Lt Philip E. Mellor 1st Parachute Brigade, KIA During the Battle of Djebel Mansour- February 5, 1903- February 3, 1943

Service Portrait Lt Philip Mellor,
Courtesy Paradata.org.uk

"There are many individual acts of heroism, but one became almost a legend in the brigade and concerned Captain* Mellor of 'T' Company.  This officer was a well-known figure with his black patch over a blind eye and already had a great reputation for courage and incredible daring.  During an assault his company was held up by three enemy machine-gun posts.  At once he raced forward alone and destroyed them all, one by one, with grenades and as Schmeisser tommy-gun taken from a dead German.  Soon afterwards his men saw him cut down by an anti-personnel mine. 

     'Don't stop, chaps!' he shouted in a matter of fact voice.  'Go on! 

I'm afraid I can't come with you!  I've lost a leg!'

MEDJEZ-EL-BAB Cemetery, located 60 km west of Tunis
Courtesy of aucklandmuseum.com

     He would allow no one to stay with him, for any wavering in the final rush would have been fatal.  When the stretcher-bearers found him after the position was won he was dead."  

~~"Wings of the Wind" by Peter Stainforth,

pgs 95-96

Purchase "Wings of the Wind" HERE (Abebooks)

*Philip Mellor's records states that he was a Lieutenant, not a Captain when KIA.

See Details HERE 

Via Paradata.org.uk Lt Philip Mellor's service records are as follows: 

1939:  Scots Guards, (Guardsman)

1940: The Leicestershire Regiment (rank unknown)

1940-1941: 11 SAS Battalion (Lieutenant)

1941-1943: The 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment, '1 Para', (Lieutenant)  

Memorial at Medjez-el-Bab Cemetery where Lt Philip Mellor is commemorated
Courtesy of the CWGC

Read Lt Mellor's MC Citation HERE
at Paradata.org.uk

This is a lovely video by Paul Tasker detailing the Medjez-el Bab cemetery.