2nd LT L.P. Strawson 8th Warwicks Identifiable grave ??

Discussion in '1940' started by jonheyworth, Feb 6, 2012.

  1. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    At Calonne sur-la-Lys cemetery is the grave of an unidentified 2nd Lt buried amongst Warwickshire regt casualties dated 21-05-1940

    There are 4 missing 2nd Lts listed for this day :

    Lt Reynall-Pack, Grenadiers killed in his carrier and never identfied at a different location

    VCT Godley RAC

    HOP Grant Cameron

    LP Strawson 8th Warwicks.

    I would submit that the unidentified 2nd Lt killed 21-05-1940 buried amongst 8th battalion Warwicks graves at Calonne-sur-la-Lys is

    105017 Larence Paul Strawson
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    You'll need more proof than that mate.

    He's just listed as Missing in the war diary along with five other officers who were at Calonne.

    2/Lt Strawson was in the counter-attack organised by the CO to re-take Calonne after A,B and C Coys were pushed back to Battalion HQ from Calonne. The attack, consisting of men from HQ Coy and the battalions Reserve Coy, failed and they suffered many casualties after coming under what appears to be SF fire from well placed MG's in houses to the west of Calonne.
     
  3. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Jon,

    Unfortunately, I agree with Andy. I was assisting a forum member - Phil B - to research a missing/unidentified 8th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt relative of his and thought we had identified the previousy unidentified 8RWR Officer, but you have to consider that the unidentified KIA's are buried in more than one location and more than one Infantry battalion was involved in the action... see my last report to Phil below:

    "Only 8 of the 20 RWR on the Dunkirk Memorial for 19 to 21 May 1940 are 8th Battalion, including one officer.

    There are 92 - 8RWR deaths for the dates 19 to 25 May 1940, but only 45 (possibly 53 with the 4 unidentified) are at Calonne. There are 23 - 8RWR burials at Bruyelle, with a further 17 unidentified (and others scattered around the area).

    The two Battalions 8RWR most closely interacted with at this time were the 1st Bn Queens Own Cameron Highlanders and the 1st Bn Royal Scots; which between them have 11 men on the Dunkirk Memorial for 19 to 21 May 1940, including one officer.

    I have some work to do on Bruyelle and the missing 'Jocks' in order to try and make sense of the 8RWR information, and to try and pinpoint the 8 - 8RWR men, including your uncle, with no known grave..."

    I have never got to the bottom of this conundrum and certainly owe Phil a very belated update. It could very well be that the Officer at Calonne is Strawson, but it is not yet conclusive.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    The OR's will be listed in the BEF 8 Warwicks Missing Men File. I've seen the file and its quite thick which will mean a lot of detail. Phil contacted me ref the file but I don't think he wanted to pay for it.
     
  5. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    The OR's will be listed in the BEF 8 Warwicks Missing Men File. I've seen the file and its quite thick which will mean a lot of detail. Phil contacted me ref the file but I don't think he wanted to pay for it.

    He should have gone to the January sales :D

    How many pages do you estimate, Andy?

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    2 to 300 IIRC. It was nearly a year ago.

    Ref Strawson he gets a brief mention in the regimental history just before the counter-attack being the Regimental Signals Officer.
     
  7. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    All other Warwicks officers appear to be identified, it leapt out on a visit to the cem that this grave was firmly in the midst of Warwicks graves
     
  8. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    All other Warwicks officers appear to be identified, it leapt out on a visit to the cem that this grave was firmly in the midst of Warwicks graves

    Hello Jon,

    It could very well be him. You should keep up the search!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    All other Warwicks officers appear to be identified, it leapt out on a visit to the cem that this grave was firmly in the midst of Warwicks graves

    Are there anymore officers buried in the cemetery and who are they? The battalion lost their CO amongst others in the same battle.
     
  10. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    The colonel and all the rest of the officers killed are there, there are only 4 unidentified, this 2nd Lt, a private warwicks 21-5-40 and 2 soldiers ( no regiment given ) also both 21-5-40
     
  11. David Hunt

    David Hunt Junior Member

    I've just joined the forum and saw your conversation about 2/Lt Strawson. If you're still pursuing the subject I may be able to help as I'm the grandson of Lt Col Baker (the CO of 8th Warwicks) who died leading the counter-attack at Calonne. I've been researching the Warwicks at Calonne for many years and was frequently in contact with Major Dennis Dodd, a survivor of the action. I was also in contact with Gabrielle Bauters (a Belgian historian who did detailed research on the Calonne battle). Gabrielle and Dennis were both convinced that the grave of which you speak was Strawson's and I myself have become convinced by their arguments. If you're still looking at this then feel free to get in touch and I may be able to help more. Best Wishes.
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi David and welcome to the forum.

    Do Gabrielle or Dennis have any documented proof? I only ask as the CWGC would need some hard evidence to change a headstone.

    Perhaps the key to this would be to try and ID how the CWGC know its an 2/Lt officer?

    Regards
    Andy
     
  13. David Hunt

    David Hunt Junior Member

    Dear Andy,

    Good to hear from you. It's a while since I last looked at the papers,but I seem to remember Gabrielle had unearthed the original records from the local Belgian archives documenting the initial burial sites of all of the Warwicks in the Calonne area before they were later gathered together in the Calonne and Bruyelle cemeteries. The pattern of burials bore out the extant accounts of how the attack was mounted and subsequently foundered. I think the body in question was identified in this document as a 2/Lt. His burial position was with one of the groups who were killed in the attack (I think with the main concentration who were all buried with my Grandfather Col Baker). Gabrielle also had the disinterral records for the bodies when they were later moved to the Calonne cemetery. I think the body wasalslo recorded as a 2/Lt then as well. Dennis was certain Strawson took part in the attack because eye-witnesses later confirmed his presence. I think the Battalion War Diary also lists him as missing after the attack. I met a local who had helped collect and bury the bodies a few days later who had been sheltering in the cellar of the farnhouse from which much of the German resistance to the attack emminated and he confirmed that all of the bodies buried in the grave had been killed in the attack. Unfortunately Dennis died a few years ago but I may have some letters that are relevant. He would have been so touched to see someone is interested in this subject. I can't examin the papers for a few days but will get back to you when I can. The Warwicks at Calonne is an interesting subject and Dennis always maintained that they had not received their due for the Calonne battle. As a Territorial Battalion of limited battle-experience he always felt they were left in the lurch at Calonne and that Col Baker was placed in an impossible position. He (and my familyI) were quite upset by the account from Major Holditch (7 Warwicks) unearthed by Sebag Montefiore in his recent book which we have prooved is not reliable. But that's for another day! Best wishes.
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Taken from WO 167/841

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  17. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  18. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Tricky Dicky and Drew5233 like this.
  19. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Good spot-I'd like to know what the evidence is?
     
  20. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    As a side note I was talking to Lee today at the National Archives about where are the missing men files on Officers ???
     
    Recce_Mitch likes this.

Share This Page