BEF rearguard actions / Dunkirk what are your most poignant stories

Hi Guys,

Do you have any stories regarding the BEF units that held up the Germans to keep the escape going?

I'm looking for subject matter on heroism during this period, what started my interest was a fabulous tour with Iain of the Guards action at Landrecies, and seeing the Munsters who all died together during Mons in WW1.

It started my curiosity regarding the later withdrawal.

Cheers

Soren

 

Cheers Owen

These are the sort of leads I'm after many thanks

Soren

 

You've actually got one of the most gutsy and sacrificial holding actions right on your own doorstep, Soren.

From "Shrapnel Corner", the area between the railway line and the canal and the Ieper - Warneton Road (and westwards to Wijtschaete) became the battleground for "the Battle of Wijschaete 1940" which, although a defeat, delayed the Germans for 24 hours in the east and caused them to advance more cautiously from then on - perhaps enabling several thousand more BEF to escape up the Dunkirk corridor. The actions of the 17th Bde at Hill 60 (2/RSF), the "Dump" (6/Seaforths) and "the Bluff" (2/RSF & 6/Seaforths) make particularly interesting reading for those with an interest in WW1, though the actions further south are no less so.

Even more on your "doorstep" is the small action at the Menin Gate...

On the 28th May 1940 the cyclists of the German 18 Aufklärungs-Bataillon came under fire from the Menin Gate (held at that time by 150 Bde AT Coy and elements of the 1/6th S.Staffordshire regiment who had, since the previous day, come under the orders of 150Bde and who had just relieved the 4/East Yorkshire Regiment) whilst heading northwards over the Menin Road crossroads at approx. 14:30 hrs. Fire was returned with the aid of the MG.34s of two SdKfz half-tracks and supported by the guns of Artillerie-Regiment 54, who were just north of Zillebeke lake . After a short period the small arms fire from the front ceased, but there was sporadic artillery fire until about 18:00 hrs mainly ranged on the ramparts and the houses around the Gate. During this artillery fire ( at approx. 17:00 hrs), the bridge over the moat was blown (by Lt.David Smith of 101 Coy.R.E.(Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers(M)) - this action being one of his accumalitive actions that contributed to his award of the MC) and the defenders withdrawn. The Germans , meanwhile, continued on their way - northwards and on to further actions to the north of the town (in an attempted encirclement manouvre) where other German divisions (254, 14 , 19 and 30th Divisions) were in action along the Yser canal. (14 (and 18 Division - whose troops had been in action at the Menin Gate )- entering the town the following day - the 29th - via the Lille Gate. Men of Infantry Regt 30 under Oberst von Erdmannsdorff raise the swastika over the Cloth Hall at 11:25 am).

No British casualties noted in the actual small arms exchange. One German dead and several wounded.

The damage to the front of the gate was caused by this small action - both by German fire and by the British demolition of the bridge. There was an OP behind the lion during the 27th May (and into the morning of the 28th) set up originally by 260 Bty, 65 A.T.Regt R.A. (and shared by the other units manning the Gate), but this had become untennable by mid-morning of the 28th due to small arms fire specifically targetting it (with some (much?) of the fire coming from within the town itself!).


Dave.

 

Main British positions immediately prior to the "battle of Wijtschaete" - situation as at PM on 26th May...

 

To repeat my post from back in February about the involvement of the 6/Seaforths in this action...

On 26th May 1940, the 6/seaforths arrived at St.Eloi (from Templemars) at around 11:00hrs. They had been bombed several times en route and had suffered some casualties due to this. After arriving, they occupied defensive positions just south of Zillebeke (just west of and parallel with the Ypres-Comines railway, facing in a N.Easterly direction). 3 Coys held the front (A on the right, D in the centre and C on the left with B Coy being in reserve) with Bn HQ being in a farm a little behind (map ref.H6058). The battalion frontage was about 2000 yds in length.

A couple of German armoured cars and motorcycle troops appeared during the afternoon soon followed by many troops on bicycles and intermittant shelling. German posts were reported as being set up close to the left flank of the frontage and sniper activity increased towards dusk, with some being reported as being behind the British lines. Nightfall brought much activity and further shelling and the left hand platoon of C coy (under 2/Lt.J.M.Moir) disappeared completely (it later transpired that they had been captured by a German patrol).

With daylight on the 27th May german pressure increased enormously and their mortars and AP weaponry was brought into the fray. casualties were heavy in all forward companies, but especially in A Coy which was reduced to a handful of men commanded by Sgt.F. Stewart - all officers having become casualties. Stewart was later awarded the DCM for his gallantry in this action*. At around 14:00 hours, the battalion was forced to withdraw to the neighbourhood of St.Eloi village where they endured further heavy shelling until nightfall. By this time however, german troops were in close proximity and rifle and MG fire continued into the night. A few troops of the battalion were captured by the germans actually in St.Eloi village, including at least one officer.

Dawn on 28th May was heralded by attacks from dive-bombers, two bombs from which landed very near the RAP which, by this time ,was practically in the frontline. the Germans appeared to have withdrawn slightly during the night and so the artillery began again for a number of hours until the German infantry pushed forward again, working at the gaps in the line between the neighbouring battalions. Eventually, the battalion was surrounded on 3 sides in some depth and so it was decided to withdraw to Wijtschaete which was done under very heavy rifle and LMG fire. The battalion by now was in such a state that it took until nightfall to collect the stragglers and reorganise what was left of the battalion. here the order was given to embus for Moeres. The battalion moved to la Clytte (for tea, biscuits, bully & rum!) where "B" echelon transport had been held and then the night move started on the heavily congested roads......etc...etc.....from then on - destination Dunkirk.

* the place of Sgt.Stewart's action was the easily recognisable feature known in WW1 as "the Dump".

Dave.

 

Dave - very interesting indeed, and an excellent map!

 

Cheers Paul. I'll put some of the others up later if they're of interest.

Dave.

 

Owen,

That picture really is something, I wonder whether they got out alive?

 

and an excellent map!


Closer detail - Hill 60...

 

Thats a really detailed map! Thanks for posting.

 

I wonder whether they got out alive?


Not if they didn't shift that bloody pea-shooter before the 28th May, they wouldn't!!!

Dave...

 

Really interesting, never really thought about the WW2 casualties at Bedford house, so thanks Dave for bringing it to my attention. Do you know where the German casualties are buried.

Steve

 

Do you know where the German casualties are buried.



At the Soldatenfriedhof at Lommel near the Dutch border.

Some images from the 1940 ypres battlefield today , plus the graves of some of the casualties (both German and British) can be seen on this thread on Paul's Ypres forum... Ypres Battlefields Forum -> Some battlefield shots from a different war...

Dave.