Hello, I've been searching the CWGC register for this cemetery, 2 years ago I visited it in person and felt touched as I saw numerous graves for seaforth Highlanders killed in 1940, what touched me was that I thought I also saw 14~18 graves to the same regt? Did I imagine this? thanks for any help, also does anyone know what happened around here? seems to have been a lot of Seaforths killed on or aropund 27th? Many thanks Soren
They'd be 6th Bn men, 17 Bde, 5th Div. I've just looked a few up to check. "Croonaert" is busy with lots of research on the "Battle of Ypres 1940" quick look at Div History says, At Zillebeke 17 Inf Bde formed the left flank until 50 Motorized Division arrived. 2 RSF were on the right and the 6 Seaforth on the left, along the railway line with 2 Northamptons in reserve... At daybreak on the 27th, after their patrols had crossed the railway line , the enemy attacked along the whole of the divisional front. These attacks were supported by heavy artillery and mortar fire and accurate dive bombing... Here, enemy pressure forced back 6 Seaforth from the railway line and almost surrounded 2 RSF.
Hi Soren - there are certainly Seaforths there from WW2. To check I looked at Geoff's WW2 Search engine and found, eg: Name: ADAMS, DAVID BROWN Initials: D B Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders Unit Text: 6th Bn. Age: 21 Date of Death: 27/05/1940 Service No: 2821684 Additional information: Son of Robert Brown Adams and Jane Adams, of Glasgow. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Enclosure No.6 V. A. 10. Cemetery: BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY Logically there must also been Seaforths from WW1 in the other enclosures.
Tried looking for a WW1 Seaforth there but can't find any yet... Anyway back to 1940. When the day ended, our front here had been pressed back to a line which ran from the junction of the Kortekeer river with the canal, west of Comines, to St Eloi on the Warneton–Ypres road, farther north the 17th Brigade's forward battalions, the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers and the 6th Seaforth Highlanders, had also been withdrawn, after hard fighting, from the railway line south of Zillebeke to the west bank of the Ypres–Comines Canal, where the 2nd Northamptonshire had a small reserve. At about eight in the evening the enemy attacked them again, and the 17th Brigade were gradually forced back to the Warneton–St Eloi road HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter XII] Map... http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/maps/UK-NWE-Flanders-6.jpg
I have passed through this cemetery a number of times and have an uneasy feeling about the casualties.The exact date of death not being accurately recorded on many and being aware of the mood of the enemy during the sweep to the coast,it is easy to have reservations. The battalion war diaries should have revealed the events but if there are no witnesses, a battalion war diary is of little help.
I know what you mean Harry, but I had an old friend who lived in nearby Zillebeke where most of these men came from. Many of them were buried in the back gardens of homes there. I suspect the majority of them were Killed in Action; but I am also sure Dave (Croonaert) knows more.
Cheers Guys, I'm sure I saw some WW1 Seaforths buried here, I remember now why I was struck by these burials, I seem to remember that the WW2 burial seemed to be on a slightly raised level in a horseshoe shape
Soren-A quick scan through the lists of men buried at Bedford House on the CWGC website only revealed 1940 Seaforths. Mind you, I only looked at a few likely letters (e.g. 'Mac'), as there are nearly 4,000 burials. If you want to do a thorough trawl go on to CWGC :: Cemetery Details and click on 'Cemetery Reports' at the bottom of the screen.
Soren, Owen has a thread on this, see: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/general/8413-kilts-bef-1940-a.html
Does anyone know whether they would have been kilted in 1940? No they wouldn't have been , "officially". 6 Seaforth was orginally in 51st Div but swapped with 2 Seaforths from 5th Div to mix Regulars up with Territorials. Here's some 2 Seaforth men after they joined 51st Div. Look no kilts. Men of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders inspect a German 37mm anti-tank gun captured at Boencourt, 26-29 May 1940.
Cheers Paul & Owen Some great uniform pictures on that french website, I wonder if you can buy the illustrations in book form
does anyone know what happened around here? seems to have been a lot of Seaforths killed on or aropund 27th? Sorry - I must have missed this thread earlier. On 26th May 1940, the 6/seaforths arrived at St.Eloi (from Templemars) at around 11:00hrs. They had been bombed several times en route and had suffered some casualties due to this. After arriving, they occupied defensive positions just south of Zillebeke (just west of and parallel with the Ypres-Comines railway, facing in a N.Easterly direction). 3 Coys held the front (A on the right, D in the centre and C on the left with B Coy being in reserve) with Bn HQ being in a farm a little behind (map ref.H6058). The battalion frontage was about 2000 yds in length. A couple of German armoured cars and motorcycle troops appeared during the afternoon soon followed by many troops on bicycles and intermittant shelling. German posts were reported as being set up close to the left flank of the frontage and sniper activity increased towards dusk, with some being reported as being behind the British lines. Nightfall brought much activity and further shelling and the left hand platoon of C coy (under 2/Lt.J.M.Moir) disappeared completely (it later transpired that they had been captured by a German patrol). With daylight on the 27th May german pressure increased enormously and their mortars and AP weaponry was brought into the fray. casualties were heavy in all forward companies, but especially in A Coy which was reduced to a handful of men commanded by Sgt.F. Stewart - all officers having become casualties. Stewart was later awarded the DCM for his gallantry in this action. At around 14:00 hours, the battalion was forced to withdraw to the neighbourhood of St.Eloi village where they endured further heavy shelling until nightfall. By this time however, german troops were in close proximity and rifle and MG fire continued into the night. A few troops of the battalion were captured by the germans actually in St.Eloi village, including at least one officer. Dawn on 28th May was heralded by attacks from dive-bombers, two bombs from which landed very near the RAP which, by this time ,was practically in the frontline. the Germans appeared to have withdrawn slightly during the night and so the artillery began again for a number of hours until the German infantry pushed forward again, working at the gaps in the line between the neighbouring battalions. Eventually, the battalion was surrounded on 3 sides in some depth (especially where the RSF had taken a mauling*) and so it was decided to withdraw to Wijtschaete which was done under very heavy rifle and LMG fire. The battalion by now was in such a state that it took until nightfall to collect the stragglers and reorganise what was left of the battalion. here the order was given to embus for Moeres. The battalion moved to la Clytte (for tea, biscuits, bully & rum!) where "B" echelon transport had been held and then the night move started on the heavily congested roads......etc...etc.....from then on - destination Dunkirk. That should just about cover it, i think Dave (* interestingly enough, one of the places that the 2/RSF had taken a particular battering was on Hill 60 where "A" Coy on their left flank practically got mortared off the crest - I bet that the Anglo-German pillbox got some use that day!)
Oh, I forgot to mention - I'm still awaiting delivery of some reports of original burials for these 1940 actions which should (hopefully) include those now interred at Bedford House.(Fallen flat on the same for the German burials, but there is always more than one way of obtaining info) Dave
Very much looking forward to the results of your work, Dave. It's taking a little longer than I anticipated, to tell the truth. As I'm sure you know only too well, travelling down one path leads to many more! I was aiming to complete by May this year, but I can't see that happening. This year some time though (I'm going over to specifically photograph the ground in a few weeks and, hopefully, in the meantime some info that I'm waiting for will be available to me by then, which will be a another big step) Dave.
Oh, I forgot to mention - I'm still awaiting delivery of some reports of original burials for these 1940 actions which should (hopefully) include those now interred at Bedford House.(Fallen flat on the same for the German burials, but there is always more than one way of obtaining info) Just fell flat on those burial reports from the CWGC too! Ah well, "plan B" is now in operation! Dave.
