68294 James Maydon LANGLEY, MBE, MC, MiD, Croix de Guerre, 2 Coldstream Guards & M.I.9

Fight another day, Destination Dunkirk, page 51:
Our gossip was interrupted by a visitor who introduced himself as a captain commanding the company on No. 1 Company's right, and said that he had been sent over by Evan Gibbs [1]. He informed ups that the Germans were massing for an attack on the bridgehead, that his men were exhausted and that he proposed to withdraw while the going was good. Angus merely said, 'I order you to stay put and fight it out.'

'You cannot do that. I have over-riding orders from my colonel to withdraw when I think fit,' came the reply. Angus [2] did not beat about the bush. 'You see that big poplar tree on the road with the white mile stone beside it? The moment you or any of your men go back beyond that tree we will shoot you.' The Captain started to expostulate but Angus cut him short. 'Get back or I will shoot you now and sen one of my officers to take command,' and his hand moved towards his revolver. The Captain departed without further words.

'Get a rifle,' Angus ordered me, picking up one that was lying nearby. When I returned with mine he said 'Sights at 250. You will shoot to kill the moment he passes that tree. Are you clear?'

'Yes.'

We had not long to wait before the Captain appeared, followed by two men. They stood for a long time by the tree and then the Captain walked on. Both our rifles went off simultaneously: he dropped out of sight and the two men ran back. Some minutes later the German artillery opened up on the bridgehead, all along the canal bank including our positions, and then the attack went in. The Germans eventually stopped on the road near the tree where the Captain had stood.






========

[1]
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2501540/evans-llewellyn-gibbs/
CAPTAIN EVANS LLEWELLYN GIBBS
Service Number: 36647
Regiment & Unit: 2nd Bn. Coldstream Guards
Date of Death: 01 June 1940
Age 34 years old
Buried or commemorated at DUNKIRK MEMORIAL
Memorial Reference: Column 33.
Location: France
Additional Info: Son of Maj. Antony Hubert Gibbs and Mary Mercy Gibbs; husband of Monica Elizabeth Gibbs, of Hartley Wintney, Hampshire.

[2]
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2776905/angus-mccorquodale/
MAJOR ANGUS McCORQUODALE
Service Number: 34851
Regiment & Unit: 2nd Bn. Coldstream Guards
Date of Death: Died 01 June 1940
Age 34 years old
Buried or commemorated at WARHEM COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Grave Reference: Row A. Grave 2.
Location: France
Awards: Mentioned in Despatches
Additional Info: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold McCorquodale; husband of Pamela McCorquodale.
Personal Inscription: REST IN PEACE YOUR MEMORY HALLOWED IN THE LAND YOU LOVED

 

YouTube - Dunkirk - The Story Behind The Legend 2/4

Transcript of on-camera interview of James Langley, Dunkirk - The Story Behind the Legend:


To what extent do you think those orders to hold on were in fact obeyed?

Well about midday the Company Commander of the unit on our right came across and spoke to my Company Commander and said that the German attack was in such strength that he couldn't possibly hold on and that he was going to withdraw.

My Company Commander was quite ruthless. He said "If you go back beyond that tree" pointing to a tree on the road there, "I shall shoot you."

About half an hour later we saw him moving back with his men and my Company Commander called me up and he said, "You will load your rifle , we will both fire and you will fire to kill."

I don't know whether we killed or not, but they did not go back beyond that point."


Did you think that kind of thing happened very often?

Yes I think it probably did - and quite rightly so too. It was - we were holding, as you say, the final defence line to evacuate the British Expeditionary Force.








See also

• British Soldiers shot for retiring without permission

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Langley, James Maydon
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment: 2 Battalion Coldstream Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: British Expeditionary Force 1939-40
Award: Military Cross
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 20 December 1940
Date 1940-1946
Catalogue reference WO 373/146


1st Guards Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps
Lieutenant James Maydon LANGLEY, 2nd Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS
On the 20th and 21st May at PECQ, on the ?.
Lieutenant LANGLEY’s platoon held the most critical ? of his battalion line. In a very exposed position, subjected to heavy mortar fire and close fighting this platoon took heavy toll of the enemy. Lieutenant LANGLEY was the inspiration of his men. He handled his Bren guns with ? skill. He himself showed a fearlessness and a disregard for personal danger which was an example to all ranks.

