Thanks exmerch. This helps allot! If somebody else has information over the units that I am looking for please let me know. Regards Koen
5th Infantry Division HQ 5th Divisional Signals 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 2nd Battalion The Cameronians 6th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 17th Brigade Anti-Tank Company: 16th-17th Along the line of the Hal Canal. 18th Estaires and then received orders to move to Seclin.
5th Infantry Division HQ 5th Divisional Signals 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 6th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 2 Cameronians: 16th Lessines 17th Lembecq 18th Scaubecq 19th Sainghain 20th Sainghain/Lens/Avion
5th Infantry Division HQ 5th Divisional Signals 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 6 Seaforth Highlanders: 16th Escaut 17th Canal between Hal and Hoth 18th Oetinghem then Boyen Kwartier 19th Annappes 20th Annappes then Avion
5th Divisional Signals 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 5 Division General Staff: 16th Berchem, St Laurent 17th Berchem, St Laurent 18th Wodecq 19th Seclin 20th Left for Vimy
91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 5 Division Signals: 16th Berchem, St Laurent 17th Berchem, St Laurent 18th Wodecq then Valaimes (?) 19th Seclin 20th Seclin then Vimy
Thanks Drew! This really helps me allot. Unit locations still to ID 5th Division Commander Royal Artillery (CRA) 5th Division Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) 5th Division Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) 5th Division Provost Company 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 92nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 13th Brigade Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 13th Brigade Signals (Sigs) 17th Brigade Headquarters 17th Brigade Signals (Sigs)
5th Division Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) 5th Division Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) 5th Division Provost Company 13th Brigade Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 13th Brigade Signals (Sigs) 17th Brigade Headquarters 17th Brigade Signals (Sigs) 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 92nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 16th Berchem, St Laurent 17th Bichquree nr Lessines 18th Not Stated 19th Rue de Arras in Seclin 20th Petite Vimy Villlage
5th Division Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) 5th Division Provost Company 13th Brigade Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 17th Brigade Headquarters 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 92nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 16th Everbecq then Berchem, St Laurent 17th Berchem, St Laurent 18th Anodecq (?) 19th Seclin 20th Petite Vimy Villlage
5th Division Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) 5th Division Provost Company 13th Brigade Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 92nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 245th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 16th Oultre then Hof Wydem 17th Hof Wydem 18th Castre-Enghien Rd then Paricke 19th Paricke then Ronchin 20th Ronchin
5th Division Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) 5th Division Provost Company 13th Brigade Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 92nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 254th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 16th Ghoy then Quackenbeek 17th Quackenbeek 18th Warte 19th Fretin 20th Meurchin
5th Division Commander Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC) 5th Division Provost Company 13th Brigade Headquarters 13th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company 91st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 92nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97th Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers 252nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 16th Idighem 17th Idighem 18th Ladystraat 19th Fretin 20th Fretin
The positions of last 3 units where 30km away from the main group of brigade units. Is this normal? Regards Koen
Quite a lot of regiment sized units were taken from their parent unit and moved to another division to increase that divisions numbers/effectiveness during May.
Koen, I'm not exactly clear which units you mean by 'the last three' but if it includes Brigade HQ and the Royal Engineers Field Park etc, then it would be normal for them to be some distance behind the line and 30km is not that far. It's also quite possible that RE Field companies withdrew earlier to prepare demolitions etc. on the following fall-back line but it would take a thorough reading of the diaries to confirm that. The BEF were quite good on defence in depth and their tactics when withdrawing were what ultimately saved them. No question of simply lining up along the river bank !
I'm going to throw a spanner in your research. I've just been reading the 4th Ox Bucks war diary for another thread and they were in Hal on the 17th May.
They were 48th Div, weren't they Andy ? In 1 Corps reserve at the time. Do you know which Brigade was loaned to the French 1st Army as referred to in Ellis ?
They were 48th Div, weren't they Andy ? In 1 Corps reserve at the time. Do you know which Brigade was loaned to the French 1st Army as referred to in Ellis ? Yep - 145 Bde were 4 Ox Bucks. Anymore clues?
