TNA Catalogue Reference CAB 106/248 Context: War Cabinet and Cabinet Office: Historical Section: Archivist and Librarian Files: (AL Series), WAR OF 1939-1945: France and Flanders - 1939-1940 Scope and content: Diary of Lieutenant R. C. Hodgins, Intelligence Officer, 131 Brigade, 44 Division, 1940 May. Covering dates: 1940 Courtesy of Drew.
DIARY of LIEUTENANT R.C. HODGINS INTELLIGENCE OFFICER of 131st BRIGADE, 44th DIVISION in MAY 1940. INDEX 10 May 11 May 12 to 16 May 1940 17 May 18 May 19 May 20 May 21 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 May 28 May 29 May to 1st June
STEENWERCK Woken up by noise of air raid at about 0300 hours in morning. Told by B.M. that code word for being ready to put Plan D into operation at 6 hours' notice had been received. This was later cancelled but orders afterwards received from DIVISIONAL H.Q. that we were to cross frontier at 1600 hours, leave having been given by Belgian Government. Moved off with BRIGADE Advance Party consisting of one truck from each unit crossing frontier just after 1500 hours. BRIGADE was to billet in area GHELUWE and sub-areas were allotted by Brigadier before I left. BRIGADE H.Q. established at MENIN end of GHELUWE in house of main road. Main party arrived about midnight.
GHELUWE Remained at GHELUWE until about 1530 hours when I moved off again with BRIGADE Advance Parties to billet in area TIEGHEM. Established BRIGADE H.Q. in large house lying back off main road temporarily uninhabited. Offices in flat over stables. Mess and billets in the house. Other Ranks and transport etc in a farm about a mile away on the other side of the road.
TIEGHEM Main body of BRIGADE H.Q. arrived about 0200 horus on 12th. Remained at TIEGHEM until 16th. Continual alarms of parachutists but no confirmed reports of landings. Tremendous flap about parachutists and local Fifth Columnists. One F.S.P. Lance-Corporal attached to us kept very busy. Position made very difficult by lack of any sort of liaison with Belgian Authorities who were singularly uncooperative or caught completely with their trousers down. No policy laid down or instructions received from DIVISION necessitating continual reference to G.(I) there for help and guidance. Orders received that role of BRIGADE was defence of line of River ESCAUT with 132nd BRIGADE on our North. On South there was to be another division the inter-divisional boundary being a line South of KWAADESTRAAT WOOD and North of KHERKHOVE. Within the BRIGADE Area 6th QUEENS were on Right, 2nd BUFFS on Left. 5th QUEENS were in reserve and also provided guards for river bridges over ESCAUT South of our position. No orders as to blowing or demolition of these bridges, the whole position of which was left extremely obscure so far as BRIGADE was concerned.
SMEIER BRIGADE H.Q. moved out to tumbledown cottage at SMEIER. Good concealed position on reverse slope.
SMEIER Enemy attack on River ESCAUT developed. BRIGADE H.Q. under light artillery fire. 6th QUEENS report holding their own but request Company of 5th QUEENS to support them against growing pressure. Request granted by BRIGADIER. During the night 2 BUFFS driven back on Left by enemy who mounted night attack mainly with Tommy guns. Brigadier went out to their H.Q. at PETEGHEM and counter-attack was mounted. German tactics at close fighting in villages taken us by surprise.
SMEIER 6th QUEENS still holding on Right but situation not restored on Left and enemy seems to be coming through 5th QUEENS counter-attack up towards PETEGHEM but unsuccessful and become broken up. BRIGADE H.Q. move into a nearby cottage owing to collapse of roof of present H.Q. due to Cipher Lance-Corporal, who had retired to sleep in the roof space, falling through the ceiling and landing on the Brigadier's table.
SMEIER Late this evening or early on morning of 21st BRIGADE H.Q. moved to KNOCKE where temporary halt is made
KNOCKE In the afternoon BRIGADE H.Q. moved to PUSSELLHOLK. Artillery fire all round during day and enemy very close indeed when H.Q. moved. We undoubtedly left it to the last minute as light field gun fired off at us at practically point blank range as we left. Arrived PUSSELLHOLK late at night and had to break open a barn to obtain billets and established H.Q. Inhabitants keeping to their houses. BRIGADE allotted defensive sector along River LYS.
