Hi while researching the history of Colne Place, Earls Colne, Essex, I have found that this Victorian mansion was occupied in 1940 and ? by "4/7 Dragoon Officers Mess at Colne Place, Earls Colne" according to records held by the Essex Record Office - specifically an application for gas distribution/maintenance to the Essex Gas company! I would appreciate any further information that is known - when was it used as a billet, how long did the Dragoons remain, where was the main camp - Colchester? I've done some googling around, but the information I've found so far only relates to D-Day onwards. TIA
It is possibly the kind of detail included in "The First and the Last" Via the IWM... H2499 - THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45 DESCRIPTION Object description The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps, parade with their new Standard Beaverette reconnaissance cars, 25 July 1940. However - has for instance - There's this too on Amazon - that has a limited preview - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Actions-Royal-Dragoon-Guards-May-June/dp/1783310251/ "A detailed account of the regiment’s part in the 1940 Belgian campaign and the fall back to Dunkirk. Published in August 1941 less than a year after the events it describes, it was compiled from Squadron Diaries and personal narratives. By no means an official history, it was privately distributed and includes a Roll of Honour (KIA., POW., DOW., & Missing) and a short account of the Squadron’s previous posting in Palestine." Edit - H2497 - THE NEW "IRONSIDES" H2498 - THE NEW "IRONSIDES" Etc. H2514 - THE NEW "IRONSIDES"