Please can anyone recommend any books on the 2nd DCLI for this period. I am interested to find out if there is reference to any 2DCLI men being captured at Boulogne. I have found an mention of a Cpl Halls being captured and subsequently escaping. Many thanks in advance
Owen, Thank you for that. That is what I thought, that appears to be the discrepancy in the story. I wondered if any men got seperated from the unit?
There was a military hospital at Boulogne and it's not impossible that someone who was wounded or sick prior to or in the early days of the campaign could have been there and there were plenty commencing or returning from leave passing along the lines of communication.
Not much else to add, I know a company from the DLI (Bn and Location escape me at mo but I think it was Boulogne) ended up fighting up that way just after Arras, seperated from the battalion. I don't have the DCLI history yet and I'm pretty confident I don't need to look in the war diary. I think Rich's explaination is the most plausable at this stage, can you post some more details, do you have a E and E report made by him?
Halls transferred to 3 Commando and received an MM for actions at Dieppe. He was also captured there. At the end of the citation it mentions the capture at Boulogne, it appears he was picked up mid Channel by a MTB.
Ask Jacksun if he completed a E & E report? I think he has a nominal roll of everyone who completed a list.
