For Ref: I Corps A & Q File (WO 167/126) Image No. 1080241 - 1080262 If anyone wants information regarding Admin matters etc. for the Saar Force I have a 21 page document on the move of the 1st Gds Bde and Co including general admin matters written by the Commandant.
Hello Drew, Although a junior member, I have already at several occasions appreciated your large knowledge of events during the "phoney war". Recently, the death of a 2nd Lt of the Northfolk regiment was evoked. I did not find any record of the presence of this regiment in support of the Highland Division. Yet it was operating in its zone before the arrival of the first Highlanders (Black Watch). Do you have any info on when the Norfolks came to the "ligne de contact" of the Maginot Line, what their purpose was and where they went to upon the arrival of the Black Watch? Thank you for anything you can provide me with. JVL.
I assume the battalion was the 7th (Pioneer) Battalion, The Royal Norfolk Regiment. Here is a summary of their activities in France 1940: The 7th Royal Norfolks entrained for Aldershot on November 1st, 1939 and moved into Talavera Barracks. It trained for two months. ‘B’ Company was disbanded and the battalion took part in an exercise with 51st (Highland) Division as its pioneer battalion during November. The battalion left for Southampton on January 3rd, 1940 and embarked that night for Cherbourg. GHQ Troops, BEF – 4 January 1940 to 12 June 1940 It arrived at Cherbourg on January 4th, 1940. On arrival it moved to St. Remy du Plain (Sarthe) and then four days later to Boisleux near Arras, where it was billeted with HQ, HQ Company and ‘A’ Company at Fontaine and ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies at Croisilles in the Pas de Calais. On March 4th ‘C’ Company went to work at Roeux and ‘D’ Company went to work at Quiery. The whole battalion concentrated at Rowux after that and got drafts to build to four companies again. It was earmarked to be the pioneer battalion for the 5th Infantry Division, which was intended for use in Finland. It never left but remained in the Roeux area for three weeks training with the I Corps. It entrained for the Metz on March 31st and came under command of the 144th Infantry Brigade on the Saar. On arrival on April 1st it moved to quarters at Quartier des Valliers. It transferred to the 154th Infantry Brigade of the 51st (Highland) Division on April 21st and when the rest of the division arrived in May the battalion became its pioneer battalion. After the main attack on May 13th, 1940, it was withdrawn with the division from the Maginot Line on May 22nd and arrived at Rouen on May 27th at the Infantry Base Depot No. 1, which it found empty. It moved to the 51st Division’s front on May 29th as a pioneer and infantry battalion. One company was attached to each brigade as follows with ‘B’ Company under divisional HQ: ‘A’ Company with the 154th Brigade, ‘C’ Company with the 152nd Brigade and ‘D’ Company with the 153rd Brigade. It fought with the division until its capture at St. Valery en Caux. Only thrity-one members of the battalion survived. On return to Southampton, the battalion’s remnants were sent to Bordon. Five days later, on June 19th, this small party was sent to Paignton and then to Sheffield on June 20th. It was attached to the 1st/6th South Staffordshire Regiment on arrival and moved to Dumfries at the end of June to reform. It arrived on July 1st, 1940 and came under command of the 51st Infantry Division, but got permission to move to the depot at Norwich to reform. It arrived at Norwich on July 3rd and was reconstituted on July 4th with 18 officers and 150 other ranks. Four days later it moved to Colwick Park, Nottingham then immediately to Wollaton Park, Nottingham.
Good morning Andy, I am referring to your posting of Lt Everitt's story. He was in the 2nd Bn, but I can find no record of the Bn being assigned to the 51st HD. It must have come to France late 1939, to be on the Maginot Line in January. But where did it go after its withdrawal from the "Ligne de contact"? According to the order of battle as shown in Ordre de bataille de la Force expéditionnaire britannique en 1940 - Wikipédia it was part of the 1st Corps, 2nd ID, 4th brigade in May 1940. I wonder whether it had initially been assigned to 51st HD, but removed after the arrival of the Black Watch in the area where Everitt got caught. I appreciate Dryan67's extensive reply, but the 7th Norf were not specifically assigned to the 51st HD, cf Saar Force, British Expeditionary Force, May 1940. Besides, there is still the problem of the dates. All the best to all. Jos.
I think that we're slightly at cross-purposes here. 51st Division were the first complete division to see service on the Saar and had the misfortune to be there when "the balloon went up" on 10th May 1940. However, prior to that, the British had rotated Brigade units there on a three-weekly basis - The following thread shows the relevant dates which I was not sure of when starting the thread. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/27975-british-units-saar-front-november-1939-may-1940-a.html After their three week stint, 4th Infantry Brigade went back to 2nd Division and duties on the 'Gort Line' from where they moved up to the River Dijl on 10th / 11th May. During the subsequent withdrawal, 2nd Division was moved down to protect the southern flank and 2nd Norfolks suffered badly, including being involved at La Paradis. Although not captured in their entirity, they probably lost more killed and wounded than any 51st Division units. However, we've yet to see any publications about the 'Betrayal' or 'Sacrifice' of the 2nd Division.
Thank you for this URL. The thread dates from 2010 and I must confess that I did not go that far back. Dryan's post confirms my information about the 2nd Norf Bn being in the area where the Black Watch would arrive two weeks later. Unfortunately, they lost a lieutenant there (Everitt). Thanks again for helping me out. JVL.
