1st Bn Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders In France

Discussion in '1940' started by brickmaker, Aug 2, 2010.

  1. rickster1964

    rickster1964 Member

  2. Norman Young

    Norman Young New Member

    Hope this finds you as it has been over 9 years since you posted this. Do you have page one of your Uncle's report (You posted pages two and three). My grandfather (Norman Dick) served as a Company Sergeant Major and described once going into action with French tanks at Le Basse. He was wounded and captured during the defense of Dunkirk and that account seems to have been the same attack he described. I've read the war diaries but can't find his name mentioned anywhere although another Company Sergeant Major is mentioned who was described as wounded during that fight and later captured. I've wondered if it was possible they got the name wrong in the diary. (His awards had WO engraved on them which leads me to believe he was promoted to warrant officer after he was liberated).
     
  3. Norman Young

    Norman Young New Member

    Disregard my previous reply I scrolled down and found the missing part.
     
  4. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    Seems he was re-patriated in 1943 so he most likely was wounded when captured.
     

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  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Possibles:

    UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945
    Name: N McL Dick
    Rank: Warrant Officer Class 3
    Army Number: 3235971
    Regiment: Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
    POW Number: 18829
    Camp Type: Stalag
    Camp Number: 383
    Camp Location: Hohenfels, Rhineland-Palatinate
    Record Office: Infantry Record Office, Perth
    Record Office Number: 16

    G Gair does not appear on the database, but as it seems he was repatriated in 1943 and the database I have on Ancestry shows details as at late 1944 or early 1945 there is therefore no surprise hes not listed

    TD
     
  6. stewarm

    stewarm Junior Member

    My father, Robert McNicol Stewart (2924580) served with QOCH 1931-1945. Served in Palestine, India and Egypt pre WW2. BEF in France, taken prisoner 27 May 1940. Remainder of war in Stalag VIII B. Funny thing, he was given two weeks leave in March 1940 to return to Inverness to marry my mum (you can guess why). Returned just in time for the German advance. Would anyone know which Company he was in in France? I have all his service records.
     
  7. LondonNik

    LondonNik Senior Member

    Hi Stewarm,

    A large proportion of those men from 1 QOCH who became POWs on 27th May were captured in and around La Bassee or on the way out of it. Few, if any, were captured around the HQ at Violaines, although the exact number isn't documented. HQ consisted of Bn Hq and the remnants of 'A' Company, so on the balance of probabilities, your father probably served in either 'B', 'C' or 'D' Company, but this isn't certain!

    Did your father speak about his experiences in France - particularly his capture? There could be some clues if he did - names of officers, places, etc. The action at Violaines was particularly fierce and confined to a small area.

    If he completed a POW return record (can be viewed at Kew when it re-opens) when he was released he may have stated where he was captured (some men were very accurate, some were as vague as hell - it should be remembered that not everyone knew where they were and, after years of captivity, may have either forgotten or assumed the same location as their fellow captives.)

    I hope that helped a little. Good luck with your quest.

    Nick
     
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  8. stewarm

    stewarm Junior Member

    Thank you very much for your reply.
     
  9. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    Can you check his number as I cannot find any trace of him on casualty lists. Tried using just his name also with no success.
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    His Company may be listed in the BEF QOCH Regimental Missing Men File.
     
  11. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    His number is 2927580. Found him.
     
  12. stewarm

    stewarm Junior Member

    Thank you, you are correct, I copied the wrong service number. Attached are a few copies of some of the many records I have. You will see the date taken prisoner was amended from 31 May to 26 May.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. GordonH

    GordonH New Member

    Hello everyone.
    I'm somewhat late to this thread, but I've found it fascinating. My father was in the 1st Battalion QOCH; he was captured in May 1940 and spent the rest of his war in various camps, ending up in Stalag XXA Thorn. He never said much about his experiences, but I found some stuff after he died. I've been sitting on it for a long time but felt that it was wellpast time that I learnt a bit more. I've transcribed some info from an old notebook he had, and hopefully I've managed to attach it to this post. It's quite laconic, and I suspect it was written in captivity rather than at the time. I would love to know a bit more than just "may 26 - In action at La Bassee". How do I start?
     

