Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Second World War desert campaign M.C. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant Colonel E. N. Mumford, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, later Royal Artillery, who, during a German Panzer attack, ‘knocked out several tanks which remained burning a few hundred yards away. When the ammunition for the anti-tank gun was exhausted he seized a Bren gun and kept on firing from a most exposed position on the advancing German tanks’; Taken prisoner, he walked out of prison camp when Italy imploded, and spent several months with partisans before escaping to Switzerland, where he was interned and subsequently repatriated

Military Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated 1942 and additionally inscribed ‘Captain E. N. Mumford, 1st July’; India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (T-Capt. E. N. Mumford, 2-3 G.R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Cyprus, Near East (Major E. N. Mumford, M.C. R.A.) mounted as worn, very fine (8) £2000-2600

M.C. London Gazette 25 January 1945. The official recommendation states:

‘Captain Edward Neville Mumford, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army. During attack by portions of the 15th and 21st German Panzer Divisions on the Headquarters of the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade on 1st July, 1942, in the Middle East, two Battalions of the Brigade had been completely overrun, and all guns except one anti-tank gun had been knocked out. The Germans then directed the whole weight of their attack onto Brigade Headquarters. Captain Mumford who was Staff Captain of the Brigade directed the fire of the one remaining anti-tank gun though under heavy fire. He knocked out several tanks which remained burning a few hundred yards away. When the ammunition for the anti-tank gun was exhausted he seized a Bren gun and kept on firing from a most exposed position on the advancing German tanks. It was only when ammunition was exhausted and the German tanks were all round the Brigade Headquarters position that Captain Mumford was forced to cease firing. His coolness and courage were an example to all ranks and it was largely due to his efforts that Brigade Headquarters were able to hold up the German advance for over three hours at a most critical period.’

The following obituary appeared in The Telegraph following his death in 2001:

‘Lieutenant Colonel Edward Mumford, who has died aged 85, was awarded an MC while serving with Headquarters, 18th Indian Infantry Brigade in the Western Desert in 1942.

The first Battle of Alamein, fought in July 1942, defeated Rommel's attempt to capitalise on his earlier successes at Gazala and complete the conquest of Egypt. Much of the crucial fighting took place on July 1 at Deir el Shein, 10 miles south of El Alamein, where elements of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions, attempting to envelop British positions from the south, encountered the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, newly arrived from Iraq.

Instead of a quiet morning's motoring, the Afrika Korps now had a long, hard fight as, though outnumbered and hard pressed, the Indians put up a stout defence. Mumford, an officer of the 3rd Gurkha Rifles, was Staff Captain to the Brigade.

Seeing that two of the Brigade's battalions had been completely overrun and all guns except one anti-tank gun had been knocked out, Mumford took personal command of the remaining gun. Although under heavy fire, he succeeded in knocking out several enemy tanks, which remained burning a few hundred yards away. When ammunition for the gun ran out, he seized a Bren gun and continued firing on the advancing Germans. Only when his ammunition was exhausted and German tanks were all around the Brigade Headquarters position was Mumford forced to cease firing and surrender.

The Indians' stand at Deir el Shein brought the Afrika Korps to a standstill and delayed Rommel's advance for crucial hours, during which the initiative shifted to Auchinleck. According to his citation, Mumford's "coolness and courage were an example to all ranks and it was largely due to his efforts that the Brigade HQ were able to hold up the German advance for over three hours at the most critical period". For his conduct during this action Mumford was awarded his MC.

Edward Neville Mumford was born on November 19 1915, at Lucknow, India, where his grandfather, who had fought in the Indian Mutiny, had been a judge. His father - an officer in the Burma Police - was killed in action with the 1st Rajputs in Mesopotamia, after which his mother moved the family to England. Mumford was educated at Thetford Grammar School and then entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1934 and in 1936 was commissioned into the 3rd (Queen Alexandra's Own) Gurkha Rifles. As was the practice with Indian Army officers, he served his first year with a British regiment, the South Wales Borderers, captaining their rugby team on a tour of India.

At the end of a year, he joined his regiment, and on the outbreak of war moved with them, as part of the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, to the Middle East. After being captured at Deir el Shein he was transferred to Italy and held in the PoW camp at Fontanellato. In September 1943, when Italy sought an armistice, Mumford, along with many of his fellow officers, walked out of the camp before the Germans arrived, and headed for the hills. He spent the next seven months on the run, some of the time with the partisans, before making his way to Switzerland where he was interned for nine months.

Repatriated in late 1944, he returned to Italy to take over command of his Regiment for the remainder of the war. When the Indian Army was disbanded, Mumford joined the Royal Artillery, serving at first with a Heavy AA (Anti-Aircraft) Regiment. In 1949 he went to Manorbier, Pembrokeshire, as an instructor of gunnery and, later, as radar officer.

After periods in America at Fort Bliss and Washington, and a spell at the War Office, he became second-in-command of 16 Light AA in Osnabruck, and later in Cyprus. He then commanded 53 Light AA in Lippstadt, and 433 Light AA in Scotland. After disbanding the practice camp at Bude he moved on to a staff job in Rheindahlen. His final posting was to command the training area at Otterburn, Northumberland, where he spent eight years, becoming secretary of the PCC.

He married, in 1955, Rosemary Mann, an officer in the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. She survives him, together with their son.’