Geoffrey Owen Wheeler (1915 - 1942)

Born 1915 in New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 29 Jun 1942 at about age 27 in Egypt

Biography

Toby Wheeler is an Anzac who served in World War Two.

parents : Geoffrey Vaughan Wheeler and Ida Frances Wheeler

Geoffrey Owen (Owen) Wheeler was a Banker with the National Bank of New Zealand in Te Aroha, a little town in the Waikato, before enlisting for service as a Gunner in the 2nd World War.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Geoffrey Owen (Owen) Wheeler NZ2657 - no: 25 Battery in the 4th Field Regiment, New Zealand Artillery, 2nd NZEF.

The 4th Field Regiment was formed at Hopu Hopu Camp, Ngaruawahia, where they trained on pneumatic-tyred 18-pounder guns and iron-shod 4.5-inch howitzers from the first World War. As part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, the Regiment arrived in Egypt on board the Empress of Canada in February 1940. They were eventually equipped with 25-pounders, and took part in every campaign from Greece, through Crete and the Western Desert to Trieste and the end of the Italian campaign - usually in support of the 4th Infantry and Armoured Brigade.

The 25th Battery was trained and equipped to be highly mobile unit within the 8th Army for the Western Desert Campaign in North Africa.

On the 26th May 1942, the Axis forces (Germans and Italians) attacked the Allies who were holding the Mediterranean port of Tobruk in Libya. For almost a month this, the Battle of Gazala was fought through the desert around Tobruk. Eventually the British were forced to withdraw from the Gazala Line and the Axis troops overran Tobruk, gaining a valuable port through which to receive supplies from Europe.

The Germans pushed the British forces back into Egypt. After the Eighth Army's defeat in the Gazala battles, the 2nd New Zealand Division was brought down from Syria where they had been on boarder guard duty; to Mersa Matruh. In the ensuing battle, the 2nd New Zealand Division's retreat was cut off on the 27th of June when the German 21st Panzer Division managed to work around the N.Z. Division. During the night, the division's 4th Brigade broke through the German positions and the division retired to El Alamein. The Germans attacked again on the 30th June but although the long battles were hard fought by both sides and the First Battle of El Alamein ended in a stale mate; the Eighth Army had managed to check the the German advance.

On the 29th of June 1942, Warrant Officer Class 2 Geoffrey Owen Wheeler of no: 25 Battery in the 4th Field Regiment of the New Zealand Artillery died of wounds received in the battle of Mersa Matruh.

Burial

death 29th June 1942

El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt

grave IV. H. 19.

Fallen soldiers from all of the Western Desert campaigns have been reburied in the El Alamein War Cemetery.

Sources

• N.Z. BIRTHS - 1915/17967 - Wheeler Geoffrey Owen - parents : Ida Frances & Geoffrey Vaughan
• N.Z. DEATH REGISTRATION - 1945/36446 - Wheeler Geoffrey Owen aged 26 years
• Wikipedia : New Zealand 4th Armoured Brigade 1944-45
• Wikipedia : Battle of Gazala
• Battle of Mersa Matruh
• Wikipedia : First Battle of El Alamein
• Auckland War Memorial Online Cenotaph
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

See Also

• photograph : Hopuhopu Military Camp from the air
• 2nd New Zealand Division

Notes

In 1945, 25 Battery was posted to Japan as part of the occupying J Force; 25 battery was disbanded in 1947.