Humphrey Price (28 March 1890 - 27 October 1944) was a British soldier who served as a Captain in the British Army's 6th Airborne Division before transferring to the Special Air Service. He fought alongside Sergeant John Davis and Private James MacGregor in 1943 during the Second Battle of El Alamein during the North African Campaign, as well as Sergeants Henry Evans and Benjamin Waters throughout 1944 until his death on the German battleship Tirpitz.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Humphrey Price was born in 1890 in London, England, to a working class family.During the First World War, he volunteered and participated in many significant battles. Despite his advanced age at the time of World War II, he still remained in the rank of captain, as he liked to drink and argue with his superiors. But despite this disposition, the high command knew that Price was still a talented commander.
Military service[]
7th Armored Division[]
On October 29, 1942, Humphrey led a unit in the British 7th Armored Division, including John Davis and James MacGregor, as part of the Second Battle of El Alamein. Their mission was to destroy an enemy supply depot and acquire any enemy documents. After succeeding with their mission, the division was immediately redeployed to defend a small town 30 miles south of El Alamein, sitting on the choke point in the minefields. The 7th Armoured Division arrived in the town. With the help of artillery fire and additional forces arriving at the scene, the town was successfully defended.
6th Airborne Division[]
SAS[]
Death[]
On 27 October 1944, Price, Evans, and Waters were tasked with infiltrating the German battleship Tirpitz as it was moored in Hakeya, Norway and sabotaging the ship. Price killed Kriegsmarine officer Korvettenkapitän Karl Schmidt and used his knowledge of the German language and forged papers to maneuver throughout the ship alongside Evans. However, after an officer attempted to call the bridge to verify Price's papers, Price killed the officer and alerted the ship.
As they sabotaged the ship, Price defended Evans from the crew as he planted a bomb on the boiler, being shot and killed as he sacrificed his life to save the life of Evans. The mission was a success, though Evans and Waters mourned Price's death.