Trooper Emil Adolf Clifford THIEDE (7937547)
4th (Queen's Own) Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps

Date of birth: 7th February 1908
Date of death: 4th July 1942

Killed in action aged 34
Buried at El Alamein War Cemetery Plot XXIX Row C Grave 1
He was born at Hampstead on the 7th of February 1908 the son of Edwin Adolf Thiede, artist, and Mary Allen (nee Simes) of Eastney Farm, North Hayling, Hampshire and of Erskine Lodge, Connaught Road, Seaford in Sussex.

He was educated at Westcliffe School, Seaford and at the King's School Canterbury from April 1922 to December 1925 where he was in Holme House.

He was married to Mary Adela Margaret (nee Porter later Clarkson) of Taunga, Brisbane, Australia and they arrived in England at Southampton, from New York, 7th of July 1939 on board the SS 'Mauretania' giving his occupation as an aviator. His wife returned to Australia on board the SS "Orcades" from Southampton on the 2nd of July 1940.

The regiment left Cowley Camp at Mena at 9am on the 29th of May 1942 for deployment to the Western Desert. On the 2nd of July 1942 they deployed on the right flank of the 3rd County of London Yeomanry at El Alamein for an advance. As they moved forward they came under heavy fire from enemy tanks and lost one tank before returning to Brigade reserve where they spent the following day.

On the 4th of July A Squadron engaged a group of enemy tanks during which they lost a tank but C Squadron, who had moved to the attack at first light, destroyed five enemy tanks and probably destroyed two more. They also beat off an attack by enemy infantry, killing a number of them and capturing fifty prisoners. They later destroyed an enemy Mark III tank after which they moved to a nearby ridge where they brought a number of enemy tanks under fire in a nearby wadi. They lost one of their tanks during this action as well as two officers who were outside of their tanks at the time.

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Seaford. but is not currently commemorated on the war memorial at the King's School Canterbury
Holme House

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