BEF rearguard action at De Moeren/Bulskamp/Houthem (May 29th till May 31st 1940)

Super RGrayling ! Thank you for sharing

As it happens, one of the 1/KOSB is buried in Houthem: Pvt. Robert Wells Reid S/N 4264769, KIA on May 29th 1940. Since the 1/KOSB were deployed between Bulskamp and Furnes, I am puzzled as to the circumstances of his death and how he ended up in Houthem.

You may also be interested to learn that two other casualty belonging to the 1/KOSB are buried in the Bulskamp village cemetery:
Pvt. Robert Smith McKim S/N 3186321, KIA on May 31st 1940 ;
2/Lt Bruce Murray S/N 117106, KIA on May 31st 1940.

I wasn't able to establish the precise circumstances of their deaths but, since the date matches the main offensive in the vicinity of the Nieuwpoorthoek, I assume that both men were killed either at that time or during the subsequent British counter-attack which repelled the German forces back over the Bergenvaart.

Mr. Dirk Vandecasteele, the Bulskamp's village pharmacist, a person also very involved in local historical research, was contacted by 2/Lt Murray's family which (if I remember correctly) now live in Costa-Rica. If you wish, I can put you both in touch as I think the information he collected may perhaps be relevant to your website.

For my part, I followed my traditional modus operandi and tried to access the 1/KOSB's war diary (ref. WO 167/771) for the period from May 10th to the evacuation at Dunkirk: don't bother looking to find anything there. Apart for a calendar of events, you'll find nothing comprehensive - no flesh to fit the bone... It would appear there was an account of the withdrawal to Dunkirk by Maj Sherriff, but it somehow never seems to have reached the official files... (lost in translation?). Consequently, if you want to learn more about the 1/KOSB's whereabouts at Bulskamp, you only have the war diaries of the neighbouring units (2/RUR and 9/DLI) as a reference source.





My research indicates that, on May 31st, the 1/KOSB were at the receiving end of the German onslaught at Bulskamp.
A message form Lt.Col. Fergus Knox (2/RUR) to Capt. Ted Wilson (D Coy, on the 2/RUR right flank) provides some insight as to their predicament : "The KOSB have taken a kick in the pants, the Boche is across the canal on your right. Be prepared to counter-attack, and Christ help you !"
Consequently, given the intensity of the combats, I would have logically expected more casualties.

KR,
Christian

 

FOO Captain John Charles Austin recollects the Germans were using the Church Tower in Bulscamp to bring down fire upon the `Durhams` They in turn were using the Windmill and it was his job to destroy that Church before the Germans destroyed their WindMill :-

"Through the hole in the timbers I took a view of the prospect in the morning sunshine the country side lay for miles ,vivid and distinct. immediately in front I looked across a series of flat green fields which were neatly bisected by a yellow road running direct into enemy country. In the middle distance I picked out groups of red farms, small clumps of osiers and a level crossing with a halt sign, far away to the left the sunshine glistened on Furnes, as yet un-smashed by bombers. To the right in the far middle distant was Bulscamp just on the other side of the canal that the rear guard of the BEF were holding as a line. In the centre of Bulscamp, from the middle of a cluster of red houses. rose my destined victim, a grey church surmounted by a wooden steeple. At once I fastened on the two slit windows in the belfry, from these windows we in our turn, were doubtless being observed by some German OP officer. I wasted no more time as soon as I had measured the switch, range and angle of sight to the church I sent them and the order to fire down to the guns. I raised my glasses to see the effect of the bursting shells, there it was, a wisp of whitish smoke rising from some houses on the left of Bulscamp, the next round fell just in front of the church. I bracketed the church and went on to fire for effect and saw the shells go tearing through the roof of the church, one more correction and I had the satisfaction of seeing two of the next four shells crash into the windows at the top of the belfry, great lumps of masonry began falling. I was not entirely satisfied so I got the troop to send over another five shells to make sure the Germans couldn't use the belfry again."

Passage used in 50th at Bay :Barnes
Return via Dunkirk ;Gunbuster


Kyle

 

Could anyone identify this artefact?



Update:
This item was found with a metal detector at the site which seems to have been the location of the 4/GH (cfr. post 473).
I ran several reverse image searches, but with no conclusive result.
Since there don't seem to be a (King's) crown, I wonder if it could be of German origin?

 

If it's British then I'd suspect that it's a 19th Century Volunteer Rifle Regiment badge. A complex subject ! It could have lost a crown.

It looks to be made of silver. Weren't most Wehrmacht badges just made of white metal ?

 

Christian, I think that I've got it...Do you have a photo of the other side too ?

Are we looking at the reverse of a Knight's Cross of the Order of Leopold II ?

L'union fait la force !

 

Odd as this may appear after all this time talking about Gun Buster, but I noticed last night, for the very first time, that he had signed my grandfather’s record. Does this count as his autograph?

 

Bang on I reckon, Rich, nice one.

 

Ouch...! That stings...
Nonetheless, congratulations for cracking this Rich!

Since this artefact was found in the same area as British ones, I all too easily assumed it had to be British too.
And all of this time I had the nagging impression it looked somehow familiar...

Now, you may wonder how this Knight's Cross got there. For this, at least, I can offer an (off topic) explanation: at the end of WW1, King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth lived in château Sint-Flora. The Belgian Army's HQ was located in Houthem. What few people are aware of though, is that the King's military household was billeted in the nearby La Cense. I therefor surmise that this King's Cross somehow got lost there.

