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3449543 C/Sgt Peter Maher MM

2nd Battalion and 15th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers

Peter Maher who lived in Clitheroe now in the Blesma Home in Blackpool and during World War Two obtained the rank of Colour Sergeant and earned the Military Medal. Service Number 3449543. Joined D Company 2nd Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers having enlisted on 1st February 1939 at the age of 16 at the recruiting office, Westgate, Burnley. Went first to Wellington Barracks, Bury Depot. After several weeks training then moved to join the 2nd Battalion at Meeane Barracks, Colchester. Whilst on leave in August all troops were contacted by radio message that all leave was cancelled and to report to their nearest depot.

War declared at 11am on the 3rd September 1939. In mid September then detached to the 15 Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. In early December as part of the 50th Infantry Division was depatched to Northumberland. 15,000 tropps billeted in the hamlets and small villages throughout the county. Winter training continued until March 1940. Then moved to Newbury Racecourse and billeted in horse boxes. The Division sent to be part of the British Expeditionary Forces in France but Peter couldn't go as his real age was discovered and too young to be posted abroad.

In April 1940 Peter was attached to the anti-aircraft unit at Speke, to help in the defence of Liverpool. Served on Merseyside during the blitz carried out in Liverpool in September 1940. Continued to train from 1941-1942. In December 1942 the unit was sent to Hounstone Barracks in Yeovil and fully kitted out. Then moved to Glasgow and boarded the S. S. Strathden and sailed in a convoy of ships. No idea of the destination. At this point Peter was a gunner and manned a 50 mm Gun on the starboard bridge wing of the ship. First port of call after travelling through rough seas was Freetown, Sierra Leone. Bum Boats came alongside carrying plenty of fresh fruit. Sailed again and the next landfall being Durban, South Africa. Long before docking they all heard a lone voice singing. She was known as the 'Lady in White'. She was always present when every convoy arrived and it remained a mystery as to how she knew about the arrival of the ships and troops.

By this time Peter had become a 'Gun Instructor' attached to the Royal Artillery and attached to the defence of Merchant Ships. Whilst on three days leave in Durban he and his mates had a great time. Then sailed off into the Indian Ocean where 'Stand To' often came about. Submarine and surface raiders were now about. Arrived in Bombay on the 17th March after being aboard ship for 10 weeks. Embarked next on the S.S. Yoma and sailed through the Gulf of Basra. Then onto Aden and Port Said. Then said goodbye to ships and the sea for a while.

Then part of the 8th Army. After more training, collecting guns and ammunition moved off into the desert. 1942-1943. The Germans are defeated in Libya and North Africa. May 1943 Invasion of Sicily and mainland Italy. Now part of the 78th British Infantry Division. Long and hard fighting followed in May and June 1944. Capture of Monte Cassino. August -September 1944. Then part of the 78th Division returning to Egypt for some Rest and Recuperation. (R&R). Late September 1944 returned to Italy and back into the front line. Given the task of taking a heavily defended ridge and in charge of a squad of men as Peter was now a sergeant. Men and officers killed or seriously wounded in several frontal assualts again heavy machine gun fire and shelling. Even though Peter was wounded in the leg (calf) he continued and he and what was left of the men took the ridge and held it. The area was named Monte Spaduro which is in Northern Italy. October 1944. For this action he was awarded the Military Medal. This was presnted to Peter in Austria near to the end of the war. Peter was taken out of the front line for recovery and treatment in Florence. He returned to the front line in November 1944. Heavy fighting continued until the Germans retreated from Italy.

Peter was then sent with his unit to help be part of the American push into Austria. When the war finished Peter was part of the allies putting refugees onto trains and sending them back into Russia. Peter and his men were hearing rather unpleasant stories as they were escorted by Russian troops and one day decided to go with the train. The refugees were put onto cattle trucks. At the border Peter and his men were not able to go any further and Russian troops took over and again stories of mass killings were being heard but Peter couldn't prove or find anything within their immediate area! On leave back in England Peter married Elizabeth in Bispham and she returned to Austria with him until coming out of the Army as a Colour Sergeant in 1948.

On returning to civilian life Peter went into the construction -building trade. Then in later years he went blind and ended his career in this trade. Whilst talking with Peter he had lost contact with another local veteran who we knew (Bill Wolsenholme) and so we were able to put them in touch with each other. Peter has in fact been back to Monte Spaduro to visit those killed from the fighting in that area. This was possible through a grant from the Heritage Lottery which many ex servicmen and women have been able to travel abroad to their former fighting areas.

