Identity
Person No.
15438
Service No.
4568
Last Name
First Name
Herbert Philip
Initials
H P
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
30
Military Service
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Killed in action, at Point 204. This little-known clash occurred in the Alem Hamza area of the Gazala Line. The single company involved suffered heavy casualties in a clash with Italian troops, six were killed
Grave Reference
Location
Additional Information
Notes
Son of Mr. Harry Masterton-Smith, of Alexandra Terrace, Harfield Road, Claremont, Cape Province. Born in Bergville, Natal. An advertising copywriter. Phil Masterton-Smith, nicknamed "Unogwaja" meaning hare in Zulu (as in the animal) became the youngest ever Comrades Marathon winner, aged 19 in 1931 when he defeated Noel Buree in a close finish to the line. In 1933 he couldn't afford the train fare from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg. Instead of giving up and not running that year, he cycled the distance (around 1,700km). He made it and finished 10th in the Comrades. In 2011, 4 men set out to emulate his feat of 1933; the Unogwaja Challenge was born.
Citation
Unknown
External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project