PUSSELLHOLK Difficulty in making contact with Battalions which are very much depleted in numbers, whether due to straggling or casualties not yet known. Left at night again for DEULEMONT which was practically deserted. Arrived very late and had to break open deserted cafe and open H.Q. there.
DEULEMONT An Advance Party left in the afternoon to go back to STEENWERCK and reconnoitre there for H.Q. but move cancelled.
DEULEMONT Moved off with Advance Party to establish H.Q. at STEENWERCK. Met Party there from 5th QUEENS. Main body of BRIGADE H.Q. arrived about 1030 ours. 1100 hours Report received that 2nd BUFFS in position. 5th QUEENS on the way. No report from 6th QUEENS and 5th SUSSEX (now under command.) Brigade Commander tells me that 5th QUEENS H.Q. at FARM 498442. 131 Field Ambulance are in area TROIS ARBRES 529450, L'EPINETTE 539432, L'HALLOBEAU 522429 and LE MENEGATE 515445. 2nd BUFFS H.Q. 100 yards North West of CROSSROADS 556444. ARMENTIERES bombed by twenty JU 88 at 1030 and 1100 hours. Main BRIDGE 561441 still intact. Approximately 1230 hours message received from 5th QUEENS that their H.Q. at FARM 497437. Report from various units about the vapour trails left behind by aircraft which seems to strike us all as a new phenomenon. Locations received as follows:- URDA at 528451 LEXO at 547455 Brigadier arrives back and says he has found DIVISIONAL H.Q. at ECOLE DE STEEHIJE (or STEEMTJE). 1600 hours Sit Rep from LEXO arrives. As at 1200 hours Head of column 554454. Enemy aircraft seen but no attack. Column delayed by BIER'S Transport. No A.F.V. seen. Sit Rep as at 1330 hours as at BIER. Enemy aircraft seen but no attack. Me 109 planes over PONT de NIEPPE. Machine gun fire heard as if from these planes but no casualties or bombs dropped. No opposition met on entering PONT de NIEPPE. Location of BIER as follows:- - 3 companies in main street leading out of South West side of town. - 1 company in reserve covering Northern exits. - Battalion H.Q. in main street 556444. HODO reports it was at LE BIZET 1330 hours. No air attack and no A.F.V. seen. Later HODO reports H.Q. at CROIX de BAC 509422. JOFO reports Main Dressing Station at LA MAISON BLANCH 477463. Additional Advance Dressing Stations at 540434 and 517454.
STEENWERCK 1330 hours Message from DIVISION that HOST and EPIC revert to Command GOVA from 0001 hours 27th May from which time HEMS supports RUES; HOST supports DOVE and EPIC supports ICOS. Further message from Division DOVE takes over LA MOTTE AU BOIS 3544 and defence of FORET DE NIEPPE including BOIS D'AMONT from BRIGADE at LA MOTTE. ICOS is to relieve Right forward Battalion DOVE on line WALLON CAPE 2949 to inclusive SERUS by 0300 hours 27th May. Inter BRIGADE boundary all inclusive ICOS. BOIS des HUITRUES 2947 - LE GRAND HASARD 3246 to bend in CANAL 3546. Later message from DIVISION that BEFU less two Companies moves to RUE DU BON TEMPS 4746 forthwith. Later message from UJOT that C Company party including Major CLARKE, 2nd Lieutenant WILKINSON and 2nd Lieutenant MURE and about sixty Other Ranks have arrived at LE SEAU after having been missing since withdrawal from River ESCAUT on 22nd or 23rd May. Later message from DIVISION. Situation on Left of JOFO at 1300 hours 26th May. Information received that FITU have reached following line - SouthWest corner BOIS D'AMONT 303398 - BASHAMEL 3138 - ANSITEDALIEMES 3236 - Northern outskirts ROBECQ about 34035. Later message from DIVISION to effect that we are to be prepared to move tomorrow to area STRAZEELE 4048 MERRIS 4247. At about 2000 hours there was a low dive bombing attack on STEENWERCK. At about 2100 hours BIER reports H.Q. at 458433.