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  14. LondonNik

    LondonNik Senior Member

    Hello Gordon, and thank you for transcribing and posting your father's notebook here. Here is my summary of the events that befell 1QOCH :

    1 QOCH had a rough time of it on 25th - 27th May 1940 defending a stretch of the La Bassee Canal with the rest of 2nd Infantry Division. The battalion was arranged along the canal from La Bassee in the east as far as the locks on the canal at Cuinchy (but probably not the locks themselves). HQ and 'A' Company were set back from the canal at the village of Violaines - the other companies were along the canal. 7th Battalion The Worcestershire regiment were next to them from the canal locks and further west, and there were French troops from La Bassee to the east along the canal with the motorised battalion strength 7e GRDI (7th Groupe de Reconnaissance de division d'infanterie) in a mobile reserve role, again based in Violaines. Across the canal were the Germans, with 7.PanzerDivision approximately opposite 7Worcs and 1QOCH and 5.PanzerDivision approx opposite the French east of La Bassee. There were incursions across the canal around Cuinchy and the situation deteriorated significantly 26 May with 7Worcs losing contact with some of their companies. A gap opened up between 7Worcs and 1QOCH which neither had the manpower or resources to close. Early on 27 May, 1QOCH counterattacked the German bridgeheads twice, the second time with French armour in support, and whilst both attacks caused temporary German withdrawals, there were no reserves to hold the territory and when the allies withdrew, German troops filled the vacuum. Later on the morning 27 May, a weak German pontoon bridge began feeding troops, anti-tank guns and light tanks across the canal and began building up strength on the northern side of the canal opposite Cuinchy. That build-up engulfed Givenchy-les-La Bassee (held by 7Worcs) and the German troops turned east - towards La Bassee. A 2nd, heavier capacity, pontoon bridge began construction and 7.PanzerDivision was given temporary control of the tanks of 5.PanzerDivision for a special mission to strike towards Lille and cut-off the retreating French and British armies. The German bridgehead expanded to allow these tanks room to assemble and thus troops from 7.PanzerDivision pushed eastwards, rolling along north of La Bassee - through Violaines, and also pushing into the city. 1QOCH and 7eGRDI were caught in the movement. Violaines was cut-off from La Bassee to the south and also from Estaires to the north. HQ 1QOCH received withdrawal instructions from Brigade HQ and issued it to the 3 companies in La Bassee but these were not effective and whilst some groups of men attempted to leave the city, almost all were captured. HQ 1QOCH and the remnants of 'A' Company managed to get free of Violaines - mostly because the Germans were not interested in the village as a goal and had moved further east to stage for their attack to Lille leaving a temporary vacuum behind them. 7e GRDI were likewise caught in the German movement and fought alongside 1QOCH in La Bassee and Violaines. German infantry from 5.PanzerDivision had forced a crossing of the canal near Le Marais south of Salome and had reached that village - aiming to link up with 7.PanzerDivision. German forces had also crossed the canal further west - including the infamous SS-TotenkopfDivision.

    There is a good account of the sacrifice of 2nd Infantry Division in Sebag-Montefirore's Dunkirk - Fight To The Last Man and I also Like Ellis's Official History and Blaxland's Destination Dunkirk (both getting on in years but very informative). Strick, by Tim Strickland, has an excellent account of the Tank Regiment's doomed attempt to extricate 1QOCH and what it was like to hoof-it back to Allied lines across enemy territory.
    The War Diary for 1QOCH is pretty good, as is 5 Infantry Brigade War Diary - both from National Archive at Kew or one of the forum members, Andy (Drew5233) used to provide a nice War Diary service for a donation to his named charity.
     

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