Wilfred “Busty” Roberts

Guardsman · G1 Patrol

What this roll records

*** A MENTION IN DESPATCHES THAT MAY BE HIS, RECORDED HERE SO IT IS NOT LOST. *** The London Gazette of 4 July 1941, Supplement 35209, page 3887, carries “C. G’ds. Roberts, No. 2657805 Gdsmn. W.” in the Mentioned in Despatches list for the Middle East covering December 1940 to February 1941 — the Long Range Patrol’s first operations, Murzuk and Kufra. THE GAZETTE GIVES THE INITIAL W. This roll carries the number 2657805 and the Mention on the card of JAMES Roberts, also a Guardsman of G1 Patrol, while this card carries no service number at all. The obvious reading is that the W is Wilfred and that both the number and the Mention belong here rather than there. IT IS NOT ASSERTED, because no source has been found that settles which of the two men held 2657805. The question is written on both cards so that neither is trusted on its own.

Added from TRACKS article. North Africa — 16 Dec 1941, Maaten el Grara: prisoner of war. Source: TRACKS magazine (LRDG Association), Ian Chard, 'Not all were lucky — LRDG missing in North Africa', June 2023.

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Not By Strength But By Guile