[Recommended & awarded Military Cross]


Awful quality of image for this particular file...

 

Obituary: Peggy Langley | News | The Guardian

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/coldstream-guards/32647-war-diary-2nd-battalion-coldstream-guards-bef-sep-1939-jun.html

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details

Langley, James Maydon
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 68294
Regiment: Coldstream Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Escape and Evasion and Special Operations
Award: Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 02 May 1941
Date 1940-1941
Catalogue reference WO 373/60

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Name Langley, James Maydon
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 68294
Regiment: Coldstream Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Escape and Evasion and Special Operations
Award: Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 02 May 1941
Date 1940-1941
Catalogue reference WO 373/60

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details

Name Langley, James Maydon
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Foreign to British: France
Award: Croix de Guerre
Date 1947-1948
Catalogue reference WO 373/186



Airey Neave

 

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searching-someone-military-genealogy/43326-escape-evasion-reference-numbers-find-my-past.html

The information given is:

First Name(s)J M
Last NameLangley
RankLieutenant
UnitColdstream Guards
Series Name:POW - Escape report
TNA series:WO208
TNA piece number:3301
Report Prefix: (G)
report no:213
Any Decorations:MC

 

Escape and Evasion Report courtesy of Drew
Lieutenant J M Langley, MC . Service: Army, Coldstream Guards. Escaped from Belgium... | The National Archives
==


M.I.9/S/P.G.(B )213
The information contained in this report is to be treated as MOST SECRET CONFIDENTIAL.
This applies particularly to names and addresses of helpers.

ACCOUNT OF ESCAPE OF
Lieutenant J.M. LANGLEY, M.C., 2nd Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS, 1st Division


Captured: 4th June 1940

Escaped: 5th October 1940

Left GIBRALTAR: 7th March 1941

Arrived U.K.: 21st March 1941

Length of Army Service: 4 years, 9 months

Home Address: Woodbridge, Suffolk

Peacetime profession: Merchant Banker


1940, 1st June - WOUNDED
I last saw my unit at DUNKIRK on the 1st June 1940. After being wounded I was taken to 11 C.C.S. ROSENDAEL, under the command of Major NEWMAN, R.A.M.C., where I remained for 6 days. There were 400 British wounded, including 8 wounded from the 2nd Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS, 3 Medical Officers and 20 Orderlies there.

1940, 4th June - CAPTURE
The Germans came on the 4th June.


On the 8th June the whole C.C.S. moved to the hospital at ZUYDCOOTE. My arm was amputated at this time. I was at ZUYDCOOTE for two months and about the 27th July moved to LILLE, to a French Convent in the Rue Roubaix. This convent was used as the French Naval Hospital. On the 1st August all wounded there were moved to the 17/21 British General Hospital, Commanding Officer Colonel ROBERTSON, D.S.O. There were about 600 wounded there in all.

1940, 5th October - ESCAPE
On the 5th October, when we were to be moved to ENGHIEN in BELGIUM, I escaped to a house in LILLE. The next day I was taken out to the Padre’s house in ASCQ. After 10 days there I moved back into LILLE, hid for 2 days and then took the train to PARIS. In LILLE I was joined by a French boy and two Other Ranks of the 51 DIVISION, R.A.M.C. (one of the ORs was called WILSON). We were in PARIS, hiding in various hotels, for 14 days and made an abortive attempt to cross the line at ROMARANTIN. We were taken out of PARIS to BOURGES, on the 31st October, and reported to the American Consul in LYONS. We spent three weeks in VICHY, in touch with the American Embassy, and then went by train to MARSEILLES, where, on about the 1st December, I applied for repatriation, under exchange of wounded scheme. I went before the Medical Board on the 4th January and my papers came through on about the 21st February. I left MARSEILLES on the 21st February and travelled by train via BARCELONA to GIBRALTAR. I was met at PORT BOU by WHITFIELD, the Consul at BARCELONA.

