Lieutenant Colonel Combe was the
commanding officer of the 11th Hussars for the initial stages of the
Western Desert campaign during the
Second World War. He had been promoted lieutenant colonel to take command in September 1939, and was partly responsible for the high level of training that prepared the regiment for the battles in
North Africa. Under Combe's command, the regiment played a part during the early British raids into Libya and as part of the cover force for the
Western Desert Force (WDF) during the
Italian invasion of Egypt. The 11th Hussars were part of the divisional troops of the WDF's
7th Armoured Division Combe Force Combe played a major part in the defeat of the
Italian Tenth Army during
Operation Compass. He was appointed to command an
ad hoc mobile
flying column known as "
Combe Force," comprising a squadron of 11th Hussars, B Squadron
1st King's Dragoon Guards, C Battery
Royal Horse Artillery (RHA), some anti-tank guns from 106th Regiment RHA and the 2nd Battalion
Rifle Brigade. In February 1941, Combe and "Combe Force" cut off the retreating Italians at
Beda Fomm. The Italians were forced to halt and in spite of very determined attempts over two days, were unable to break through Combe Force's defensive lines. Unable to move forward and picked off by attacks from their flank by
4th Armoured Brigade and from the rear by the
7th Support Group, the bulk of the Tenth Army surrendered. Some 25,000 prisoners were taken and more than 100 medium tanks as well as over 100 guns were destroyed or captured.
Prisoner of War Combe was promoted to temporary
brigadier on 3 April 1941, handing over command of the 11th Hussars to Lieutenant Colonel W. I. Leetham. As a result of
Erwin Rommel's advance from El Agheila, he was appointed by the Commander-in-Chief
Middle East Command,
Archibald Wavell, to accompany another desert-experienced officer, Lieutenant General
Richard O'Connor (the former commander of the
Western Desert Force which had become the
XIII Corps) as adviser to Lieutenant General
Sir Philip Neame, the commander of HQ Cyrenaica Command (the successor to XIII Corps). On the night of 6 April 1941, Combe was travelling by car with Neame and O'Connor from their Advanced HQ at Msus to its new location at Tmimi. They were captured by the Germans and taken to mainland
Italy to be held as
prisoners of war (POW). Combe was initially sent to the Villa Orsini near
Sulmona in the Abruzzo, where he was amongst other distinguished officers, apart from Neame and O'Connor they included, Air Marshal
Owen Tudor Boyd, and Major General
Adrian Carton de Wiart. He was later transferred to another camp, Castello di
Vincigliata PG12 near Florence. He settled into camp life becoming one of the gardeners, as well as keeping sixteen hens, "and tended them like a mother." He was an enthusiastic escaper, taking it turns in tunnelling and one of the six officers to escape in April 1943. He was caught the next morning in Milan railway station, whilst studying a timetable.
Partisans in Italy Combe escaped from
Vincigliata again with all remaining officers and men during the Italian Armistice in September 1943. He reached Camaldoli with Lieutenant General Sir Philip Neame, Lieutenant General
Sir Richard O'Connor and other British officers. In Romagna, he joined the Italian partisans led by
Libero the
nom de guerre of
Riccardo Fedel. During the winter of 1943–44 this partisan group helped Combe and other Allied prisoners to escape. They included Brigadier "Rudolf" Vaughan, Brigadier
"Ted" Todhunter, Captain
Guy Ruggles-Brise and Lieutenant
"Dan" Ranfurly. In March 1944 with the help of Italian guides, they made an astonishing walk across the mountains in snow, to keep a rendezvous with agents on the coast. The group acquired a leaking fishing boat and eventually arrived at Allied lines in May 1944. Combe, Todhunter and Ranfurly arrived in Algiers on 12 May and were flown to England.
Back with Eighth Army After his escape Combe re-joined the
Eighth Army. In October 1944 he was given command of the
2nd Armoured Brigade (which he held until after the German surrender) and had his substantive (permanent) rank advanced from lieutenant colonel to colonel. ==Post war==