Hi, I am researching the Willingham (Cambridgeshire) Home Guard as I believe my Great Grandfather (Lt Col John Henry Langton DSO) was the local Commander and involved in the initial interrogation of a Danish Nazi spy called Wulf Schmidt (later double agent Harry Williamson!) who parachuted into the area on 19th September 1940. HQ was The Three Tuns .... family history says John Langton was publican at the Three Bells, Willingham though I suspect this was a memory error from an aging relative! I have found a www link which quotes a book (Nigel West. MI5:British Security Service Operations 1909-1945. Stein & Day (New York:1982) ) which includes a reference to a Col Langton which I assume is the same person. Surely not two of them in the same village! Web Link I also have a newspaper article detailing the story though it is more recent and does not mention John Langton by name. Would records \ awards etc have been given out for this sort of work and if so where can I find service records etc? Johns medals have a BAR on his WW1 DSO but we have never found reference to this on his records (these luckily survived the WW2 bombings - the BAR is also undated). Those who met him described him a fiercly proud, right and proper man which makes me seriously doubt if he would have added it without authority. Is there a chance he could have received a BAR for such a spy related incident? Speculation at it's finest I hear you say!!! My apologies if this has been asked before, I have attempted to search the forum but not found a specific resource for this matter. Many thanks in advance.
"Langton"..... you may well already have the following information but just in case…. John Henry Langton, DSO, was a member of the 1st Cambridgeshire Battalion of the Home Guard. Part II Orders of the Battalion dated 1st October 1941 record a number of appointments which had mainly been effective for more than a year. These include Major J.M. Bryan as “Lt.-Col. Commanding Battalion” and John Henry Langton DSO as “Major, O.C. Company”. “A” Company was formed in August 1940. From then until March 1941 it was commanded by Major H.N. Richardson MM and from March 1941 until January 1942 by “Major J.N. Langton DSO” (presumably a minor misprint). Major Richardson took over again in January 1942. This information is contained in a history of the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Home Guard published in January 1944. Unfortunately there seems to be no further mention of your gt. grandfather’s activities, either prior to his “A” Coy. appointment or later; or of his promotion to Lt.-Col. (unless perhaps that was his previous rank in the Regular Army which he used again following his HG service). And could he possibly have retired from the HG when he relinquished his command of "A" Coy. in January 1942? He does not appear in a 1943 photograph of all the Battalion Commanders where Lt.-Col. Bryan remains OC 1st Cambs. Nor is there any mention of the visiting spy; but this is probably not surprising, bearing in mind the publication date. In fact I suppose one has to assume that the story of the spy’s capture and turning would have remained a secret for a considerable period, perhaps for years after the cessation of hostilites. With regard to medals… Certificates for Gallantry or Good Service had been awarded by January 1944 to two privates and two sergeants in the 1st Cambridgeshire Battn. but there is no mention of anyone who appears relevant to the story. There may of course have been later awards. Other members of this forum will be more knowledgeable than I, but I am not at all sure whether the DSO, or a Bar to a DSO, were ever awarded to HG members. It seems more likely that Col. Langton’s Bar was won at an earlier time. A posting in a WWI forum may provide opinions as to why you can find no mention of it, having (I assume) done a careful trawl through the London Gazette. A comprehensive list of medals won by Home Guard members can be found HERE If you need to check HG officers’ names there is a series of books available which list all officers serving at 1st February 1941. Further details of these books can be seen by clicking here. Hope this helps a bit, even though there are so many negatives. Chris
This is a fantastic amount of info I have never seen before, I am very grateful to you for putting this together. Will take this away and have a further read. I've noted a reference to JHL in a publication regarding Wulf Schmidt so recently emailed the author ... otherwise I'm not sure who within the MOD I should contact for more info. Thanks again.
Thank you Spidge ... I'll be out in your next of the woods next week researching JHLs son John believe it or not!
(Langton @ Jan 9 2006, 03:36 AM) [post=44144]Thank you Spidge ... I'll be out in your next of the woods next week researching JHLs son John believe it or not! [/b] Great news. Will you be in Melbourne? If so, send me a PM and we may be able to get together for a coffee (or tea). Regards Geoff
