Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second World War immediate M.M. awarded to Private A. Masia, Natal Medical Corps, who escaped from captivity in Tobruk and trekked some 300 miles over 25 days to reach British lines south of El Alamein - his journey taking in the desolate Qattara Depression, normally home to roving L.R.D.G. and S.A.S. patrols

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (22191 Pte. A. Masia, N.M.C.), edge bruising, very fine £1000-1200

M.M. London Gazette 11 March 1943. The original “Most Secret” M.I. 9 recommendation - for an immediate award - states:

‘Privates Malale, Mohlala and Masia (the two latter, No. 18440 and No. 22191 of Q Services, 4th S.A. Brigade and 14th S.A. Field Ambulance, U.D.F., have also been recommended for M.Ms), were captured on 21 June 1942 when Tobruk fell. After about a fortnight, they found themselves in the same camp, and escaped together on the night of 3-4 August, during a heavy raid. Four others escaped with them. Each had a water-bottle and 2-gallon tin of water, and three packets of biscuits. They had heard that the British lines were near El Alamein.

For four days they marched South and then East for two days. The other four decided they could not risk travelling so far from the coast and turned inland. These three thought they had a better chance of getting through by remaining South. After 15 days they crossed the wire. They kept South and went down into the Qattara Depression.

The day before they were picked up they found an Indian and S.A. native under a group of palm trees, without water and hardly able to walk. They gathered that they had come from Tobruk. On 30 August 1942, they were found by an armoured car. They told the crew about the two men under the palm trees and understood that a party would be sent back for them. They had travelled the whole distance at night, guided for the first half of the journey by our bombers going to and from Tobruk.

This was an excellent performance on the part of all three escapers, though the interrogator had the impression that Private Malale was the leader of the party. They had good memories and brought back valuable information. This, their thoughtfulness, even when exhausted by their trek, in sending back a patrol to rescue the other two escapers they met by the way, the fact they knew exactly before starting the enormous distance they would have to cover before reaching our lines, and the knowledge that tempting offers are made to South Africans by the enemy, combine to present a very fine example of courage and perseverance and devotion to duty.’

Alfred Masia, who was from Duivelskloof, South Africa, enlisted in the Union Defence Force in May 1941 and was posted to 14th S.A. Field Ambulance that July. Following his successful escape from Tobruk, he appears to have been attached to a Motor Transport Company, and was re-embarked for South Africa in April 1944. He was presented with his M.M. at Johannesburg on 5 October 1945.