4273444 Fusilier Albert THOMPSON, 4 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers: 19/05/1940

Fusilier A. Thompson died on the 19-th of may 1940 in Sint-Lievens-Esse, Belgium. His grave is still there. Is there anyone who can tell me more about the circonstances this Fusilier died on that day.?The BEF was in full retreat to Oudenaarde to build up a new frontline behind the river Schelde.

 

Hi,

I think 4th NF were a motorcycle battalion in BEF. I’m sure there are topics on the forum about it. You’ll need to use the forum search facility.

Here is a starter -

4th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers

Forum member Rich Payne has an interest in WW2 motorcycle units so he may be able to assist further.

Good Luck

Steve

 

Yes, they were the Motorcycle Battalion for 50th (Northumbrian) Division. As Steve says, a search of the forum will surely be productive. Good luck!

Cheers, Pat

I believe Rich Payne might know more

Curses! Once again, not quick enough!!!!

 

4 RNF's war diary definitely states that the battalion's first casualties were sustained when withdrawing from marshalling the Schelde bridge crossings. I'd suspect that Fusilier Thompson might be the "missing" OR from that action and that he was evacuated by the Germans but died of wounds later in the day.

 

A similar story in a typed account.

 

This is one of those occasions when I miss Geoff's Search Engine, as there has never been a better way to trace unit casualties according to date. I have a document listing 4 RNF casualties and the only other from 19th May is Cornelius Newton who is buried at Bellegem which is to be expected.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2252643/cornelius-newton/

If there were only two killed and the war diary was contemporaneous then it's difficult to understand why Albert Thompson was buried at Sint-Lievens-Esse.

 

thanks for the information.
So Albert Thompson is probably the missing casualty that is mentioned in the diary for 19 may. he was evacuated to the east by the Germans , died and was buried in Sint-Lievens- Esse, 25 kilometers east from the bridge in Petegem.
Does some know what "route D" was, also mentioned in the diary?

 

in an official register int he archive of the commune of Sint Lievens Esse, l found this notification
so this soldier died in SL Es and not in Petgem as some sources suggest.
he is qualified as " sniper" . did the Northumbrian fuseliers have " snipers" in their rangs?

 

Hi,

Here is the CWGC record -

Search Results | CWGC

He served in 4th RNF - a motorcycle Battalion. I’m not aware of the number of “snipers” in a British Infantry Battalion in 1940 but forum member Drew5233 has an interest in BEF and may have an insight.

Try the forum search engine for other mentions of 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.

Steve

 

mystery solved: i founfd a diary of an inhabitant of Sint-Lievens-Esse. He describes how a German artillery shell fell on the house of his grandmother on 19 may 1940. she was not injured but he adds that a soldier of the British troops retreating to the West, was killed by a piece of the shell and that he was burried in the graveyard nearby.
This must be Albert Thompson.