Captain Sidney George Armstrong
2nd Battalion Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment

Early Life

Sidney was the son of George and Mary Armstrong. George was a police constable from Newbury, Berkshire who rose to the rank of inspector. Mary was from Watlington in Oxfordshire.

Sidney was born in Egham, Surrey in 1906 and was baptised at St. John's Church, Egham on 6 January 1907. He had at least two sisters, Edith and Frances, and a brother Richard. In about 1910 the family moved to Dawney Hill in Pirbright.

In April 1911 Sidney was a patient at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford. This may have been due to ill health or possibly an accident (he was later noted as having a scar on his neck).

Sidney was one of the first intakes at the school and attended from 1919 to 1923. He represented the school at cricket and his hobby was bell ringing for which he was well known at many local churches.

World War 2

Sidney was working as a clerk at the Vickers airplane factory in Weybridge when he enlisted with the Royal Army Medical corps (RAMC) on 3 February 1933 (service number 189082). He was a rather tall man for the time standing just a shade under six feet. He signed up for seven years followed by five years in reserve.

In 1940 Sidney was called up from reserve and commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment. He served in Egypt, Syria and Palestine and at one point was taken prisoner but later released. He married a girl called Helen from Durban, South Africa probably during leave in Cairo where Helen worked (possibly as a nurse). He was later promoted to acting Captain.

Meanwhile in Libya the strategically important harbour of Tobruk had been taken from the Italians. Churchill's decision to take out the more experienced troops and send them to Greece left the remaining (mostly Australian) troops exposed to Rommel's Afrika Corps who promptly besieged the city.

The Queen's sailed from Syria on 21 September 1941 and landed in Libya the following day as part of Operation Crusader, tasked with relieving the troops defending Tobruk.

2nd Battalion Queen's Royal Regiment at Tobruk

On 4 December 1941 in what was to prove one of the final engagements of the siege Sidney was in command of C Company. The Axis troops had suffered heavy casualties and were running out of tanks and fuel. It was noted they were gradually drifting westward. The decision was made for A and C Company Queen's to retake positions they had previously held together with support from 2/13th Australian Infantry and tanks. Unfortunately the tanks failed to find the start line and the Australians cancelled the attack.

Not knowing the Australians change of plan C Company led the attack on a bright moonlit night. They were met with withering machine gun fire and mortars. Sidney was killed crossing open ground to liaise with A company. Learning of the Australians decision the attack was then cancelled. The following morning it was discovered the Germans had abandoned their positions.

There is some confusion about the date of Sidney's death his gravestone gives 7 December and the Queen's Royal Regiment web site states the 4 December.

Sidney's grave in Tobruk

Sidney is buried in Tobruk War Cemetery (grave 8.N.11.). He was 35 years old when he died.

If you have any corrections or further information please contact me.