STRAZEELE ? MERRIS BRIGADE H.Q. moves in convoy at about 0930 hours to FARM 429494 being bombed en route but no casualties. H.Q. established there at 1130 hours. Report received from BIER that H.Q. established at 433478. At 1345 hours Brigadier and Intelligence Officer established forward H.Q. at 403493. Dispositions are ordered by Brigade Commander as follows:- 5th QUEENS are to hold line from point 37 Crossroads to Road Junction 401481. 6th QUEENS are to be in reserve behind with strongpoint at Crossroads 417483. 2nd BUFFS are to be in North in area RUE ST. OMER in view of reported enemy movement to the North. 6th QUEENS H.Q. are at JOYE Farm 431488.
STRAZEELE ? MERRIS G II at DIVISION telephoned to say that two men brought into his office say that they are the last of 133 (?) Brigade out of HAZEBROUCK and will we pass this information to 133 Brigade H.Q. Tried to get them on the phone but line too bad for speech. 0300 hours Brigade Major reports from DIVISION with orders for attack to be mounted at 0600 hours. Battalion Commanders come in to receive orders. At the same time telephone message from A.A. and Q.M.G. at DIVISION saying that in view of evacuation of HAZEBROUCK the attack was not to be too ambitious. Brigade Commander insists on definite orders as to whether or not there is to be an attack at all and exactly what sort of an attack. 0340 hours Phone message from the DIVISION that there is to be no attack. So far as I can remember there was to be some sort of diversion by French tanks and that instead of mounting an attack we were to take the opportunity of infiltrating forward particularly about STRAZEELE which was to be held as a keep. Report from BIER that new H.Q. established at 433496. One company BIER on line ROUGE CROIX 3950 to Crossroads 394501, and one company in area MOOLENACKER 4249 for depth. At 0415 hours report that 2nd BUFFS H.Q. at 420462. Posts established at LE PARADIS and VIEUX BERQUIN. No reports from Post at STRAZEELE Station and high ground on North East. At about 1500 hours report received that 5th QUEENS H.Q. moved to new location 50 yards North of CROSSROADS 401488. 1700 hours BRIGADE H.Q. ordered to stand to and man trenches. 1715 hours Report from NOMU "Being shelled - Enemy advancing". 1835 hours DIVISIONAL operation order received for withdrawal and message from DIVISION requiring locations and giving information as to roads and shelling. At 2035 hours message from Brigadier WHITTY that his left Battalion reports enemy coming through 440 yards North of ROUGE CROIX. His only reserves are a few men of his H.Q. which he is sending forward. Situation unsatisfactory. About this time the Commanding Officer of 98 Army Field Regiment ROYAL ARTILLERY who has been supporting us hears from a Battery that C.R.A. has given orders for them to go out.
At this point my diary finishes and I am afraid my recollection of the events after this time is very vague indeed. I cannot even remember whether it was on the evening of the 28th - 29th that the DIVISIONAL Commander visited BRIGADE H.Q. and explained that the French and/or Belgians had gone our on our flank * and that we were to withdraw as best we could without transport (to avoid blocking roads) and were to assemble on the MONT DES CATS. His object in ordering an Assembly at this point was so that we should have some defence against tanks. The C.R.E. was going to organise some sort of defensive position there. *His words were "Sheer black treachery!!" I think he referred to a French D.L.M. ? ? [Note: see attached image for handwritten note - and if the last words can be deciphered ...] We were ordered to burn all secret papers and destroy as much else as we could so set to with the Intelligence Sergeant and burnt practically every paper we had. I then set off with the BRIGADE H.Q. and Other Ranks in as much of a formed body as we could together with two Signals Officers and Signals personnel. It had been explained to us that we should evacuate to ENGLAND through DUNKIRK and the Brigadier said that he was going straight to DUNKIRK to see what our orders were to defend the perimeter there. We marched off through the night and found ourselves at the MONT DES CATS round about first light. The place was crammed with what was left of the DIVISION and there was DIVISIONAL H.Q. in the Monastery. Soon after first light were were spotted by enemy planes who came round and dive bombed us and machine gunned us from the air. There was very little chance of any cover and the situation was most unpleasant as the whole of the MONT DES CATS was covered with troops. So far as I can remember however surprisingly few casualties were caused considering all things. After the planes had left we were subjected to fairly heavy mortar fire but no tanks appeared. The Divisional Commander then ordered a withdrawal. The Brigade Commander and Brigade Major were not there having gone on to DUNKIRK and command of the BRIGADE