ox & bucks at dunkirk

Discussion in '1940' started by mudblood, Dec 12, 2006.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    From the Regimental History he joined the battalion on the 12th March from the Infantry Training Centre. There's also a group photo in the book of the battalions officers which includes Purchon.

    The war diary has him posted to A Company on the 12th March, as a 2nd Lt I'd assume he was a Platoon Commander.
     
    ritsonvaljos likes this.
  2. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    Thanks.

    Presumably the photograph you mention was taken outside the château at Attiches? I received a copy from a relative of one of the other officers and was wondering when 2nd Lt. Purchon had joined. It helps narrow down the date of the photograph to between 12 March and the middle of May (1940).
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    The book says the photo was taken in March 1940. I suspect it's the same one.
     
  4. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    That resolves the query with the date, evidently taken between 12 - 31 March 1940. Thanks.
     
  5. Bala

    Bala Member

    I am not sure if this is the right page to ask a question about the Adjutant of the 1st Bn Ox & Bucks. On the 27 May he was Captain Hugh Saunders and you will see that the battalion knew little of what happened at Hazebrouck


    My question is how long was he Adjutant for? I have a Major Saunders being sent from the War Office to the Isle of Wight for meetings to set up Auxiliary Units, the secret Resistance Organisation. Probably sent by Colonel Gubbins in July 1940. However I know of three Major Saunders who may have gone to the Isle of Wight. So did the Adjutant get posted to the war office? Capt Hugh Saunders Ox & Bucks.JPG
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Remem

    Remember it's the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. 1st Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry were another unit.

    As of the 24th May I have him as Captain H N Saunders and he was the OC of D Company as of the 10th May 1940.
     
  7. Rod French

    Rod French Member

    My father was with the Fourth at Cassel, on the canal embankment. He was shot by a sniper and received a leg wound that required him to be evacuated to Dunkirque and thence to England. One of the 'lucky' ones. He never saw or heard of any of his wartime comrades ever again. I read on Wikipedia that the Fourth were surrounded and forced to surrender and that only four men returned to England at the end of the war. What happened to the others? I have read that the Germans shot a lot of prisoners during this period. If anyone has researched this more fully and is able to give me any information, I would be grateful.
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Just searched on CWGC .
    You have searched for War: Second World War, Regiment: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, Unit 4th Bn

    152 results. (some anomolies as I see 1 in Burma) lots in France & Belgium. Some in Germany & Poland as POW.
    A few at Home.
    http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Rod

    There's no Canal at Cassel. It's a hill (The one the Grand Old Duke of York Marched 10,000 men up). Whilst a significant amount of the Brigade were capture around Cassel after Brigadier Somerset gave the order to try and break out in small groups at nightfall, many Ox and Bucks and Glosters did make it back to the UK via Dunkirk.

    Forum member Jerry Murlands book on Cassel gets released in May - It's very good ;)
     
  10. RCG

    RCG Senior Member, Deceased

    Just a snippet of information, but this chap appears to have been originally in the Royal Norfolks.
    5770410 Pte F. A Buller. Oxs and Bucks Lt Inf. POW 70239 Stalag XII-D. Waldbrietbach.
     
  11. Rod French

    Rod French Member

    Interesting. Slightly off topic. When my father recuperated from his wound he was posted(?) to the Royal Norfolks and saw out the rest of the war with them in North Africa and Italy.
     
  12. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    was that 30th Norfolks in 43 Brigade ?
    Line of Communictions troops.
     
  13. Rod French

    Rod French Member

    Don't know, Owen. I do know he was no longer fit for front line duty and served out his time 'behind the lines'. "Landed at Salerno, a holiday with pay", finished up near Florence. Had a wonderful time by his account.
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Have you applied to the MoD for his service records?
     
  15. Rod French

    Rod French Member

    I'll give that a go. Any tips on how to apply?
     
  16. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

  17. Rod French

    Rod French Member

    Thanks,dbf, will follow this up.
     
  18. Rod French

    Rod French Member

    No, my old man survived the war so he's not a deceased soldier. Well, he is now but wasn't when he got demobbed.
     
  19. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    The link also applies to cases when death occurred after leaving service.
    You will need to supply proof of death - copy death certificate, or similar type documentation relating to funeral or burial.
     

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