INTERVIEWED by M.I.9(b) 22.3.41 and by M.I.6. 24.3.41.

DISTRIBUTION:- 4 copies

APPENDIX A - LIST OF HELPERS AND SECRET DETAILS OF EVASION
DISTRIBUTION:- M.I.6., Lieutenant-Colonel A.M. ANSTRUTHER

===

APPENDIX A

M.I.9/S/P.G.(B )213
The information contained in this report is to be treated as MOST SECRET CONFIDENTIAL.
This applies particularly to names and addresses of helpers.


Lieutenant J.M. LANGLEY, M.C., 2nd Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS, 1st Division


Helpers, Details of Evasion and Notes on MARSEILLES

(1) LILLE, JUNE TO OCTOBER 1940
Mme. CARON, 97 Rue Messena, LILLE:-
Fed me for 2 1/2 months in Hospital. This lady offered me money which I refused.


(2) ESCAPE FROM HOSPITAL AT LILLE OCTOBER 5th to (MARSEILLES) FEBRUARY 21st 1941.
When I was in hospital in LILLE I was put in touch with some people outside by a British Corporal in the hospital. I got out of a ground floor window, and went to these people’s house (name forgotten). From there I was taken to the Cure at ASCQ. He hid me and fed me for 10 days. I was then taken to LILLE and hidden again for 2 days by:-
Mme. Veuve SAMIER, 5 Rue des Noirs, Fives, LILLE.

A ticket to PARIS was bought for me and a false French Identity Paper and I hid in PARIS from the 17th to the 31st October 1940, staying in various hotels, including:-
Avistion Hotel, Avenue Felix Faure, Arr. 15.

The proprietress and her daughter were pro-British and helpful. At LILLE I had been joined by a French boy and two Other Ranks, R.A.M.C., 51 DIVISION and we moved to two other hotels while in PARIS to avoid any checking up.

We made an abortive attempt to contact
11 Rue Tisserion
the headquarters of the ex-police of PARIS, with a view to taking an aeroplane to ENGLAND. At ROMARANTIN we went to a woman, at an address given us by Mme. SAMIER, but the woman was afraid to help.

While in PARIS my wounds were dressed by a French girl”
Mlle. D. DROIN., 10 Boulevarde Melescherbes
whom I had known before the war. She is a trained nurse who had been demobilised from the Army. She gave me 1,000 francs. I recontacted Mme. SAMIER by letter, through ordinary post, and she sent a man from LILLE to arrange the crossing of the demarcation line. The liaison man between Mme. SAMIER and the Institut Mozart told me that he had met a member of our Secret Service, who had informed him that he was unable to help escaped prisoners since his work was entirely taken up with getting information and transmitting it. This man, who has a wife and three daughters in ENGLAND, is the proprietor of a wine shop, near the Carlton Hotel in LILLE, and lives at
3 Rue Castiglione, LILLE.
Anybody brought to him and using the word “Jacqueline” (the name of one of his daughters) will be helped by him. He contacted people at the
Institut Mozart, Rue Orleans, PARIS.
a man and a woman, who arranged to take us across the border via BOURGES. For this we paid 4,000 francs. I myself 2,000 francs and the French boy 2,000 francs. I had with me the pay I had received from the Germans. They put us in touch with two persons, who took us to a little inn where, to my surprise, we found part of the German patrol drinking. They definitely were in the picture, and knew we were crossing. At 7.30 the Germans gave us the O.K. and we crossed in a party of 12, which included 6 refugees who joined us in the inn. Actually during the crossing we were sighted by the German patrol, who shouted to us to hurry.

