Aire sur la Lys 22nd to 23rd May 1940

Discussion in '1940' started by hervé62, Oct 8, 2010.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Herve,

    If you click on the pictures they do get a bit bigger.

    Andy
     
  2. elyncho

    elyncho Member

    Re Gawthorpe Report,

    There are two reports that are useful, the first is "137 Brigade : A Formation of the TA in the First Year of War 1939-40" in Ca Ira, Journal of the West Yorkshire Regiment Vol XII June 1948. I think that's the one mentioned in Sebag-Montefiore.

    The other is his after action report at the IWM (IWM 78/44/1) signed by Major Hirst on 26 June 1940

    Hope that helps

    Tim
     
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  3. hervé62

    hervé62 Junior Member

    Good evening,

    I think Rich has forgotten to put the photos of bridge Thiennes online, I just restart it, thank you all and best wishes for 2011.
    Sincerely, Hervé.
     
  4. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Ah yes, sorry about that. I've been drinking too much lately and I seem to be destroying brain cells faster than I can replace them. o_O

    Here are the photos anyway. Is the snow still there ?

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  5. Somersetchap

    Somersetchap Member

    Hi all,

    Herve/Rich - thanks for the photos.

    Elyncho - do you know how to access the Journal of the West Yorkshire Regiment? I imagine it will require a letter or visit to the regimental museum.

    Thanks
     
  6. hervé62

    hervé62 Junior Member

    Rich,

    I love your humor very British, of course!
    I recommend a single malt but preferably there is more snow here and that's good!
    Silent Night, regards, Hervé.
     
  7. elyncho

    elyncho Member

    Hi Somersetchap,

    Two options:
    Ca Ira is available via the British Library or if you think life's too short for that send me your address off forum and I'll sort out a copy for you.

    Re the French tanks, there was an excellent series by a guy called Bonnaud in the French magazine Histoire de Guerre Blindes & Materiel about 9th BCC (the guys who were in and around Aire). The edition of Fevrier/Mars 2007 covers it.

    Cheers
    Tim
     
  8. Somersetchap

    Somersetchap Member

    Hi Tim,

    Cheers for the British Library pointer, I have just ordered the article via them.

    Thanks

    Sam
     
  9. hervé62

    hervé62 Junior Member

    Hello,

    As shown Elyncho Article (wars and shielded) for the 9th BCC is excellent and teaches us the events that took place near the Collegiate (Church) Aire.
    Unfortunately, I look again and again those who have passed behind the station (1.5 km away) and to the village of Thiennes.
    Wars and has since become armored GBM (war, armor and equipment) and is even better and is presented under the direction of Francis Vauvilliers.
    Good day, Sincerely, Hervé.
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Just a little more on Aire from BEF Order of Battle by Alan Philson

    On the 22nd May No.2 Company, 9th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers from 23rd Division arrived at Aire just as the Germans were attempting to seize the bridge, the bridge was successfully blown up and the Company took up defensive positions on the canal bank under heavy fire.

    Cheers
    Andy

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  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    The last company reached Merville at about 0100hrs on the 22nd May and Battalion immediately commenced the construction of road blocks and other defences.

    Later in the day X Coy was sent to guard the crossings of the canal between St. Momelin and Blaringhem, a frontage of 10 miles which included the town of St. Omer in the centre. Before moving off, this company was allotted a large proportion of the battalion's meagre equipment of Vickers and Bren guns. No.6 Platoon was put into position to guard the bridge at St. Momelin, and the company, less this platoon, moved onto St. Omer, which, unknown to them, had already been occupied by the enemy. French soldiers in the streets, thought to be directing traffic, waved the company on. Later the entire company was ambushed and after a short and sharp engagement all were taken prisoner. Captain E B L Hart, the Company Commander, was shot by the Germans as he was being marched into captivity.

    Click ---> 44687 Captain Ernest Benjamin Lomas Hart, 9th Bn. Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

    Merville was heavily attacked by German aircraft-using bombs and machine guns-on this day.

