78541 2/Lieutenant Leonard Henry DISMORE - Retreat from Dunkirk

Retreat from Dunkirk. The Buffs 2nd Lieutenant Leonard Henry Dismore

How did the 4th/5th Buffs retreat from Dunkirk

 

Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Henry Dismore OBE TD, Croix de Guerre, American Medal of Freedom

I am trying to find out how my father, then a 2nd Lieutenant returned to UK from Dunkirk

 

Your subject is NAME and his Service Number is:. His DoB and DoD . A pre-war address can sometimes help identify the subject from genealogy sites for example. Their parents details and any marriage – as some certificates show the subject’s service number. A marriage cert. can be ordered online from https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Identifying a Service Number helps research, normally it remains with a soldier wherever he goes, except if he becomes or is an officer. An Army Number can identify which unit he joined using: Army Number Search There is a long thread on: Army Number Block Allocations

Your subject’s name has not appeared here before.

We always recommend applying for the subject's full service record. Yes, it may take a year to arrive - either from the MoD or National Archives (TNA). It is not available online and is the definitive record. There is nothing you can do about the wait. The records were never intended to be read today. See: Get a copy of military records of service

His Service Record is not shown on the TNA, that may mean t has yet to be released by the MoD or is being processed by the tNA - as are many more.

Searching The National Archives (TNA) for the subject or unit(s) can identify those who were awarded honours / medals and the existence of War Diaries – which rarely mention individuals soldiers. They do give context and details of activity. Some are available via Ancestry (££)

 

Anna,

Elsewhere you have added his unit: How did the 4th/5th Buffs retreat from Dunkirk.

Is there a document with this? Probably his old, pre-war school biography in 2021, when a family member asked for help: Leonard Dismore

That provides key information: his Service Number 78541; enlisted 1938 into 4 The Buffs (a TA unit); commissioned 25/8/1939 and later posted in France to 25th Infantry Brigade, as an Intelligence Officer (proficient in French).

Wiki has a slim history for the 25th Brigade in France 1940: 25th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia It shows they moved between divisions repeatedly.

An old 2015 thread has:

From Post 14 in: Incheville battle 1940

France 1940 is not my focus, but on a quick read it was chaotic once the German offensive started 10/5/1940, with ad hoc formations being formed to stem the advance, formations with a name, not a number.

This thread 6287814 Pte Frederick Richard John GRAY, 4th Buffs: POW at Stalag XX-A and XX-B refers to one soldier from 4th the Buffs being captured @ St Valery en Caux (miles west of Dunkirk). One member Drew5233 is our May 1940 expert and has the 4th's War Diary.

Some background can be id'd using: 4 buffs (royal east kent regiment) | WW2Talk

Did your subject remain with 25th Brigade HQ? That is likely so you need to identify their War Diary. It may have been destroyed in France, if it was written up at the time, or assembled after returning to the UK. TNA file: 25 Brigade Headquarters | The National Archives is not digitised, you can visit or get a researcher to copy it.

It does not appear the brigade's commander - in France 1940 - has not written a book. See: 25 Brigade Headquarters | The National Archives and 12629 Maj-Gen William Havelock Chaplin RAMSDEN, CB, CBE, DSO, MC, MiD***, Hampshire Regiment

There is a 1956 obituary from 'The Dragon' July 1956 (regimental journal IIRC) in the NAM collection: Online Collection | National Army Museum, London The NAM appears to have absorbed The Buffs Museum in 2000.

Are you aware his US Medal commendation can be downloaded from The National Archives (TNA)? It is free if you register: Recommendation for Award for Dismore, Leonard H Rank: Lieutenant Colonel ... | The National Archives

His SOE Personnel File is not digitised and would require a visit or a researcher to cpy for you (x3 members offer that service). See: Leonard Henry DISMORE - born 17.11.1906 | The National Archives