Raymond Sandover

Raymond Ladais Sandover, (28 March 1910 – 12 August 1995) was a brigadier in the Australian Army. During the Second World War, he commanded the 2/11th Battalion from 1941 to 1943 and the 6th Australian Infantry Brigade between 1943 and 1945.

Promoted to brigadier in May 1943, at the time he was the youngest officer in the Australian Army to hold that rank.

Battle of Crete

Commanding the 2/11th Battalion, Sandover took up defensive positions in the hills around the airstrip of Rethymno, Crete, along with the 2/1st Battalion, supported by elements of 2/3rd Field Regiment, 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion and members of the Cretan Police. Lieutenant Colonel Ian Campbell, commander of the 2/1st Battalion, was appointed overall commander of the Rethymno Force.

On 20 May 1941 German paratroopers landed on Crete. The fighting was severe at times as the Australian and Greek units fought to contain the German landings.

Campbell's forces were doing well in comparison with allied efforts on other parts of the island. The 2/11th Battalion along with the Cretan Police were able to force back the German paratroopers to Perivolia in which the 2/11th Battalion, in a series of counter attacks, attempted to drive the German forces from the village.

On 28 May the British main force was in full retreat. Messages to Lieutenant Colonel Campbell informing him of the retreat and evacuation never reached Rethymno. By 29 May the Rethymno force was trapped but had still denied German forces the airfield.

On 29 May Lieutenant Colonel Campbell surrendered but Sandover gave his men the option of either surrendering or, after destroying their weapons, taking to the mountains and escaping from Crete in any way possible. Many of Sandover's men took the latter option and evaded capture, living in the mountains with assistance from the local civilian population. Sandover himself along with some of his men successfully avoided capture, finding shelter in the caves around Preveli Monastery, with help from the monks and townspeople. Months later he escaped Crete by submarine in late July 1941, possibly aboard the HMS Thrasher, although Sandover later claimed he left the island on the HMS Torbay. Both submarines were involved in the evacuation.

Battle of Wide Bay–Open Bay

The landing at Jacquinot Bay was an Allied amphibious operation during the New Britain Campaign that was conducted as part of a change of garrison with the Australians taking over from US Infantry Divisions.

On 4 November 1944, Sandover's 6th Brigade landed largely unopposed with the initial landing by 14th/32nd Battalion with support from naval forces and aircraft.

Promotions

Sandover was promoted four times from 1941 to 1946. 23 June 1942 – Mentioned in Despatches 19 July 1945 – Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished services in the South-West Pacific Area. 14 February 1946 – The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for leadership during the advance to the Wide and Open Bay areas in 1945. 6 March 1947 – Mentioned in Despatches for exceptional service in the field in the South-West Pacific Area.

Post-war After the war he returned to England, where he was a director of the family business. He died 12 August 1995 at Surrey, England.