3449543 Sergeant Peter Maher,

2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers.

Awarded the Military Medal in the Suppliment to the London Gazette of 10 May 1945 (for ITALY).

The official recommendation reads: - "On the night of 24/25 October 1944, Sergeant Maher was Platoon Sergeant of 18 Platoon, "D" Company, 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers. The Company was leading the battalion attack on Point 380, Mount Spaduro feature, and 18 Platoon was leading the attack. When near the objective, they came under heavy machine gun fire at 20 yards range, the platoon commander and six men were wounded. The attack faltered, but Sergeant Maher at once rushed forward, rallied the men and charged towards the objective, continually urging his men to keep close to the barrage. Shortly afterwards the postion was counter-attacked and Sergeant Maher was wounded but continued to lead his men with great initiative and determination until the attack was smashed. Throughout, Sergeant Maher showed a fine disregard for his own safety and his personal example of initiative was an inspiration to all who saw him, and contributed largely to the success of the battalion operation".

The Burnley Express of 3 February 1945 reported: -

Military Medallist

Mrs. Rachel Maher, of 110, Airdrie Crescent, Burnley, first knew of her son, Sergt. Peter Maher, having gained the Military Medal when she noticed the letters M.M. after his name on the address of one of his letters. All he says about his award is "I didn't do anything spectacular to win it."
Aged 22, Sergt. Maher has been in the Army since 1938, and has been serving in Italy since June, being wounded once in the fighting. Before that he was stationed in Africa. He was also wounded when he served throughout the blitz on Liverpool and Birkenhead with an "ack ack" division of the Royal Artillery. Sergt. Maher attended St. Mary's School and was a member of the school swimming and football teams. His brother John is a corporal in the R.A.F

OF THE LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS

7TH DECEMBER 2011

Peter remembered my father very well although they were not in the same Company. Peter was in D Company with Major Henshaw in charge and dad was in S Company. He remarked how dad always had a smile and was a very polite Sergeant. He remembered that dad had been with a Captain Bellinke, an Intelligence Officer, when the building they were in was blown up and a piece of glass from one of the windows lodged in his throat killing him.

The Lancashire Fusiliers were stationed in Gnund, Austria just over the Italian Border and at Hermagor, Austria. He related the story of the Cossacks who were returned, in trains, to the Russians after the war for taking the German side. General Day denied that this ever happened but Peter remembered that the Cossacks were from the Ukraine and they suffered very badly. My father told me in the past that one Cossack had committed suicide in front of him when ordered onto the train and Peter confirmed that to his knowledge one train had ten suicides during the journey to deliver them to the Russian Sector in Austria (as it was split after the war). This particular train was stopped and everyone had to get out to be counted and the bodies of the ten suicides were laid alongside the living for counting. The Lancashire Fusiliers were told they were prisoners of war. Peter remembers that once Cossacks lined up and refused to get on one train and the Lancashire Fusiliers had to fix bayonets and order them to board. Women and children were not excluded from this and Peter remembers a sorry procession of them being herded onto the trains carrying crosses and saying prayers. On one occasion, there were some rations set ready for the train and Peter was told the travellers wouldn’t need them but he insisted they were loaded although he never knew if they received any of them. Peter remembers telling Kevin Hill that they could be accused of war crimes for what they were doing but he told Peter “You are in charge of this” and turned his back on him. Peter thought it as bad as the holocaust.

Peter went back to Italy in 2005 but did not enjoy his trip as he found it too emotional – he told me it was a mistake. In Cassino war cemetery the soldiers are laid in their graves to face their country of origin.

Peter elaborated on the story of his billeting in horse boxes at Newbury Race Course during training with the 5th Battalion. It was mid-winter and they lit fires with coke to try to keep warm. Being an ex-miner, Peter knew of the dangers of the fumes from coke so he made sure their horse box was well ventilated but three soldiers died from the fumes in the other boxes.

Peter reminded me of my father and made me laugh when he told me about his MM. He said he had got £25 for it. I gasped and said “you haven’t sold it?” No he said you got that when you were awarded the medal. He thought dad would have received £75 for his DCM. I asked him why his medal was sent to him and he said he didn’t want to travel back to England to receive it as his was posted to Austria with his wife. My father had not wanted to go to the Palace as he thought the King would know nothing of what happened and it was his mother who insisted they all went.

Peter had recently had a nasty fall and was going to a BLESMA house for a break. He would be returning home on 18th January and I was to ring him again after that date.