Lieutenant Michael H. Weaver, 1st King's Dragoon Guards
In the Second World War Lieutenant Michael Herron Weaver K.C., B.A. (Cantab), Service No 79237, served with the 1st King's Dragoon Guards (Royal Armoured Corps). He was the son of Frederick William Herron Weaver and Lucy May Louise Weaver. Lieut. Weaver lost his life at the age of 29 on 17 October 1941 during the Desert campaign in the Middle East and is buried in the Tobruk War Cemetery, Libya (Grave No 6.N.12). He had been 'Mentioned in Despatches' and was also a Barrister by profession.
Michael Weaver was an Old Etonian and attended Trinity College, Cambridge where he was Captain of the University Skiing Team. Curiously, this fact is mentioned in the citation given by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. While reading back issues of 'The Whitehaven News' in the Cumbria County Archives I came across an article about Lieutenant Weaver. In 1936 he had been adopted by the Conservative Party as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate in the Labour-held Workington Constituency. Because of the war he never actually stood for election in the Workington Consituency.
According to 'The Whitehaven News' Lieut. Weaver had - for a short time in 1938 - been engaged to the Hon. Jacquline Vereker, the only daughter of General Viscount Gort, V.C., although the engagement had later been broken off. Lieut. Weaver was evidently well educated and well connected. He fought and died in North Africa against Rommel's forces. May he rest in peace.
Michael Weaver was an Old Etonian and attended Trinity College, Cambridge where he was Captain of the University Skiing Team. Curiously, this fact is mentioned in the citation given by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. While reading back issues of 'The Whitehaven News' in the Cumbria County Archives I came across an article about Lieutenant Weaver. In 1936 he had been adopted by the Conservative Party as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate in the Labour-held Workington Constituency. Because of the war he never actually stood for election in the Workington Consituency.
According to 'The Whitehaven News' Lieut. Weaver had - for a short time in 1938 - been engaged to the Hon. Jacquline Vereker, the only daughter of General Viscount Gort, V.C., although the engagement had later been broken off. Lieut. Weaver was evidently well educated and well connected. He fought and died in North Africa against Rommel's forces. May he rest in peace.
posted by ritsonvaljos at 8:42 pm
3 Comments:
The 1st KDG's as they were always known to us were largely unherallded as they were an Armoured car regiment invariably in reconnaisance roles and at the beck and call of any division who needed "eyes to the front"
in this regard in the early desert actions they were overshadowed by the more famous 11th Hussars - the Cherrypickers - who had the good fortune to be aligned with the equally famous 7th Armoured Division in the march from the 1940 Early Wire days to Berlin.
Whereas the KDG's were mainly in the support groups with people like Jock Campbell at Beda Fomm and Sidi Rezigh and a long time on wireless duty at Tobruk for the "Tobruk Tanks". Further battles saw them at Alamein through to Tunis - Salerno and they were first into Naples as well as the advance to Arezzo and Florence before rejoining their erstwhile colleages of El Hamma days in 1st Armoured Division at the Gothic Line.
They probably saw as much action as any other unit in that war, there were few survivors of that long journey from Eqypt in 1940 to the Alps in 1945.
I sometimes sit and ponder,on how we managed to emerge from the war in as good a state as we did.When I think of all the young men of the caliber of Lt. Weaver,who in other circumstances would have lead us to a better and more prosperous life.
God rest all of their souls.
Thanks for the additional information.
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