Here is a link to the war diaries of the above unit whilst with the BEF in France. 6TH LINCOLNS - APRIL TO JUNE 1940 pictures by rahonour3947 - Photobucket Link to Photobucket broken.
Personnel of 6Lincolns mentioned in the 6Lincolns War Diary; April to June 1940: Lt Col S.B. Harrison, (Sydney Brewster Harrison, DSO ‘Jumbo’ Harrison, 1901-1963) Major G.S. Jones, 2nd in Command (“Major Gilbert Sidney Jones, 6th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment, who won a DSO for his part in evacuating the Dunkirk beaches, 1/2nd June 1940. Major Jones stood up to his chest in water and under heavy shellfire assisted exhausted soldiers into the boats. He was a dentist in Stamford, dying in 1959, aged 66.”; undated press cutting) A/Major W.A. Hastie, Adjutant Capt Anderson Capt K.G. Barrell Capt Bell Capt Burton Capt. W.E. Porter, O.C. “B” Coy. Capt. E.D.S. Powell, O.C. “C” Coy. (Edward Dudley Sagar POWELL, killed 02/06/1940 Service No: 39353) Lieut J.E. Arnold Lt B. Benson Brown Lt N. Oughtred, (of Heckington) 2/Lt R. D'O. Aplin (of Grantham) 2/Lt G.F. Catlin, (George Francis CATLIN Captain, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on Wednesday, 12th July 1944. Age 33.Son of John Holland Catlin and Mary Emily Catlin, of Grantham, Lincolnshire; husband of Ruth Bernrose Catlin, of Grantham. III.D.21. Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados, France. 2/Lt J.E. Fletcher (Jack Fletcher of Gedney) 2Lt H.W.P. Golden (of Holbeach, 1921-2008) 2/Lt Graham 2/Lt M. Mould 2Lt A.S. Newill 2/Lt J.N.P. Richards 2/Lt D.L.K. Smith, (presumably Derek Lusmore Holdich SMITH Captain, 6th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on Thursday, 4th March 1943. Age 24. Son of Frederick Holdich Smith and Mabel Beatrice Smith; husband of Sheila Mary Smith, of Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire. Tabarka Ras Rajel War Cemetery, Tunisia) 2Lt T.F. Trollope-Bellew, (Thomas Fleming TROLLOPE-BELLEW, of Crowcombe, Somerset and Casewick, Lincs, 1920-93) 2/Lt F.J. Taylor (of Grantham) 2/Lt J.W. Turnbull 2/Lt A Young Rev H.P. Lawrence RSM Bett Sgt Burley G. 4797753 Sgt Ellum, the OR Sergeant Sergeant Chef Roussell Cpl Allett, “B” Coy, had a severe operation, Cpl Connelly Cpl Greetham Cpl Lilley (wounded) Cpl Wattam, Officers' Mess Cook, Cpl Williamson (storeman) L/C A. Daniels Pte Billings, “D” Coy, Pte King Pte Oswin Pte Poole “B” Coy. Pte Wilson 4803706 (possibly an error for 4803206) admitted to hospital
Obituary of Colonel Bill Bell (Francis Cecil Leonard Bell) Decorated soldier who, in many ranks, saw action throughout the war Daily Telegraph; 20 Jan 2013 Colonel Bill Bell - Telegraph I have transcribed the War Diary of 6th Bn the Lincolnshire Regiment - April to June 1940 if anyone wants info
Lance Corporal P.G. Dowdall served in D Company of the 6th Battalion and mentions in his personal diary that when he got to the beaches, the Second in command, Adjutant and about 200 men were the only ones they found when they arrived. L/Cpl Dowdall sustained a shrapnell wound in the leg during a bombing raid on the beach, but was evacuated off the mole at Dunkirk along with the rest of the men, on HMS Venemous. After recovering from his wound, he was posted to the newly formed 7th Battalion, which later became 102 LAA Regiment, RA. He rose to the rank of Battery Sergeant Major and was to be awarded the MBE in North West Europe. He also commented in his diary, that the OC of C Company, Captain E.D.S. Powell had been killed by shell fire along with Corporal E.M. Scholes.
see also this thread. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/ww2-news-articles/51264-col-bill-bell-dso-mc-telegraph-obituary.html
An account by L/Cpl Derek Birch of 6th Bn here; http://www.thelincolnshireregiment.org/derekbirch/derekbirch.pdf
Hi, Sorry to drag this thread up from ten years ago, but I’ve been trying to research my Grandfather, 4803563 Pte JW Billings, and I’m fairly convinced he’s the Pte Billings mentioned in the 6th Bn the Lincolnshire Regiment War Diaries for April - June 1940. His service records show he was with the 6th Lincolns at that time..
