Amazing info in those diaries! I've tracked down that a family relative (I Pm'd you drew5322) down to 2/6th battalion of queens royal guards and him being possibly (most likely) captured at st valery, then he was a pow in polands Stalag XXID camps. Private John Edward Dunn soldier nos: 6091694 if anyone can help track his movements? Thanks
Amazing info in those diaries! I've tracked down that a family relative (I Pm'd you drew5322) down to 2/6th battalion of queens royal guards and him being possibly (most likely) captured at st valery, then he was a pow in polands Stalag XXID camps. Private John Edward Dunn soldier nos: 6091694 if anyone can help track his movements? Thanks We have a problem - He completed a PoW Liberation Report but gives his unit as the 7th Battalion QRR. The closest to that is 1/7th and 2/7th that were is France. Whats your source for 2/6th ?
We have a problem - He completed a PoW Liberation Report but gives his unit as the 7th Battalion QRR. The closest to that is 1/7th and 2/7th that were is France. Whats your source for 2/6th ? Really? That's awesome! From my very limited research I kinda assumed he would be in 2/6th as I understand it most of 2/6th were captured? The only details we 100% know is his pow number which led us to his soldier number and queens regiment and his rank via a search on powvet. We aloe know his d.o.b and that we was captured in France then spent 5yrs in pow camps in Poland. Stalag XXID and fort Rauch (we have his pics from camps with names and pow nos stamped on back) Thank you so much for that tho Andy!
Haha glad you're happy but we don't know the battalion-I'll sort all the files out tonight and tomorrow. Once I've done that I'll look at his questionnaire and see if I can get any clues like where he was captured and cross ref it with the diaries and the official QRR history that I have upstairs. Think I'll move these posts to a new thread to, so they don't get mixed up with this one seeing as we don't know the Bn yet. Bare with me a bit longer Andy
Hehehe "note to self: don't assume anything" From what I can gather 35 brigade had 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th battalions in bef France. Also is queens own royal west Kent regiment same as qrr? As they had a 7th battalion in the 36th brigade lol that info is in the book Dunkirk: fight to the last man" by Hugh sebag-montefiore that I have here (amazing book btw) Yeah I'm happy cos now we know he was in 7th qrr, 2 weeks of research may/may not have been wasted hahaha Appreciate it Andy Haha glad you're happy but we don't know the battalion-I'll sort all the files out tonight and tomorrow. Once I've done that I'll look at his questionnaire and see if I can get any clues like where he was captured and cross ref it with the diaries and the official QRR history that I have upstairs. Think I'll move these posts to a new thread to, so they don't get mixed up with this one seeing as we don't know the Bn yet. Bare with me a bit longer Andy
Also is queens own royal west Kent regiment same as qrr? NO. Welcome to the Website of The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bit stuck now - He says he was captured on the 20th May 1940 and gives his location as France, which is a pain ! I've checked the 1/7 and 2/7 and both were in contact with the enemy on and around the 20th May. Incidently, incase you wasn't aware, he shouldn't have been fighting in France - He was under 19 years of age in May 1940. Still digging....
Bit stuck now - He says he was captured on the 20th May 1940 and gives his location as France, which is a pain ! I've checked the 1/7 and 2/7 and both were in contact with the enemy on and around the 20th May. Incidently, incase you wasn't aware, he shouldn't have been fighting in France - He was under 19 years of age in May 1940. Still digging.... Wow really? That's incredible info We believe he was born 08/12/1920 from a search on ancestry.co.uk files of a j.e. dunn who lived in bermondsey and born in camberwell, which is were he lived and was born (can't be too many around there on that date with same name, surely?) lol I'm meeting john's wife tomorrow and altho she is 88yrs old now and has dementia she still remembers John telling her certain things and has found his pow food ration book and a few other bits. I'm sure she confirmed his d.o.b, I'll ask again tomorrow. Really appreciate all your help Andy, you're a star ;-)
NO. Welcome to the Website of The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thank you for the confirmation, much appreciated
2/7th Queens certainly had a lot captured around 20th May. Tim Lynch ('Whereabouts Unknown') refers to ...two and a half companies who were in the Village of Vauchelles (On the Somme, near Amiens) being bypassed on 20th May and rounded up the next day.
Do you want me to post the three pages on here before sending them to you? Perhaps you can use the info tomorrow? Rich-Reading the diaries I did lean more towards 2/7th but as you know, nothing is certain with the BEF !
2/7th Queens certainly had a lot captured around 20th May. Tim Lynch ('Whereabouts Unknown') refers to ...two and a half companies who were in the Village of Vauchelles (On the Somme, near Amiens) being bypassed on 20th May and rounded up the next day. Awesome, I'll dig around and see what else I can find out. I'll have to get that book and a few more now lol I found what could be a very interesting book on eBay called "Survivor of the long march: Five Years as a PoW 1940-1945 by Charles Waite, Dee La Vardera (Hardback, 2012) Here's the blurb on eBay about it which sounds like a very, very similar story to my family members and in 2/7th queens royal regiment. Description Nothing prepares a man for war and Private Charles Waite, of the 2/7th Queen's Royal Regiment, was certainly ill-prepared when his convoy carrying supplies of petrol and ammunition on its way to Dunkirk took a wrong turning near Abbeville. In this book, he puts his story on paper. Thank you for your input mate
Do you want me to post the three pages on here before sending them to you? Perhaps you can use the info tomorrow? Rich-Reading the diaries I did lean more towards 2/7th but as you know, nothing is certain with the BEF ! That would be brilliant if you could Andy
Even more confused-There was two TA Battalions (6th and 7th) Pre War that appear to become 1/7th and 2/7th according to the history. By the way I've just noticed that John's wife is still alive. I would fill the service records request forms in for her to sign and send them off. The records are free for a wife or husband.
Even more confused-There was two TA Battalions (6th and 7th) Pre War that appear to become 1/7th and 2/7th according to the history. By the way I've just noticed that John's wife is still alive. I would fill the service records request forms in for her to sign and send them off. The records are free for a wife or husband. How amazing to have all that info now, can't thank you enough Andy. So some soldiers of both 1/7 and 2/7 got captured on 20th may 1939 in France? I'll see if I can look up his enlistment date and cross reference it somehow? Where do I get the forms for her to sign?
Ask if she remembers any officers names or if John spoke of any, officers are easy to trace and may lead us to his unit. Infact let us know anything she says, there may be a clue or two in there. Here's the link for a copy of his records: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/publication-scheme#how-to-apply-for-records-of-service-of-deceased-service-personnel Read it carefully and if in doubt ring them up-they are very helpful. I'll do some more digging but I start in a new role on Monday so may not have time until next w/end.
Even more confused-There was two TA Battalions (6th and 7th) Pre War that appear to become 1/7th and 2/7th according to the history. are you reading that right Andy? I'd have thought the 6th Bn would have split to become the 1/6th & 2/6th . The 7th Bn would become the 1/7th & 2/7th ?? edit: from here. Second World War 1939 – 1945 Prior to the declaration of War the Territorial Battalions were each ordered to split and form into two Battions doubling the strength of the T A infantry.
