King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

Second World War

8th Battalion, King's Own in Malta 1941-43 - Page One

The cruiser HMS Manchester which was attacked by Italian torpedo-bombers en route from Gibraltar to Malta with soldiers of the 8th Battalion on board on 23rd July 1941.  A number of the crew and five officers and seven men of the battalion were killed.  The dead are commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial. The battalion resumed its journey to Malta on the cruisers HMS Hermione and Arethusa and the minelayer HMS Manxman on 1st August 1941. 
Accession Number KO1277/27

The cruiser HMS Arethusa.
Accession Number KO1277/22

Officers of the 8th Battalion, Malta, 1941.  Left to right, back row, Lt Sharpe, 2nd Lt Grimes, Captain Mills, Lt Thornton, 2nd Lt Chater, Captain Rhodes, 2nd Lt Radcliffe, 2nd Lt Johnson, Lt Beesley, Lt Keith-Robinson.  Middle row: Captain MacDonald, 2nd Lt Freeman, Lt Turner, Lt Stephenson, Lt Brigden, 2nd Lt Drewery, 2nd Lt Dullender, Captain Griffiths (Medical Officer), Lt Brady, Captain Warren, Lt Davenport.  Front row: Captain Stewart, Major Morrison, Major Stanton, Lt Coates (Quartermaster), Captain Clemence (Adjutant), Lt Colonel Westropp (Commanding Officer), Major Davidson (Second in Command), Major Huntington, Captain Garnett, Captain Martin.  Absent Lt Brooker.
Accession Number KO2490/410

Senior Non-commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers of the 8th Battalion in Malta in 1941/42.  Lt Colonel Westropp is pictured in the dark forage cap in the centre, to the right of him is Regimental Sergeant Major Domini.
Accession Number KO1277/26

8th Battalion, King's Own Malta 1941-43 - Page Two