Pte John William BILLINGS, Service Number 4803563. Enlisted 8 May 1939. Discharged to Z (T) Reserve on 17 July 1946 He was in B Company, 6 Lincolns at the outbreak of war.
When 6 Lincolns left the UK in January 1943, they arrived in Algiers. Three trains transported the men from Sunningale up to Scotland. The full list of men does not show J W Billings name. Service records are required to find out where he went.
Many thanks for that. He passed away in 1997, but until my Gran passed away in 2019 all I had to go on was verbal info that he was in the 6th Lincolns, and a battered copy of the Picture Post for Feb 24th 1945, which not only has him on the cover (!), but a two page photo feature on him inside. Confusingly, that puts him in Belgium, billeted with the former mayor of Bourg Leopold no less.. Since then I’ve bought the ‘History of the 6th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regt’ book, acquired his Soldier’s Release Book from Gran, and his service history from the MOD. What I think happened is this: he’s a Corporal with 4th Lincolns, and transfers to 6th Lincolns, but requests a return to Private 08/03/40. Embarks for France with BEF 25/04/40. He gets injured in France (right knee cruciate ligament whilst boxing!), gets treated or operated on at Rennes. He gets evacuated through Dunkirk, and arrives back in the UK on 04/06/40. He gets operated on again in either Larbert or Stirling, then medically downgraded to B1 on 17/06/41, and to B2 on 18/08/43. During this period he spends time at No. 7 ITC, and an Intelligence Training Centre. He’s permanently attached to the 14th Battalion DLI from 06/01/44, and HQ 124 Town Major on 09/05/44. Embarks for France 07/06/44, and seems to finish up as Batman to 104 Town Major.. I was interested in the War Diary for the April - June 1940 as he seems to be mentioned and may explain about the injury. The link above no longer works.. I’m guessing that had he not injured himself and been downgraded, and ended up in North Africa and Italy, I may well not be here! I’ll try and upload some photos and see if people agree with my reading.. Feb 24 1945 Picture Post Further documents..
I believe this may be him, Miller was 6 Bn Lincolnshire Regt. Sleaford Gazette Friday, January 26, 1940 https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/f...ls/2703311/wallace-george-christopher-miller/ The service number 4803563 does not bring him up in the casualty lists.
Thank you for that! Pretty certain that’s him. Right age, name, initials and home town. Poor Miller.. I wonder if that accident influenced his decision to return to Private? Also being hit by a bus seems a more likely cause for a knee injury than a boxing match..
hi I am trying to trace either Wilfred Arthur Popple or Bernard Joseph Popple who may have been in the Lincolnshire Regt. Any clues ?
Welcome to the forum might be an idea to start a new thread here forum members will try to help furthe Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy You need to apply for their service records follow info here Get a copy of military records of service
Perfect, thanks for that! His casualty card shows him at No.8 General Hospital which I believe was in Rennes, on 03/05/40 so that all ties up. However, more questions arise. If he and the others were left behind when the Battalion entrained on 16/05/40, how did he make his way back to the UK?
Pte Billings was in Rennes, Normandy, nowhere near the Dunkirk area. He possibly left from the small port of St. Malo. (an Assumption only!) Timeline of 8 General Hospital in France (Rennes) 8 British General Hospital Lesneven 9/39 to 4/40 then to Rennes; Rennes 4/40 to 18/6/40 then to UK Leeds. Rennes was captured around 25 June, so Billings was long gone and did not experience the horrors of the Dunkirk retreat. His boxing injury proved to be his safe exit from France.
Of course! Can’t think why I didn’t consider that other port were used! His subsequent downgrading to B1 then B2 ruled him out of North Africa and Italy too. He arrives back in France on 07/06/44 though..
