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Second Lieutenant, Lawrence "Laurie" JACOBSON, 126616, 4th Troop, "A" Squadron, XIth Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) Royal Armoured Corps Killed in action on Sunday 15th June 1941, aged 26 The son of Mr Sol [Anglo African Shipping Company] and Mrs Sarah Jacobson. Husband of Mrs Alethia Michael [Wilder] Jacobson, of No 65 Teignmouth Road in London [SW2]. Father of Mr Erroll Jacobson-Sive [Boston MA, USA] Errol was only 7 months old when his Father died. Brother of Ben, Leon, Edith [Lipworth] Sylvia [Shapiro] Dora [Penn] Ella [Mitchell] Lily [Blumberg] Bets [Silman] Gertie [Keidan] and Mavis [Kingsley] Jacobson. Uncle of Mrs June Kaplan [Kingsley] Mr John Jacobson, Mrs Audrey Holman [Jacobson] Mr Selwyn Jacobson Laurie who was born on the 26th January 1915 in Johannesburg in South Africa was educated at The Perse School in Cambridge from January 1928 to July 1932. During Laurie's time at Perse he boarded in the Jewish House [Hillel House] and by 1931-2 he had become a House Prefect also gaining the rank of Lance Corporal in the O.T.C [Officer Training Corps]. Laurie's passion while at Perse was Rugby in which he excelled by gaining his 2nd XV colours and playing hooker for the 1st XV twice as well as being awarded the Pelican colours, the highest award for Perse sportsmen during the 1930-1932 seasons. After leaving School Laurie joined the Family business [Anglo African Shipping Company] which was set up by his Parents and older Brothers Ben and Leon prior to enlisting, and being commissioned into the 11th Hussars. Joining them in Cairo on the 10th March 1941 "as one of our youngest Officers" ["The Eleventh at War" Page 174] Laurie was killed in action when his 4th Troop was attacked by German fighter aircraft in the "Hafid Ridge" area which also cost the life of Cpl, James Worthington. Lawrence is commemorated on the El Alamein War Memorial in Egypt on Column 19. Also on the Arcadia Jewish Orphanage War Memorial, South Africa. Perse School, 1939-1945, Roll of Honour. Roll of Honour Land Forces WW2 Volume 1 Page 92. Royal Armoured Corps, 1939-1945, Roll of Honour, Book 1. 1939-1945 War Medal, 1939-1945 Star and Africa Star Family Dedication; "May we and the world not forget his sacrifice; lovingly remembered by Erroll, Margaret, Emma, Caleb and Jane" (My gratitude to all of Laurie's Family, Perse School, Julian Gecelter, Lt/Col W Bergman, the South African Jewish Report and the Jewish Chronicle for their help and kindness shown) Roll of Honour - 1941 | Leamington Observer http://www.leamingtonobserver.co.uk/2014/01/13/memorial-Roll-of-Honour---1941-58129.html

War Diaries For The 11th Hussars, (Prince Albert's Own) 10/3/41 Major AT Smail, Lt H Petch DCM. 2Lt L Jacobson, 2Lt GK Burness, 2Lt AJL Smithers 2Lt RA Rapp and 129 ORs joined the Regt from England. Of the 129 ORs, 43 were 11th Hussars reservists who had been serving with various other regiments since the outbreak of war. Many of them had previously served with the Regt in Egypt. 29/5/41 A Sqn. At 1000 hours 4Tp under command of Lt Jacobson was pursued by 3 enemy 8 wheeled ACs. He retired South and the enemy ACs halted 2 miles South of KHREIGAT. They then retired in a NW direction. 3/6/41 A Sqn. At 0900 hours 4Tp Lt Jacobson reported 5 MET in the SIDI SULEIMAN area and at 1130 hours they reported 3 MET RUWEIBIT EL WARRANI. Later on these MET moved West and NW and then moved out of sight. 4/6/41 A Sqn. 4Tp Lt Jacobson who was at ALAM EL ARAD 522357 reported during the morning movement of MET in the SIDI SULEIMAN area and 4 MET came South as far as RUWEIBIT EL WARRANI. At 1830 hours 9 MET were reported in the SIWEIYAT area but at last light the whole area was reported clear. 15/6/41 A Sqn. The Sqn moved at 0530 hours to area 499355. The Sqn was responsible for the recce and observation for the line SIDI OMAR – GABREL GERRARI – GABR EL MEDWAR – BIR LEMLIN. This was to take place when the 7th Armd Bde advanced from MONASTIR X tracks 516361 to BP 40 and thence to BIR HAFID 506375. Troops were given the following tasks:- 1Tp Sgt Parry to recce BIR GHIRBA, BIR HAFID and Pt. 204 509377. 3Tp Sgt Beedham to recce GABREL GERRARI, GABR EL SHADEW to GABR EL MEDWAR. At 0940 hours 1Tp and 3Tp were in the BIR GHIRBA and GABR EL GERRARI areas respectively and Sgt Parry contacted 2nd RTR in the GHIRBA area. He reported movement on the BIR HAFID ridge at 506374 but this was later reported as being friendly. 1Tp was then told to push on the BIR HAFID but when he was within 300 yards of that position he was heavily fired on from what he considered to be a very strongly held position, consisting A/Tk guns and artillery firing over open sights. He dropped back and personally gave this valuable information to the Commander of 2nd RTR. Meanwhile 3Tp was moving from GABR EL GERRARI to GABR EL SHADEW and 4Tp at 0945 hours was ordered to move out and watch the western flank from Pt. 201 496367. At 1144 hours 3Tp was in position at GABR EL MEDWAR but 15 minutes later retired to GABR EL SHADEW as he was heavily shelled from BIR HAFID. At 1155 hours BIR HAFID position was under heavy fire from our own guns. During the next hour that place was subjected to two tank attacks by us. From 1200 hours throughout the afternoon 3Tp gave good reports of movement from the North, and reported on a column at 496380, 25 MET mostly AFVs and also 9 AFVs at 500380, and was able to see any movement into BIR HAFID from the North or NW. During this time 1Tp had been giving information on the HAFID area. At 1635 hours the column being watched by 3Tp and was at 496380 appeared to be moving NW. At 1815 hours 4Tp was heavily attacked by 7 Me 110’s and all 3 cars were put out of action, 2 of them completely burnt out. 2Tp were sent out from SHQ to render assistance and brought back 9 wounded men. Lt Jacobson and Tpr Worthington subsequently died. 5Tp took over took over 4Tp patrol. At 1945 hours the enemy who had returned to the 496380 area and who had been refuelling from 1900 hours, commenced to move South with a column of about 40 vehicles of which 30 were tanks, and at the same time a second column of 20 tanks moved under heavy shellfire South from the HAFID RIDGE. The western column advanced very quickly South to the 369 Grid line, while the eastern column came as far South as BIR GHIRBA. 1Tp maintained touch with the eastern column whilst 3Tp and 5Tp did the same with the western column. Both columns were engaged by our artillery and tanks. The 3 Tps mentioned above maintained a listening watch during the night. SHQ leaguered at 499358 where Mr Jacobson and Tpr Worthington were buried. http://www.warlinks.com/armour/11_hussars/11huss_41.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Battleaxe#Assault_on_Hafid_Ridge_repulsed