Intriguing ref in the last sentence of this MC recommendation... 9th Infantry Brigade Third Division II Corps Unit 2nd Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment Captain John Alexander MACKENZIE For conspicuous daring and resource. Captain Mackenzie with two men started off on a listening patrol in front of the German lines, on the evening of 15 Jan 1940, near ZEURANGE. After going about half a mile and before reaching his lying up place, he became aware that a German patrol about 20 strong was approaching him. With great presence of mind he allowed the leading German to approach within 10 yards when he fired his Thompson M.G. The two leading Germans fell and the rest scattered. He then withdrew with his party unmolested to the British posts. Three hours later, after obtaining permission from his C.O., with great daring he led a strong battle patrol out into the same area with a view to securing the Germans or German, alive or dead. Three hours later he returned to the British lines with one dead German. Through both operations he showed skill, judgement and leadership, with the result that there were no British casualties. This is believed to be the first German accounted for by the Infantry of the B.E.F. The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Cheers Di, I wonder if this was ever confirmed? I know Captain Peter Barclay, 2nd Royal Norfolks was involved in a fire fight with Germans in the Village of Waldwisse on 5th January 1940. He too was awarded a MC for his efforts but there is no comfirmation of any German casualties. Secondary mention of Barclay here regarding the first BEF Officer to be killed in 1940: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/23065-71104-2nd-lieutenant-patrick-anthony-clement-everitt-2nd-bn-royal.html
Thanks Tom, amazing what is stumbled upon. Andy, I wonder too if this first was confirmed. Understandable that another patrol was allowed back to find proof - if this was indeed thought to be the first such fatal encounter.
Andy what are the names of the ORs L/Cpl ? and Pte Askin? Nice to see them actually added to the Diary. Wonder if they got a Mention for the patrol.
It looks like L/CPL Dranneek and Pte Askin but I'm rubbish at reading free hand. I see MacKenzie got a Bar for his MC a few months later: The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Or Drawneek? Found a couple of refs when googling, one unfortunately seems to be now defunct. CASSEL May 1940 from this ? Officers Died The other ... an attachment from this, which I must take some time to fully read, looks really good link; wonder what more is in the book referenced - which seems to be Cap of Honour - The 300 Years of the Gloucestershire Regiment, David Scott Daniell, 1975, Sutton Publishing Ltd Anyone have it? Cap of Honour: 300 Years of the Gloucestershire Regiment: Amazon.co.uk: David Scott Daniell: Books
I don't know how you do it. I think they may have been over looked: The "Phoney War" or "Sitzkrieg" of late 1939 and early 1940 on the Western Front involved occasional actions in which the enemy were engaged in the form of patrols, raids and counter-raids. The second Military Cross awarded during the war went to Lieutenant J.A. Mackenzie for his "skill, judgement and leadership" when his three-man patrol clashed with and drove back a larger German force on 13th/14th January. The first Military Medal of the war to be awarded to a Territorial soldier went to Sergeant G.H. Adlam of 5th Battalion for his gallantry while repelling a German raid on his post on 4th April. Soldiers of Gloucestershire military museum, online shop and genealogy search That said they have got the date wrong and I know a Lt. Cresswell from the regiment got a MC at the time of the Cassel action and I can't find his citation along with a couple of others from the Glosters from Cassel.
Aye, I was thinking along the lines of Mention, ie in Despatches and we know the state of those in TNA records ... couldn't find anything for Drawneek, too tired to look for t'other. So, fingers crossed someone can do a look-up in the book ... I'd love to know what else was referenced.
Lt. (A/Capt.) J A Mackenzie was OC 4 Platoon, HQ Company and was on UK leave at the start of hostilities - 10th May 1940. There is not other mention of him within the units war diary. Looking at the second recommendation I don't think he made it back to his battalion after returning to France. It looks like he hooked up with the Beauman Division for the rest of the month until evacuation.
Di, Cap of Honour (a whole history, not just WW2, so it's a bit brief) pretty much quotes the citation. The only added detail is that he returned from the first patrol and sought permission from the CO to take a fighting patrol back to recover a body for identification. The book also says the action was on 13 Jan and the German patrol was 'about thirty' strong.
Andrew thank you very much indeed for that additional info. Was wondering just how full the detail might have been given that the book covers 300 years. So no mention of the ORs, what a pity, but par for the course. At least the Diary has noted their names for posterity. Cheers Diane
Hello, Ted, and thank you for the confirmation. I don't know if you've had a look round the site yet but there's a lot of interest in the BEF, their efforts and sacrifices are appreciated.
Yes, it was L/Cpl Edward Drawneek (my father). He recovered a pistol from one of the German soldiers and I remember seeing it many years ago in a display case at the Gloucestershire Regimental museum. He was mentioned in dispatches for it. He was captured soon after and spent the rest of the war in a couple of prisoner of war camps in Poland. Funny what you miss on here sometimes - A belated thanks for the additional infomation Ted. Do you have any other additional info on his time with the BEF?