Mme. SAMIER was sending people down at the rate of about 2 a day for a month. As well as that she kept, fed and clothed 19 British soldiers for 6 weeks. I consider that about 2,500 British soldiers are in hiding North of the SEINE; some of these have married French girls and settled down. Of these probably 2,000 would, if contacted and helped, get out. (The French estimate is 3,500). We crossed over to DUN-SUR-ODON and made our way to LYONS and then to VICHY. At LYONS the American Consul, WHITTINGHILL, was very helpful and gave me an introduction to the American Embassy at VICHY. I went with Sergeant CLAYTON from the SAAR. We met friends of his there
Dupercq de Warleyne, 11 Rue Onze-Novembre, VICHY
and lived with them for three weeks for nothing. He put us in touch with a man who was supposed to be in the French Deuxieme Bureau. The latter had one eye and was very tall and dark, and later gave CLAYTON a very good false Identity Card. The Consul of SAN SALVADOR went to SWITZERLAND for us and saw the British Consul at BERNE, who sent me £10, at 250 francs to the £, and a letter advising me not to cross to SWITZERLAND. I then hear of the scheme for the repatriation of British wounded and arranged to send up to WHITTINGHILL from MARSEILLES, officers and men in order of seniority. I sent one officer and three men
F/Lt. TREACEY, R.A.F.
Sergeant LONSDALE, R.A.F.
and two other R.A.F. Sergeants.

The scheme broke down and all returned. I believe that Sergeant CLAYTON was able to avail himself of this method of escape.


NOTES ON MARSEILLES (DECEMBER 1940 to FEBRUARY 1941

Mr. FRY
It must be clearly understood that Mr. FRY will not organise evasion schemes in any form, but is prepared solely to act as banker as long as he is reimbursed by the British Government for the sums he has advanced. MARSEILLES was, as far as escapers were concerned, a mass of evasion rumours the bulk of which were quite impracticable.

I contacted FRY about the 20th December, at which time he was unwilling to advance further moneys owing to the fact that he had no confirmation that he had been paid back, in January, however, confirmation came trough from MADRID that this money had been credited to him in AMERICA and he was prepared to advance again up to 300,000 francs in small money. As far as I know Captain MURCHIE has drawn up to the 21st February £700, it may be more. FRY is closely watched by the French and also by his own people.

In my opinion the Americans wish FRY to go rather more than the French do. The American Consular officials have cut themselves entirely off from the life of MARSEILLES, and I do not think that Mr. FULLERTON or his colleagues are aware of Mr. FRY’s connection with escaped British personnel.

I was informed by Mr. DEAN that he did not think (20 December) that Mr. FRY would be able to keep his post for more than another month, as the Americans were under pressure, from the French, to remove him.

FRY hands money to Captain MURCHIE in the form of dollar bills, which are sold on the Black Bourse; the money is then distributed:-
(1) To those people who bring British prisoners from Occupied France, nine times out of ten it is through the agency of the Rev. CASKIE.
(2) To any soldier who wishes to make and individual attempt to cross to SPAIN.
(3) To finance organised escapes arranged by MURCHIE.
To pay for the up-keep of soldiers in the interim period between leaving NIMES and starting for home.

My personal opinion of Captain MURCHIE is that he is a first-class man, but has the unfortunate habit of carrying too much money on him and displaying it. He lacks discretion generally and, as he is under suspicion, may be taken up at any moment by the French, acting or the German Mission.

In LYONS I was advised by Mr. WHITTINGHILL to contact the Rev. D. CASKIE at 36 Rue de Forbin, MARSEILLES.
This advice is given to practically everybody going down to MARSEILLES, including French civilians. The Reverend CASKIE undoubtedly works with Captain MURCHIE, R.A.S.C., in helping people out of Occupied France. Such funds as the Reverend CASKIE disperses are returned to him by Captain MURCHIE. I do not think, however, that the Reverend CASKIE does any work, in so far as evasion from Unoccupied FRANCE to SPAIN is concerned. The impression I gathered was that the Germans are keeping a close watch on CASKIE, so that any approach to him, about evasion schemes, should be made with the greatest discretion. In this connection Captain MURCHIE visits 36 Rue de Forbin as little as possible.