therefore devolved on Lieutenant-Colonel G.V. PALMER the C.O. of the 5th QUEENS as Senior Battalion Commander. We were given orders by Divisional Commander as to order in which we were to leave and where we were to assemble. I stayed behind to see what was left of the BRIGADE off the Mount but as I had no proper list I got completely left behind with the Brigade Officers' Mess Cook GENTLE, whom I found wandering about completely lost. By the time I had sorted myself out and made certain that the rest of the BRIGADE was off practically everybody had disappeared and so GENTLE and I set off to march to our Rendezvous which was at some place the name of which I have completely forgotten. We struck off across fields and avoided the roads as far as possible. When we got to our Rendezvous we did not find the BRIGADE there. We therefore set off to march to DUNKIRK. Without a map my route is a bit vague but I can remember we went through a succession of small villages one of which was OOST KAPPELL and I could probably spot them fairly easily on the map. Anyway at one point we got to I saw a gun tractor towing a field gun coming along the road and was hailed by one of the people on it who turned out to be Pat NESBITT a 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th QUEENS. Another man was STEPHENSON the R.C. PADRE attached to the 6th QUEENS. GENTLE and I boarded another gun tractor following along behind and we set off for DUNKIRK very glad to get the weight off our feet! Unfortunately I fell asleep and when I woke up again we were hopelessly lost and seemed to be going round and round in circles. I had no map and had not the slightest idea where I was. It was then getting dark and the driver said he was running short of petrol to I told him to pull up and we would get some sleep. We were near a Canal and I can remember very vividly a horse which was swimming up and down this Canal trying to get out until somebody put a bullet through it. Another incident I can remember on our way was a large grey cart horse being ridden along the road by an English troop who was extremely drunk and was shouting and waving his hat about and having the time of his life. Burning transport everywhere we parked our vehicle by the Canal and went to sleep as best we could. In the morning we got up and drove along the Canal bank until we came across other British troops who seemed to have some petrol to spare so we filled up with petrol and started off again. We then found ourselves at BRAY DUNES and I saw a Redcap directing traffic and telling everybody to assemble for embarkation. Strangely enough he was able to tell me the Assembly Point for the Battalions of the 131st BRIGADE which was actually on the beach at BRAY DUNES. The M.P. told me that everybody was to evacuate and he had orders to pass no vehicles beyond that point. i told the gunners that they had better render their guns unserviceable and abandon them. I then went off to join up with the BRIGADE and to my delight I found the Brigade Major and Brigade Commander and practically the whole of the BRIGADE H.Q. sitting in holes on the beach all looking pretty miserable waiting to be dive bombed and machine gunned but all safe and sound. As it happened when we got back to ENGLAND we found that there had been no casualties amongst the BRIGADE H.Q. personnel. We all got back safe. The Brigadier told me that he had seen some German Prisoners who had been taken by the French and he had found the French knocking them about and beating them up. He went over to stop them and a German Officer thanked him and said: "The whole trouble about the French is that they never were gentlemen!!" I can remember the 5th QUEENS under Lieutenant-Colonel PALMER being drawn up on the beach waiting to evacuate. There were evacuation craft lying offshore and we found a disused motor boat in which somebody managed to start the engine. We then were round collecting all the other boats we could find and tied them together with bits of rope so as to make up a string. We then towed these boats out to the craft offshore and the troops embarked as best they could. The Brigade Major and I eventually found ourselves on some sort of MARGATE paddle steamer and landed at SHEERNESS. I am afraid I am very vague even about the day on which we arrived but I have an idea that we left DUNKIRK on the 31st May and got back to ENGLAND on the morning of the 1st June but it may equally well have been the 30th and 31st May.
BRIGADE H.Q. move into a nearby cottage owing to collapse of roof of present H.Q. due to Cipher Lance-Corporal, who had retired to sleep in the roof space, falling through the ceiling and landing on the Brigadier's table. I bet he was popular after that
'Popular' enough to be mentioned - but not by name!! I wonder if anyone out there has a family story that matches up Andy Hodgins couldn't remember actual dates of disembarkation/arrival - have you got note of dates?
