Donald Gavin “Don” Steele
Major · NZ #8855 · R (LRP) · OBE, MID
| Rank | Major |
|---|---|
| Service number | NZ #8855 |
| Patrol | R (LRP) |
| Regiment | 27th (Machine Gun) Battalion |
| Known as | “Don” |
| Born | 1912-03-22 |
| Honours | OBE, MID |
| Campaign medals | War Medal 1939-45, NZ War Service Medal |
| Record | https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C141812 |
What this roll records
The Kiwi Scorpions (Brendan O'Carroll) — formation of the LRP patrols, 1940: At formation Second-Lieutenant D. G. Steele (a New Zealander) commanded the third — R — Patrol, intended to carry supplies; until they had gained desert experience the New Zealanders were not at first expected to lead fighting patrols.
Patrol R: named as an R Patrol member in Brendan O'Carroll, "The Long Range Desert Group in North Africa".
Patrol: LRP R Patrol officer (Capt. D.G. Steele). Brendan O'Carroll, "R Patrol, Long Range Desert Group" (R Patrol Truck Names and Officers appendix).
PATROL COMMANDER of R (LRP) per W.B. Kennedy Shaw, "Long Range Desert Group", Appendix 4 Patrol Commanders.
On original LRP Roll (5 Dec 1940): R — OC R Patrol; OC A(NZ) Sqn LRDG; 2 i/c NZ Bn. Source: LRP Roll (Original LRP Nominal Roll as at 5 Dec 1940, Capt L H Browne).
On the R Patrol Nominal Roll, 31 March 1941: Captain Steele D.G. (O.C.). Source: Brendan O'Carroll, 'R Patrol, Long Range Desert Group' (R Patrol Nominal Roll, 31 March 1941).
Farmer in civilian life. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
Full name Donald Gavin. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
The Kiwi Scorpions (Brendan O'Carroll): Lt-Col D. G. Steele — farmer, Lake Roto Ma; born Wellington, 22 Mar 1912; patrol commander LRP and LRDG; OC A (NZ) Squadron LRDG 1941–42; CO 22 NZ (Mot) Bn 1944; CO 27 NZ (MG) Bn 1944.
Patrol commander: commanded R Patrol (LRP). Kiwi Scorpions (Appendix II — Commanders of NZ Patrols).
The Kiwi Scorpions (Brendan O'Carroll): One of the first two New Zealand patrol commanders (with L. B. Ballantyne); pictured at Abbassia, 1940, driving R Patrol's Ford V8 15cwt pilot car.
Commanded A Squadron, LRDG (T2, S1 and S2 patrols) at Gialo, December 1941, working with Stirling’s SAS in raids on Axis airfields. Source: ‘Raids Behind the Enemy Lines’, Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (NZ official war history).
Farmer, of Rotorua; born Wellington, 22 Mar 1912. OBE, m.i.d. Patrol commander and CO A (NZ) Sqn LRDG 1941–42; later CO 22 NZ (Mot) Bn and 27 NZ (MG) Bn, 1944. Source: Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (biographical notes).
Embarkation detail from his Cenotaph record: he embarked as SECOND LIEUTENANT, 2NZEF. The rank held on this card, Major, is his LRDG rank; promotion after embarkation was the rule rather than the exception, so the two are not in conflict. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph, record C141812.
See him in the full roll →Where this comes from
- AKA added from the LRDG Preservation Society’s Troopers roll (missing information).
- Honours & campaign medals from Online Cenotaph: MID, OBE, War Medal 1939-45, NZ War Service Medal. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
- LRDG Nominal Roll, 28 Dec 1940 – Jan 1941 (courtesy Tarek el Mahdy) — roll rank: Captain
- Additional sources (AWMM Online Cenotaph). Nominal Roll 2NZEF No. 1, p.172; No. 12, p.183. Unit history: Kay, R. (1958). 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion.
This page is part of the Long Range Desert Group roll of members at lrdgarchive.org. If you hold rights to anything on it and would like it credited differently, or taken down, please see Sources and Copyright. It will be dealt with promptly.
Not By Strength But By Guile