About the 25th January I met, at CANNES, a Mr. JURGENS PRICE (connected with the JURGENS of Unilever) who informed me that he was in a position to advance £5,000 to the Reverend CASKIE. This money PRICE was negotiating with a Jew. I went back to MARSEILLES and talked to CASKIE and DEAN and it was decided to accept this £5,000 on the assumption that either the British Government or Church of Scotland would pay it back as soon as possible to the account of Mr. PRICE, National Provincial Bank, East Sheen. I was given this money, in cash, and personally handed to the Reverend CASKIE 50,000 francs. The rest was to follow by the American Ambulance, when it visited MARSEILLES, in connection with the issuing of condensed milk to French children. This money will be banked by CASKIE at the British Consulate, until such time as I inform him that it may be safely used, when £3,000 will be handed to Captain MURCHIE and £2,000 will be kept for the up-keep of the Sailors Mission, and provided comforts for our men at MARSEILLES. None of this money will be released (from the Consul or CASKIE’s safe) until such time as word is received from me, in code to CASKIE (the confirming message will consist of the words “my father is very well”) that this sum has been paid back into Mr. PRICE’s account at East Sheen.

PRICE gives a cheque on the blocked English account to the Jew, who had left for NEW YORK. On arrival the Jew busy furs in LONDON paying with PRICE’s blocked cheque and sells furs in NEW YORK for dollar cash. The Jew gives 176 francs to the £ rate of exchange.


NOTE ON AMERICAN CONSULTATE
Mr. FULLERTON does everything Mr. DEAN and Major DODDS ask, excepting aid to British Prisoners. He will on no account do this.

Second to FULLERTON is a Mr. ABBOTT, who is pro-German and loses no chance of scoffing at the British effort. I have heard him openly sneering at British Broadcasts. It is my opinion that, as long as Mr. ABBOTT is in the American Consulate at MARSEILLES, no help can be expected from the American officials. Major DODDS, and Mr. DEAN, however willing, particularly the latter, may be to help, are completely handicapped by the present attitude of the American Consulate.

I suggested in early December to Major DODDS that he should write to the British Military Attache at BERNE and get me appointed official organiser of escaping and representative at FORT ST. JEAN, but nothing came of my request.


LINKLATER
This man, speaking good English, represents himself as the son of the British Consul in PRAGUE before the war, and liaison officer with the Czech division during the war, in FRANCE. He appears to have plenty of money but is entirely ignorant of any British military knowledge. He went to the camp at NIMES and I believe he has since left for a destination not known. It is my impression and that of others that this man was working for the Germans.



DISTRIBUTION:-
M.I.5
M.I.6
Brigadier BROOKES
Lieutenant-Colonel A.M. ANSTRUTHER

 

Fight Another Day, James Maydon Langley, ISBN-10: 0002112418, ISBN-13: 978-0002112413

MI9: Escape and Evasion 1939-1945; M.R.D. Foot, James Maydon Langley, ISBN-10: 0370300866, ISBN-13: 978-0370300863

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Name: Langley, James Maydon
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment: 2 Battalion Coldstream Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: British Expeditionary Force 1939-40
Award: Military Cross
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 20 December 1940
Date 1940-1946
Catalogue reference WO 373/146

Appalling copy, very low-res, attached

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Name Langley, James Maydon
Rank: Lieutenant
Service No: 68294
Regiment: Coldstream Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Escape and Evasion and Special Operations
Award: Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 02 May 1941
Date 1940-1941
Catalogue reference WO 373/60

 

Obit of his widow, Peggy Langley
Obituary: Peggy Langley | News | The Guardian
Key member of escape route that rescued hundreds of allied servicemen trapped in occupied Belgium

...

A year after her arrival in Britain she married Jimmy Langley, a Coldstream Guards officer who had lost an arm at Dunkirk and subsequently worked for MI9. After the war, they ran a Suffolk bookshop. They had four sons and a daughter. Jimmy died in 1983.

Peggy was awarded the MBE, the Belgian Croix de Guerre and the Netherlands Resistance Cross. To her efforts and courage, and those of others like her, 800 allied servicemen owed their lives.

Peggy Langley, resistance worker, born March 1 1915; died July 20 2000



2 CG War Diary, from Sep 39 (as yet incomplete)
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/coldstream-guards/28688-war-diary-1st-battalion-coldstream-guards-bef-sep-1939-jun.html

 

Ahem, he effected his escape in 1941



Thanks chaps for comments. Since i first learned about his experiences and work, Langley has remained one of my favourite WW2 'personalities'.