Great Finds Hidden Away at the National Archives

A very wise woman on here once said 'Kew is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you are going to get'

Well it was a box of chocolates day today !

This year I have found a personal diary of the CO East Riding Yeomanry thats been missing for years. Some A/T Bde Coy field returns and 2 files incorrectly named.

Today though I was copying a file and noticed that the battalions in the May entry of the diary did not below to the brigade of the file I was copying. On closer inspection I realised I was looking at the May 1940 diary (All 100 ish pages) of 151 Inf Bde. The hairs on my neck went up and cold shiver went down my back and I accidently said what I was thinking 'Fucking Hell' quickly followed by a embarrassed 'sorry' to all the readers who lookied at me

I have a rule of not wasting valuable time at Kew reading files when I could be copying files but I couldn't help have a quick closer inspection and the diary contained some sketch maps showing Durham Light Infantry positions around Arras before the battle, what looks like a detailed account at Bde level and quite a few original message forms sent to the battalions during the battle by despatch riders.

After copying the file I promptly told the staff what I had found and the chap was as excited as me. It is quite a significant find in my opinion and may hold some unknown answers to what wrong at Arras.

I'm currently uploading todays work to have a proper look at the file.

Yours
A still chuffed to bits Andy

Edited the Title So Anyone Can Share Their Success On This Thread

 

Well done Andy, I know that feeling well, although I have never been known to swear.

Many a poor person on table 18 have seen or heard my little outbursts and even tears on occasions, as my Grandad's Burma story slowly unfolded before my eyes, over this past 5 years.

TNA is a wonderful place of discovery. The 13th KLR MIA rolls suddenly appeared one day in 2009, after being MIA themselves 2 years before.

Great work as always, well done again, makes falling asleep at the camera stand worthwhile doesn't it!

 

He was so chuffed he txt me to say so.



I even texted Andrea

 

good show mate

 

Well done that man.

 

A good find - let's hope they don't lose it again!
Did they give any clues as to how they would handle it?

 

Good result Andy.

 

A good find - let's hope they don't lose it again!
Did they give any clues as to how they would handle it?

As far as I'm aware they are going to put it in the Bde diary.

 

Of course - it has a home to go to. I suppose I was musing on what they'd do if they had to create a new file.

 

Of course - it has a home to go to. I suppose I was musing on what they'd do if they had to create a new file.

They found some missing Officer Field Returns from a AT Bde Coy file on Tuesday when I was there - At first they were going to leave them in the middle of the file, they were in a BEF RIASC file. After 'consulting me' (They actually asked what I thought beleive it or not) they decided to put them back in the original file.

I beleive the CO's diary from the East Riding Yeomanry that I found is staying in the regimental diary with a note on the search engine results stating where it is.

 

He was so chuffed he txt me to say so.



Likewise. I replied I was down the dump getting rid of my garden rubbish.

PS Andy. It was me who used the Forest Gump quote on you sometime in the past at Kew. Last time I checked, I can't remember looking like a wise woman.

When I was in the car coming back from the tip, the same quote was going through my mind again after having read your text.

 

Hello Andy as promised by no means a complete list but what I know to be here at Durham.

War diary of 151st Infantry Brigade, 3 May - 2 June 1940
1)This diary, carried by Captain H.S. Sell, 8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry, was one of three copies brought back to the U.K. from Dunkirk, France.

2)Frank Force operation instruction no. 2, 21 May 1940
This copy was issued to Captain H.S. Sell, 151st Infantry Brigade

3)50th Division operation order nos. 7,and 8 dated (with ammendments) 19 May 1940

4)50th Division operation order concerning the withdrawal to Dunkirk, France, 29 May 1940

5)50th Division situation report on operations at Mont St. Eloy, France, 23 May 1940

6)1st Army Tank Brigade operation order no. 6 concerning the attack of 151st Infantry Brigade around Arras, France, 21 May 1940

7)Coded message concerning the command of forces at Maroeiul and Vimy Ridge, France, by Colonel G. Everett, 22 May 1940

8)Coded message form containing a warning order of change of command of troops in the Arras and Bailleul area, France, 23 May 1940

9)Notes on the operations of 151st Infantry Brigade in France and Belgium from 16 May to 2 June 1940, leading to the evacuation from Dunkirk, by Brigadier J.A.C. Churchill, D.S.O., M.C (1940)

10)German Plan Map of Germany, France and Belgium, October 1939
Scale: 1:1,000,000 taken from Panzer Gruppen 21 at Arras, France, in 1940

11)Maps etc ;-

Sketch map of Beaurains and environs showing the positions of military units, May 1940

Route card used by the 50th Division during an advance into Belgium, May 1940


Sketch map of Vimy Ridge, France, showing the positions of military units, 23 May 1940

12)Message from the 151st Infantry Brigade concerning defence against enemy attack, 27 May 1940

Operational Order number twelve of the 151st Infantry Brigade, 27 May 1940


Operational Order number thirteen of the 151st Infantry Brigade, 28 May 1940

13) War diary of the 4th (Motorcycle) Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 24 April - 2 June 1940
(Served as a Reconnaissance Unit with 151 Brigade in France, 1940)

14) Report of 'Y' Company, 4th Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, concerning the action on 21 - 22 May 1940
The Battalion served with 6th and 8th Battalions The Durham Light Infantry at the Battle of Arras on 21 May 1940


Andy there`s more I`m sure but I`ll stop there.
Best Wishes
Jim

 

Great find Andy

Cheers
Paul

 

So a good day all in all, eh Andy?

 

Well done Andy. For a researcher, that must be like a hole in one!

 

i hope they don't misfile it again. nice work finding it tho.

 

As far as filing and finding goes, let's hope you don't have to resort to the tactics shown in the attached image.

This is the unedited Wingate debrief report from 1943, as held at Kew. When I found it in a large pack of documents, there was a handwritten slip within exclaiming "It's in here!", with an arrow pointing the way.

You can just see the readers aid in the photo.

 

I had another moment today.............You all remember the SAS diary that was found and news articles posted on here? I've found a similar thing on the BEF that takes the form of a scrapbook by the looks of it. I will be spending most of tomorrow copying it !