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Maunsell , Errol Creagh (E C)

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Photo of Maunsell
Identity
Person No.
15657
Service No.
65932
Last Name
Maunsell 1
First Name
Errol Creagh
Initials
E C
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1895 (±1 yr) 598
Age at Death
47
Death Record
Date of Death
06 July 1942 131
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,655
Killed in action, during the rearguard action at the El Alamein bottle neck, while covering the retreat of the 8th Army from Bir Hacheim. He was tasked with leading a raiding party to capture some enemy soldiers but the armoured cars they were using were knocked out
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Captain
Regiment
Royal Natal Carbineers 221
Later renamed Natal Carbineers (1961)
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
UDF 24,809
Union Defence Force
Location
Country
Egypt 2,947
Locality
Unknown
Cemetery
ALAMEIN MEMORIAL 1,284
Grave Reference
Column 118. 9
Coordinates
30.83823, 28.94696 OSM
Memorial
Memorial for South African soldiers who died at El Alamein, 1942. Photo: Farawayman, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:South_African_Memorial_El_Alamein.jpg)
Names on Alamein Memorial (Missing)
Memorial
El Alamein War Cemetery and Memorial
Location
El Alamein, Matruh Governorate, Egypt
Address
El Alamein, Matruh Governorate, Egypt
Coordinates
30.83819, 28.94707 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
Alamein Memorial (Missing)
On the panel
Column 118.
Memorial
The Wayside Cross, with its 1914-1919 and 1939-1945 Roll of Honour plaques. Source: Pinetown Roll of Honour, Pinetown Museum (Hazel England).
Names on WWII Roll of Honour 1939-1945
Memorial
Wayside Cross
Location
Pinetown Library grounds, Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal
Address
67 Josiah Gumede (Old Main) Road, Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Coordinates
-29.8148, 30.8605 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
WWII Roll of Honour 1939-1945
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Role at time of death
Infantry (1st Bn); 2nd Bn converted to armour 1939-45 as 6th Reconnaissance Regiment, SA Tank Corps (Egypt)
Status
Active Citizen Force
WWII-only split: 1st Battalion fought as infantry; 2nd Battalion converted to armour, later amalgamated with 4th Armoured Car Regiment as 4th/6th ACR. Not a permanent whole-regiment Corps change. No SADF-era (1974-92) brigade attachment found in available sources -- left unrecorded rather than guessed.
Awards
Military Cross
Military Cross (MC)
United Kingdom
Notes

Son of Dr. Harry Maunsell and Miriam Maunsell; husband of Eileen Sheila Maunsell, of 15 Roberne Court, West Street, Durban. Born Mount Frere. A farmer then later an employment bureau owner. He had 1 daughter. Commemoration stone in Kwazulu-Natal, Pinetown, Anglican Church, St. John, Cemetery. On Pinetown, Kwazulu Natal Memorial.

Research notes


13 Sep 2026: Pinetown Roll of Honour confirms exactly: Capt E.C. Maunsell, M.C., seconded to the Royal Natal Carbineers, killed in action in the Libyan campaign 06-07-1942, named on the El Alamein Memorial. Served the South African Irish Regiment in WWI and received the M.C. for bravery at the Battle of Ypres. Named on the Wayside Cross, Pinetown.

Citations

LG Sup 7 March 1918 pg. 2925 - "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his line was raided by the enemy, and some posts driven in, he reconnoitred the line by daylight, and succeeded in re-establishing it. Later on, though in command of a clearing-up party, he collected men from other units and organised the line under heavy shell-fire, showing utter disregard of personal safety and inspiring all ranks with confidence."

LG Sup 7 March 1918 pg. 2925 p.2925
LG Sup 7 March 1918 pg. 2925 p.2925
Gazette page
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