    The early hours of the 24th found the battalion moving into Steenbecque. They received orders at 0330hrs to reoccupy the canal bridges between St. Omer and Thiemes, assisted by the Cavalry Regiment (Inniskilling Dragoons) of 46th Division. At 0500hrs Liuet-Colonel Thomas issued orders for the following dispositions to be taken up:

    W Coy - To Boeseghem to cover the occupation of the bridges at Thiemes, Aire and Wittes.

    Z Coy - To Les Ciseauxto make contact with the Cavalry Squadron already in position.

    Y Coy - To remain in Steenbecque, with one platoon to Sercus to contact the Divisional Cavalry already there.

    HQ Coy - To remain at Steenbecque.

    These dispositions were not taken up without incidents. No.2 Platoon of W Coy, which was directed on the bridge at Aire, was ambushed and took up a position in a farm. They were heavily mortared and machine-gunned, but the platoon was eventually extricated. Z Coy were unable to find the Cavalry Squadron Headquarters, but sighted and engaged some Germans from positions on the high ground between La Belle Hostess and Les Ciseaux. Captain T V H Beamish of Y Coy ran into five enemy tanks with his truck. He 'turned about' and was pursued by the enemy, but made good his escape.

    In accordance with orders the forward companies withdrew to Steenbecque in the afternoon. This move was accomplised successfully, except that No.2 Platoon of W Coy failed to return and 2/Liuet W T Hook and his 27 other ranks were reported missing.

    Later, when the tanks of the cavalry withdrew, the enemy became bolder and the Battalion positions round Steenbecque were heavily mortared and shelled, and also came under direct fire from enemy tanks.

    About 1600hrs W Coy and part of z Coy commenced to withdraw, under the impression that an order to withdraw had been given. No such order had been issued by Bn HQ. The troops involved were intercepted by the Second-in-Command and they re-occupied their original positions.

    The enemy continued to fire on the positions until about 2000hrs; but no actual assualt was delivered.

    During the night of the 24th/25th May the battalion withdrew to Morbecque by march route, where they went into bivouac in a field with the Divisional Cavalry Regiment.

    During the action of the 24th May the battalion casualties, apart from No.2 Platoon, had not been heavy; but among the wounded were Captain R W Armstrong and 2/Liuet J D L Bastable. Captain Armstrong died in hospital the next day.

    CWGC - Casualty Details :poppy:

    During the withdrawal part of the transport became detached from the battalion and these truck and their valuable loads, were lost.

    On the 25th a move was made to La Motte, where Y and HQ Coys were deployed to fill the gaps in the line. In the course of the afternoon the following message was received from GOC 46th Division:

    25th May 1940

    Well done. If you had not held Steenbecque Ridge against tanks and infantry for 48 hours the Bosches might now be in Dunkerque. The ninth have enhanced the traditions of the Fighting Fifth.

    (sgd) H O Curtis
    Major-General, 'Pol-Force'
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  13. WilliamSnelling

    WilliamSnelling New Member

    I am so grateful to all who have contributed to this thread, it has helped me a lot in finding out about my uncle who was killed in the Morbecque area on May 24th 1940. Thanks again.
     
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  14. smithduncan

    smithduncan New Member

    I came across this website quite by chance whilst I was re-reading my late father's account of his experiences in this region during the blitzkreig and doing a bit of research on the bridge that blew up prematurely over the Bassee Canal at the town of Aire-sur-la-Lys. My father was a sapper in the 228 Field Coy REs and was a machine gunner defending the bridge with a bren gun and was extrmely lucky not to be killed. His account of this incident is short but very graphic. There seem to be two bridges crossing the canal at this town but to this day I'm not sure which one it was that went up. Does anybody know? He was also in the party that got left behind during the big push for the coast but clearly he was one of those that made it! He went on to have a number of adventures during the war and ended up as a major in the far east.
     
  15. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    There were more than two bridges at Aire but the one that blew up prematurely is referred to as the bridge at Wittes in the war diaries.

    In fact you can find it if you look at Google Earth - near Garlinghem and about 200m south of the present bridge.
     
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    228 Field Company, Royal Engineers 1940 war diary:

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