KR,
Christian

 

Now back to business... I have studied the 150th Bde war diary in order to gain further insights, especially as to the disposition of troops. The good news is that my initial draft (cfr. post 473) seems to be correct. Given the role played by the RA (91st and 92nd Field Regiments) at Bulskamp, I was wondering which artillery units were in support of the 150th Bde. And I found this:



The 18th Field Regiment, RA is also mentioned in 'The History of the Royal Artillery - The Years of Defeat 1939-41', but as to the 1st?
Could it perhaps be a typo? Perhaps the 91st Field Regiment gave fire support to both the 150th and 151st Brigades?

If anyone could provide me with extracts of the 18th Field Regiment's war diary for the timeframe May 29th to June 1st, I'd be much obliged.

By the way: I am also trying the same exercise for the RAMC and RE in support of both Brigades - please feel free to share or comment.

KR,
Christian

 

It’s possible Andy Drew5233 may have what you want.

I did just look on Ancestry, but nothing for 18FR.

 

Just reading George Aris’s history of the 92nd and he confirms that, prior to leaving for France, quote:

“Twenty-four 18/25-pounder guns in excellent condition were delivered in twos and threes. Some of them came from I.H.R.A. at Bulford, who seemed loathe to part with them”. Unquote.

He does mention the 4.5” howitzers too, in his chapter describing how the 92nd was formed. Again, I quote (abbreviated version):

“In March, 1920, the 92nd Field Brigade, R.F.A., T.A., was re-formed from the 2nd and 5th London Brigades.

365th and 367th Batteries were armed with 18-pounder Field Guns and 366th and 368th with 4.5-inch howitzers.” Unquote.

Interestingly, you can see in the photo I posted above of my grandfather’s record, in post #486, that each entry is stamped “368th (HOW.) Battery, R.A. (T.A.)”, so it was indeed a howitzer battery right up to the time he was embodied on 1st September ‘39, and later that month the new guns rolled in.

At no time does Aris write that the Regiment had 25-pounders with the BEF, which contradicts the guns both Gun Buster and Wild described. Those latter two writers’ accounts explain my confusion (was there such a thing as 25-pdr snobbery? )

For me, given his attention to minute details like this, the final word lies with Aris as to which guns the 92nd went to war with: 18/25-pounders.

 

As Martin said Drew will have the Diary for 18th FR .He kindly posted pages up until 29th May on this thread:-
Major Barff MC - 18th Field Regiment RA

Little bit from that post the 29th May

" As the day dawned the Regiment began to emerge from the jam, and by 0630 hrs or so we were in action East of HOOGSTADE firing South. Information was more vague than ever. We were supporting a very old personal friend, DEMPSEY late of the R.Berks, now commanding 13 Inf. Bde; but his H.Q. were not where Div said they were, and when run to earth both Dempsey and his B.M. were sleeping the sleep of utter exhaustion. At least we had two good 0.P's watching the front both reporting all quiet. Situation on the left not nearly so satisfactory . Numerous French on the left reliably reported to be holding this and that quite far out turned out to be very few Frenchmen holding a canal running North and South some quarter of a mile from 59/93 positions. Orders to retire were seldom received with less annoyance.
The C.O. got verbal orders about 1600 hrs. 18th Fd. Regt. were to come under 50 Div. He was to meet C.R.A. 50 Div. at MOERES cross roads at 1600 hrs for orders. Good luck old man. Guns to move after dark. Sending a most foolish message to Regtl. H.Q. that he would be back later with full orders, the C.O. plunged into the traffic. Lots of horse drawn French traffic this time, lots of aeroplanes, a one way bridge to get over. MOERES reached in triumph about 1900 hrs, some couple of minutes ahead of C.R.A. 50 Div. who proved to be another old friend Charles Massey, and gave clear and precise orders. Absolutely and utterly impossible /alma to get these back to Regtl. H.Q. against the traffic, so nothing to be done but sit on the cross roads and hope that in due course the 2nd i/C and Adjt. would get orders from somewhere and appear at the R.V ! "


Kyle

 

Christian, RAMC records are obscure...their diaries do not form part of WO167, they're in WO177. They're not catalogued by campaign either. I'm not aware that anyone on here has ever looked into them. They're at Divisional ADMS level. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2736698

Wobbler, in terms of what the gunners needed or wanted to know, they had 25pdrs which fired 25pdr projectiles. That they had been modified from earlier 18pdrs was a technical detail (although it was slightly less capable). In the same way, an Armoured Observation Post Carrier would be just that, regardless of whether it was a converted Scout Carrier or a purpose built AOP.

 

Thanks Rich.

 

This afternoon, checked the NCAP-site, hoping to find some aerial pictures of the area De Moeren - Houthem - Bulskamp.

As it happens, there seems to have been an RAF aerial reconnaissance mission on May 31st, 1940 (during the most intense combats), but the plane seems to have skipped the entire area altogether, passing just south (i.e. over the territory just captured by the Germans). There is one picture taken over Bulskamp though, but the cloud coverage makes it impossible to distinguish something that might have been useful.


Source: NCAP map-search screenshot (filtered on 29/05/1940 to 31/05/1940)

I conducted another query, extending the search to June 5th. At this date, another mission seems to have been conducted, mainly focused on the coastal areas from Dunkirk to Nieuwpoort. Very interesting indeed but, again, for the topics discussed in this thread, nothing useful.

Would, by any chance, anyone know which unit and/or pilots flew these missions?

I am aware that Lysander crews also conducted some missions in the area (one was shot down over Steenkerke), but the NCAP pictures were taken at at least 3000 ft AGL Since a Blenheim would have been far too slow to have a reasonable chance to avoid interception or flak, I'd rather suspect a PR Spitfire. Given the extremely hazardous nature of these missions, these men certainly deserve credit for their courage.

KR,
Christian