
Henry Vann
In 1939 Henry was working as a weigh clerk at a local colliery.
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Only son of Frederick (Fred) and Ada Vann of 68 West Street, Warsop Vale.
Siblings: Gladys May (1909), Agnes (1911), Elsie (1913) and Ida (1915-1918).
He was baptised at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Church Warsop on 18th August 1920.
Irishbrigade.co.uk: 6th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers War Diary
22/4/1943: Djebel Ang.
09:00 O Group confrence plan for attack tonight on Tanngoucha is as follows. 'B' left, 'D' right will attack Tanngoucha under cover of creeping barrage of 78 Division artillery barrage. S/Ltrack running southfrom Pt 622. Bttn HQ will follow 'B' & 'D' coys. 'A' & 'C' coys in reserve with probable role of clearing south east and exploiting north. By daylight, the Bttn will be dug in facing northand be prepared to go forward to El Halfa 5746, by which time 2 LiR (London Irish Regiment) will have taken Heidous 5544 and have cleared the enemy for about 1/2 mile to the east of the RIrF (Royal Irish Fusiliers) on the north will have cleared high spurs 300 yds out of Pt 622 and mopped up Bergerine 5546.
Bttn alloted 105 mules. These are divided into F1, F2 and 'A' Echelons.
15:30 C.O. attends confrence of C.O's and Brigadier at HQ 2 LiR
17:00 Final co-ordinating confrence for Coy commanders
21:00 Zero for brigade attack on position Tanngoucha Pt 622 Butler's Hill.
Bttn objective Tanngoucha.
Bttn attacked with 2 coys forward 'D' right, 'B' left. Both coys got onto their objectivesunder an artillery barragebut 'D' coy on reaching the rocky outcrop was unable to dislodge the enemy concealed in caves and crevices and became pinned down under heavy fire at short range. On the left the RIrF failed to clean up Pt 622 consequently 'B' coy was exposed to heavy fire from both flanks.
From 23/4 to 25/4/1943 the brigade continued the attack on Tanngoucha and on the 3rd assault they finally manged to capture their objective.
The 6th lost 6 men on the 22nd and a further 11 men between 23rd and 25th of April.
The terrain around Tanngoucha was extremely difficult and their was no natural water supply, they had to bring water in by containers and were limited to 32 gallons per day for all activities. The only transport was by mules and they had been under mortar fire for several days before the attack.
Buried at Medjez-el-Bab Cemetery, Tunisia, plot 10. G.13.
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