Hi, Me again, I'm researching some of out towns fallen for a History walk this summer (all money raised goes to the War Memorial and the local museum) I was wondering if anyone could let me know where the 5th Battalion (Huntingdonshire) Northamptonshire Regiment were fighting on 25th May 1940.
Seems there dates are slightly mixed up. I'd search for the regiments casualties and see if burial locations match the diary entries. I've also got the missing men file for the regiment if you are searching for someone specific. Rich Payne has the regiments official history (I think) so may be able to shed some light on events to.
Hi, Thanks guys brilliant. We have a Francis Sanders, 19, who was killed on this day . His number was 5884880. I'm trying to piece together their movements on this day, so I can give some background to his demise. I'd liek to tell his story during the walk.
Thanks for the war diary, just one slight problem. The dates appear to have been corrected at a later date and the question is... which entry is for the 25th or am I being a bit dense? The 25th seems to have been crossed out?
I have him 'died of wounds 25th May 1940' in the missing men file. Next thing to do is look where he is buried. If it's far from the Battalions location he'll have most likely been treated at a CCS.
Some additional information for you from the war diary states the Battalions casualties from the campaign as: Officers = 2 Killed, 9 Wounded inc the CO Lt. Col. W E Green CWGC - Casualty Details OR's = 19 Killed, 35 Wounded and 154 Missing
CWGC - Find War Dead Looking at the list of 47 casualties in the link above where Sanders is buried I'd say he was in the care of a CCS as there is quite a diverse mix of cap badges in the cemetery. Quite a few are from Battalions within 4 Division so it all fits in my opinion. In an ideal world (but thats far from the case with the BEF) he would have been evacuated by 11 Field Ambulance and treated at either 5 or 6 Casualty Clearing Station. Over to Rich Payne
Not sure you have read all I've posted - In my opinion he was in a hospital on the 25th when he died not with the battalion.
Unfortunately, the Battalion history is clearly based on the war diary, but with some further research. I agree with Drew that the most probable sequence, based on date and location is that he was wounded earlier on the Escault and transported to hospital. 'C' Company in particular had difficulty in extracting themselves on 22nd May. The history groups the dates 23rd/27th May together and states that they were at Roncq on the R.Lys. They were in reserve behind 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers and 1 East Surreys. The Brigade diary (11th Infantry Brigade) apparently states that they did good work in support of the Lancashire Fusiliers and there was air activity but the location of his burial and the mention that he died of wounds suggests that he had been evacuated earlier. All documents are reported as destroyed on 27th prior to retreatring to the coast so the diary is likely to have been completed from offcier's notebooks. I doubt that you're going to find more detail.
THANK YOU Everyone for your help, sorry if I've missed some comments as I'm still working out how this site and it's pages work... The information will help me put together a brief overview of his soldiers life around the time he was killed and I can tell his tale on my WW2 walk. I have others to research so I'll be back soon...
No worries. Feel free to start another thread in this section if its 1940 related-We reckon you won't get better 1940 info anywhere else in the world than here.
Sorry cannot add much except my father rqms at hq for the 5th btn nothamptonshire(my grandfather was also with the 5th in WW1) Cyril stocks , although probably listed as ghc stocks was called up after a radio transmition, my father, his btother vernon stocks and thier cousin billy goodman answered the call as they were in the territorial army. they all went the next morning to st peters in peterborough, taking sandwiches my grandmother made for lunch, and did not return for several years. dad was attatched to hq and spent a long time following hq around the uk, occassionally being able to take leave or co ordinate with my mum who he married quickly with expectation of being sent away. uncle vernon was detatched and helpedbuild houses, went to reme and eventually came back through dunkirk, to be reassigned and eventally came home, having been commended and mentioned. uncle billystayed with the 5th and still has shrapness in his marm and wrist and is still alive in peterborough xmas 2015. my father went with hq throughout the war, he initially callled everyone up in the 5th, and new everyone, it was his job to write the letters informing relative about the death of someone, as a teenager I began to realise the strain and guilt this left him with, he rarely discussed the war, and was eventually demobbed after he help to raise the east anglian regiment. I have very little information and cannot get hold of a copy of jervoise history help david stocks 47cheltondale@gmail.com
