John Frederick Boyce Combe

Major-General John Frederick Boyce Combe CB DSO (1 August 1895 - 12 July 1967) was a British Army officer before and during World War II.

Early life

John Frederick Boyce Combe was the son of Captain Christian Combe and Lady Jane Seymour Conyngham.

In 1914, Combe joined the B Squadron of the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own).

World War II

Lieutenant Colonel Combe was the commanding officer of the 11th Hussars for the initial stages of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. He took over before the war and was partly responsible for the high level of training that prepared the regiment for the battles in North Africa. Under Combe's command, the regiment played a part during the early British raids into Libya and as part of the cover force for the Western Desert Force (WDF) during the Italian invasion of Egypt. The 11th Hussars were part of the divisional troops of the WDF's 7th Armoured Division

Combe Force

Combe played a major part in the defeat of the Italian Tenth Army during Operation Compass. While commanding an "ad hoc" flying column known as "Combe Force," his area of command extended beyond the 11th Hussars and encompassed other tank regiments and batteries of Royal Horse Artillery (RHA). In February 1941, Combe and "Combe Force" cut off the retreating Italians at Beda Fomm. Unable to break through his defensive lines, the bulk of the Tenth Army surrendered. This action proved to be Combe's finest hour.

POW and post-war

Combe was promoted to Brigadier General on 3 April 1941, handing over command of the 11th Hussars to Lieutenant Colonel W. I. Leetham. He was appointed adviser to Lieutenant General Sir Philip Neame, the new commander of the British XIII Corps. On 7 April 1941, Combe was captured by the Germans on his way to report for duty. He was taken to mainland Italy and held as a prisoner of war (POW) there. General Richard O'Connor, the former commander of the Western Desert Force (which became the XIII Corps), and Neame were in the group of British captives. [Mead, "Churchill's Lions: A biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II," p.333.]

In March 1943, Combe escaped from Castle Vincigliata, near Florence in central Italy. But he was recaptured in Como in northern Italy, just a few kilometers far from Switzerland. Combe remained a POW until 14 May 1944.

In July 1945, Combe was made Colonel of the regiment and held the post for twelve years. He retired in 1957 with the rank of Major General and died on 12 July 1967.

Marriage

On 21 July 1947, Combe married Helen Violet St. Maur, daughter of Major Lord Percy St. Maur and Hon. Violet White.

ee also

* List of POW camps in Italy
* Portee

Footnotes

References

*cite book|first=Major Kenneth| last=Macksey| authorlink=Kenneth Macksey| coauthors=| series=Ballentine's Illustrated History of the Violent Century, Battle Book Number 22| title=Beda Fomm: Classic Victory| publisher=Ballantine Books|date=| origdate=1971| isbn=
*cite book | first=Richard| last=Mead| title=Churchill's Lions: A biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II| year=2007| publisher=Spellmount| location=Stroud (UK)| pages=544 pages| isbn=978-1-86227-431-0
*cite book|first=Ian W. | last=Walker| title=Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts : Mussolini's elite armoured divisions in North Africa| publisher=Crowood| date=2003| location=Marlborough| | isbn=1-86126-646-4