assistance of McLachlan.

McDermid had opened on his sangar at two yards distance and had killed one German with his first burst. His tommy gun then jammed and, though his second opponent put up his hands, McDermid, exposed to fire from the fourth sangar, attempted to coax him to an in between position. Tripping, he fell over backwards. His opponent immediately fell on him, about 200 pounds on top of 140. McDermid, despite this great disadvantage, secured a head lock but was repeatedly bumped up and down by the German. McLachlan kept telling McDermid to shoot, but he dared not reply that his gun was jammed. He then hit his opponent with the butt of the gun, but, as in the case of McLachlan, it broke. McLachlan then realised the seriousness of the situation. He rushed to McDermid’s assistance and rendered his opponent unconscious by hitting him on the head with the steel part of his gun.

The fourth sangar, which occupied a commanding position, was manned by the unteroffisier and two men, one of whom had escaped from McLachlan’s sangar. McKenzie’s struggle was still proceeding and McLachlan had to neutralise the fourth sangar, which was throwing stick grenades. He engaged it with his damaged tommy gun and sent McDermid off for help.

Shortly after, Ptes. Flanaghan, King and Brown appeared. Brown was ordered to move round to the right to cut off any retreat of the enemy. King was ordered to fire with his Bren gun from the hip, and Flanaghan was sent round on the left. King having killed two, the unteroffisier surrendered.

Meantime the versatile McKenzie had had a grim struggle. He had dragged his man to that side of the sangar remote from the fourth, but every now and then caught a glimpse of a German behind a Spandau pointing straight at him. He did not know for certain that the German was dead, and it added to his concern. However, by the time help arrived, fifteen minutes from the beginning of the struggle, McKenzie had reduced his man to submission.

The net result was 5 Germans killed and 3 captured. They were identified as of 6 Company, 361 Afrika Regiment. The booty, which consisted of two Spandaus, two or three Lugers, some rifles, much ammunition and a telephone, was brought in by Cpl. Coleman’s section. McKenzie, badly battered about the head, was our only casualty, requiring treatment for a while in hospital.....

The elimination of the post was a matter of some consequence. It had been an advanced observation post for the direction of artillery fire on the Imperial Light Horse, immediately to the right of the Royal Durban Light Infantry. When the matter was reported at 11am, Brigadier Palmer offered his cordial congratulations the Battalion. On the following day he visited the lines especially to congratulate McLachlan and McDermid. He then visited the Advance Dressing Station to congratulate McKenzie. Cpl. McLachlan was awarded an immediate Military Medal. Partly because of this exploit, partly because he had a fine record on numerous hazardous patrols , on one of which he had been wounded, and also because of his gallantry on the 13th July, 1942, when Rommel tried to break through the “A” Company position at Alamein, McKenzie was also awarded a Military Medal.’

The Regimental history also records that McLachlan was wounded, having advanced to Sergeant, during the Battle of Alam el Halfa, as part of the South African counter raids on Rommel’s troops:

‘At 10.30pm on the night of the 31st August [1942] the company passed through the gap in the lines of the Rand Light Infantry and went to ground slightly in front of the enemy wire. The guns opened up at 10.55pm and the enemy reacted promptly. Innumerable flares went up and beams of light were directed towards the raiders. Early casualties were Sgt. McLachlan, L/Cpl. R. S. Clark, and Ptes. E. W. S. McKenzie and P. Flanaghan, two of whom had taken part in the encounter of “The Three Fighting Macs”.’

McLachlan was in action again during Operation Lightfoot, 23/24 October 1942, as part of the Second Battle of El Alamein:

‘No. 6 Platoon, though active in the advance, was lucky throughout. Sgt. A. McLachlan, M.M., with his men attacked a strong-point firing into dugouts and rooting out an Italian officer and 10 men. Previously they had taken two German prisoners and now came upon two more firing a 20mm. A charge resulted in both Germans being wounded by bayonet and captured. As the section moved on, Pte. de Klerk looked round and saw one of the Germans pick up and throw a hand grenade. He and his associate paid the penalty. The section ended by taking one German officer and a mixed bag of 20 Germans and Italians.’ (Ibid)

After the Second Battle of El Alamein, McLachlan and the Durban Light Infantry found themselves re-allocated to the 6th South African Armoured Division. He served, having been commissioned Second Lieutenant, with the latter as part of the campaign on mainland Italy 1944-45, and distinguished himself once again during the grand assault on Monte Sole massif. Mount Sole, and the surrounding objectives were taken in a series of well co-ordinated night attacks, assisted by the heavy tactical bombing 15/16 April 1945:

‘Our occupation was, however, not to go unchallenged, as the experience of the Royal Durban Light Infantry was soon to show.... Hitler’s suicidal orders of no withdrawal anywhere at any time, still had the effect of inducing his best troops to fight fanatically.

The time had now come for the Royal Durban Light Infantry to attack across the extremely difficult razor-backed ridge running north-eastwards to Pt. 606, Collina, Nuvoleta, and Santa Barbara. The attack was to be supported by considerable artillery and mortar fire...

Despite... serious intrusion between it and its Start-Line, “A” Company did not hesitate for a moment. All ranks adapted themselves to the unexpected development, and a sharp encounter resulted.

Major R. H. B. Wilson, commanding “A” Company, always cool under any circumstances, was well able to cope with the situation, even though the enemy, supported by heavy mortars, machine-guns and Schmeisser fire, was coming in at right angles to his line of advance. He quickly readjusted his positions, and attacked.

Lieut. D. C. Sharp commanded No. 1 Platoon, 2/Lieut. A. McLachlan, M.M., No. 2 Platoon, and 2/Lieut. D. E. Snell, No. 3 Platoon. The company was still 300 yards short of the Start-Line at 11.35pm, but had secured it by 6 minutes after midnight, having overcome the enemy and taken 10 prisoners.

Pte. E. W. Leppan of No. 2 Platoon has written:

“Lieut. Archie McLachlan, appreciating the need for immediate action, shouted ‘Follow me’, and made directly for the area from which the enemy was firing, mainly from pill-boxes. By using grenades we were able to break through and shortly afterwards took up positions in the German trenches. Some of these led down into deep cave-like rooms. Trenches and rooms gave evidence of having been hastily vacated. Stoves and women’s clothing were in evidence. There was no doubt that the Germans had been very comfortably set up. From our new position we had a good view of what lay ahead.

Many little skirmishes continued with isolated pockets of the enemy. Raising one’s head brought Spandau fire. Lieut. McLachlan was fortunate to survive a burst from one. Our Bren gun team got a line on it, and put it out of action.” (Ibid)

The Regiment continued to be involved in the fierce fighting along the ridge, until 18 April:

‘At 3.45pm a German officer and 2 non-commissioned officers arrived with a white flag. They wished to surrender a company of 63 men. They were No. 3 Company of 296 Regiment, and brought the total bag by the Regiment in the Sole - Collina - Nuvoleta - Santa Barbara operations to 101. The Major who surrendered with his men to 2/Lieut. A. McLachlan, had fought at Collina....

The casualties sustained by the Regiment in the operations which started with the Sole patrols on the night of the 13th/14th April ended on the 18th, were 7 killed, 58 wounded, not including 4 attached troops who were wounded.

The Regiment was relieved at Santa Barbara on the morning of the 19th April, and pulled back to La Quercia to rest.’

McLachlan advanced to Lieutenant, and continued to serve with the Royal Durban Light Infantry throughout the advance to the Alps.