{"id":1334,"date":"2024-12-09T18:01:44","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T18:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghosts-of-war.com\/?p=1334"},"modified":"2024-12-10T08:48:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T08:48:06","slug":"enfidaville-war-cemetery-tunisia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ghosts-of-war.com\/?p=1334","title":{"rendered":"Enfidaville War Cemetery, Tunisia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Enfidaville<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was lunchtime when I pulled up outside the Enfidaville War Cemetery, around 100km south by road from Tunisia’s capital, Tunis. After parking the bike underneath a shady eucalypt, I dug out the bread and cheese I had in my backpack. As I ate, the Cemetery security guard wandered to the front gate, lit a smoke, and watched me with suspicion. A group of school kids walked by, calling out ‘hello’ in French, Italian and English. I called back ‘hello’ and they dissolved into laughter, egging each other on to speak to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After lunch I grabbed my camera and walked to the Cemetery gate. The security guard had lost interest and disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Enfidaville<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Within the Enfidaville Cemetery, 1551 Commonwealth Servicemen are buried. The majority are from the United Kingdom (1315), followed by New Zealanders (172), Canadians (38), Australians (11), South Africans (9), Indians (2) and four men from the High Commission Territories.1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Enfidaville<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Walking along the lines of headstones, I found four of the Australians. Their headstones had been placed together, as is the custom with aircrew laid to rest in Commonwealth War Graves Cemeteries. Flight Sergeants Dawson, McIlroy, Sinclair and Turner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Australian<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Donald<\/figure>
\n

Donald Norman Dawson was born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1921, and enlisted in the RAAF in June, 1941.2<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Ronald<\/figure>
\n

Born in Kogerah, New South Wales in 1922, Ronald Bruce McIlroy enlisted in the RAAF in August 1941.3,4<\/sup> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Walter<\/figure>
\n

Walter Samuel Sinclair was born in Northam, Western Australia, and enlisted in the RAAF in July 1941.5<\/sup> He trained at the No. 1 Wireless Air Gunners School in Ballarat, Victoria, completing his course in May 1942.6<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Anthony<\/figure>
\n

Born in Cambridge, England in 1920, Anthony St Clair Turner enlisted in the RAAF in Sydney in 1941.7,8<\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

These Aussies were destined to join the ranks of the ‘Odd Bods’; airmen of other nationalities serving with RAF squadrons during WWII.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst training in England in 1942, Flight Sergeants Turner (Pilot), Dawson (Navigator) and Sinclair (Wireless Operator \/ Air Gunner) had a lucky escape. Part of No. 21 Operational Training Unit RAF, they took off in a twin-engined Vickers Wellington bomber from RAF Edge Hill, Gloucestershire, on a navigation exercise. Also on board was Sergeant Alan Allwright (Wireless Operator), a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Instructor Pilot Officer Stanley Baker RAF, and Sergeant Ronald Weeks (Bomb Aimer), RAAF.9<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After navigation difficulties due to poor weather, the aircraft crash landed on Whitwell Moor, and although all crew survived, Turner, Dawson, Weeks and Allwright were injured in the incident.9<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1943, RAAF Flight Sergeants Dawson, McIlroy, Sinclair and Turner were stationed with No. 40 Squadron RAF, flying Wellingtons from Gardabia South Airfield, Libya.4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wellington
Wellington HE109, 40 Squadron RAF, circa 1943. Photo Australian War Memorial P04404.002<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wellington bombers in North Africa targeted Axis troop positions, infrastructure and shipping to support Allied ground operations. In an interview with Imperial War Museum historians, Roy Hartwell, a Wellington bomber pilot who flew in North Africa with 108 Squadron RAF, described such an operation against an Axis airfield in Libya.10<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n