BEF Arras during the phoney war

Discussion in 'Sub-forum: The build-Up - 1933-1940' started by Richard Underhill, Sep 1, 2018.

  1. I’m trying to find out information about day to day life in the BEF garrison at Arras during the phoney war, especially with regard to the locations of billets (for officers and troops), ordnance stores and NAAFI places. I’m also interested with regard to information relating to RAOC activity in Arras during the period Sep 39 to May 40. Does anyone know of, or have access to maps of Arras that shed light on any of this?

    Thanks,
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    I would think if you work out what 'units' were there then there may be something written in their War Diaries

    TD
     
  4. That’s a great map of Arras and it’s environs. I’m interested in something at street level really, as I’m trying to understand how the BEF used Arras for day to day life in the phoney war. I can deduce the location of GHQ from open source material but I’m struggling with finding out about billeting and feeding and so on
     
  5. Thanks TD. I’m struggling to identify which diaries to go to for what is quite trivial information in the general scheme of things. I’m hopeful that someone may have encountered this less important information while searching the archives for other more notable material. I fear my own search is far too peripheral for it to be economically viable :-(
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Best bet maybe to start a conversation with drew5233 - as he is a 1940 man and a TNA War Diary man

    I will also contact him and alert to him to this thread

    TD
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    There's a fair few photos on Arras online at the IWM you can view. Mainly taken in the main square.

    I would recommend FrankForce and the Defence of Arras 1940 by Forum member Jerry Murland as a guide to what happened. It identifies lots of units that were there.
     

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