I am trying to piece together what took place at Aire during the 20-24 May 1940. The dates in a number of sources conflict with each other and apart from 228 Field Company I am struggling to discover exactly which other units were part of the garrison. The 9/RNF- as reported in a number of sources - were in fact ambushed before they got to Aire and Brigadier Gawthorpe's report mentions French units 'drifting away'.and being returned to their positions. Which units were they? Can anyone shed any light on this? I am aware of the SS thrust into the town and the action involving the French tanks, but the dates in my account appear to be incorrect. I'm not losing sleep over this but I want to be correct as far as possible. Jerry
Jerry - List any books below that you've checked, if any, for info and it will save me checking those particular books. Cheers Andy
Andy, I have searched the following - specifically for details of the French and British units who were present at Aire: I know 228/Field Company were there and a platoon from W Company, 9/RNF, were ambushed at Boeseghem on 24th May. I can find no reference to any other RNFs being there. Apart from war diaries, I have got Blaxland, Lynch - Dunkirk 1940, The Official History and Julian Thompson's book. Nothing much in those really. Have you got any other sources? By the way do you happen to know Major A J Page's (OC 228/FC) christian names? Jerry
Hi Jerry - I've got around 450 France and Flanders connected books. I'll have a skim through some usual suspects on Friday. No idea on the OC's name I'm afraid. Cheers Andy
With regards to the French units the tanks mentioned in the other thread cited by Tricky Dicky above (in post #2) were Renault R35's from 9th and 22nd BCC (Bataillon de Chars de Combat). You can find some details of their "journal de marche" (war diaries) here: 9th BCC bcc-h9 22nd BCC bcc-h22 . The 9th BCC's combat on the 23rd in Saint-Hilaire-Cottes against the Waffen SS is covered in great detail in issue 75 (Feb - March 2007) of Historie de Guerre Blindes et Materiel published by Historie & Collections. If you need more info please PM me as I do have a copy of the article somewhere. Sorry can't help with any British units other than say while I share the same surname with OC 228 FC I am not related at all.
Jerry - This is the thread I was thinking of the other day. Have you seen it? 58th Chemical Warfare Company Royal Engineers - 1940
Thanks guys, yes Andy, I have seen the 58 CWC thread. kiwi, any chance of a copy of that article? Jerry
I've looked in my usual suspects Ellis France and Flanders, Sebags Dunkirk, Blitzkreig in the West by Pallud and BEF Orbat by Philson and can't find anything of note on the fighting at Aire. It seems to be that Aire was roughly where the 44 Div and 2 Div loosely joined their left and right flanks..
Armor magazine is available here: http://www.benning.army.mil/armor/eARMOR/content/issues/1994/JAN_FEB/ArmorJanuaryFebruary1994web.pdf Archives and website here: eARMOR Homepage Mark
Hi Jerry and others, I saw your recent post about the Aire bridges. I have done quite a bit of research into the action in and around Aire as my grandfather fought with 228 RE. To get a full account look at the following war dairies and reports from the National Archives: St Omer Report NA/PRO Cab 106/221 Polforce Report WO 197/118 HQ GHQ Troop WO 167/30 Engineer in Chief WO 167/43 Demolition of bridges on France Report WO 197/95 137 Brigade WO 167/394 101 Coy RE WO 167/925 58 Coy RE WO 167/920 2/5 West Yorkshire Regiment WO 167/853 44 Division CRE WO 167/278 Thanks Sam
Thanks Sam I have seen most of the documents you list except the 44th Division CRE report, so will have a look. Thanks again Jerry