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TRH visit the Commonwealth War Graves at El Alamein, Egypt

24th March 2006

The Duchess of Cornwall paid tribute to her father's war comrades today when she visited El Alamein in Egypt with The Prince of Wales.

Their Royal Highnesses, who are on an official tour of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and India, visited the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at the site of the Battle of El Alamein.

The Duchess's father, Major Bruce Shand, fought in the battle and was lucky to survive an attack by the German army in November 1942.

He was travelling with his wireless operator Sergeant Charles Francis and driver Corporal Edward Plant who were killed by the same enemy fire that injured Major Shand.

The Battle of El Alamein, from 23rd October to 4th November, 1942, was one of the most decisive battles of history and led to the final expulsion of Rommel's forces from North Africa during the Second World War.

Major Shand, who now has a Military Cross, was leading his squadron forward when they encountered the Germans in November 1942.

He later recalled being shot in his memoirs: “Something like a whiplash stung my cheek and Sergeant Francis beside, slumped to the bottom of the car with a large hole in his chest, killed instantly.”

His vehicle was hit again, killing driver Corporal Plant and bursting into flames. At that moment Major Shand was hit a second time by enemy fire.

He was captured by the Germans and spent the rest of the war in Spangenburg prisoner of war camp.

The Duchess gently placed a bunch of tightly-bound cream roses on the two soldiers' grey-white marble tombstones, leaving a handwritten message from her father before bowing her head in respect.

It read: “The gallantry and sacrifice of two fellow 12th Lancers on 6th November 1942 will never be forgotten by me” and was signed Bruce Shand.

The Duchess was very moved by her visit to the cemetery and said: “I've got a huge lump in my throat. It left me with such a lump. It's quite hard to speak.”

“I found it very, very moving. I'm so pleased that I've done it for my father.

“The bullet that killed Sergeant Francis went through my father's cheek.”

The Duchess also paid tribute to those that gave their lives during the war. She said: “They're absolutely wonderful. Very, very brave. Incredibly young.

“I'm so glad to come here and I'm so glad I could do it for my father”, The Duchess added.