I have attempted to put together some details on Steel's patrol during which he was killed. You can find the result here: 9th Lancers on the Somme – 24 May 1940 – The 1st Armoured Division (UK) (wordpress.com) A short, potted biography of Steel is here: RICHARD OWEN PRICE STEEL (26/1/1914 – 24/05/1940)
I suppose, potentially there might perhaps be accounts from the German perspective of the same events, same place, same day etc. Lots of questions and puzzles remain, perhaps, although often as with any research, rather than answering any one question specifically more questions will probably arise as a result... I wonder, for instance what there is that is known, currently, of the rest of Lt.Steel's crew... Edit : With late May 1940's covered at around 40+mins in...
9th Lancers, re. Wednesday 5th June 1940... 5d6m1940... Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0051.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby Corporal George Austin Parker | War Casualty Details 320035 | CWGC CORPORAL GEORGE AUSTIN PARKER Service Number: 320035 Regiment : Royal Armoured Corps, 9th Queen's Royal Lancers. Date of Death : Died 05 June 1940 Age 20 years old Buried or commemorated at OUST-MARAIS COMMUNAL CEMETERY. France Country of Service : United Kingdom Additional Info : Son of Harold and Jane Parker, of Bramley, Leeds, Yorkshire. Recommendation for Award for Blandford, Arthur Rank: G.S.M. Regiment: 9... | The National Archives Reference:WO 373/16/51 Description: Name: Blandford, Arthur Rank: G.S.M. Regiment : 9 Lancers Theatre of Combat or Operation:British Expeditionary Force 1939-40 Award : Distinguished Conduct Medal Date of announcement in London Gazette: 27 September 1940 The DCM citation is transcribed here... Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_376.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby Refs. re "Blandford"... - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby
Sunday 16th June 1940... 9th Lancers... Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0061.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby RMS Lady of Mann - Wikipedia "War service Under the command of her Master Captain T.C. (Daddy) Woods O.B.E., Lady of Mann joined seven of her Steam Packet sisters at Dunkirk and then at the evacuation of the north-western French ports. After this she spent four years on transport work from Lerwick. She then went south and was engaged in the D-Day landings on the Cherbourg Peninsula." "Operation Aerial Following Operation Dynamo Lady of Mann was in action once more. She became part of the force of personnel ships assigned to Operation Aerial, the evacuation from the ports of north-west France. She was at Le Havre, Cherbourg and Brest, embarking troops as the enemy advanced in a vast encircling movement. Along with her Steam Packet sister Manx Maid, Lady of Mann was one of the last three ships to leave Le Havre. It was estimated she had 5,000 troops on board as she departed under air attack." Meanwhile... "Philippe Pétain became Prime Minister of France after Paul Reynaud resigned. Only one hour after becoming the head of government, Pétain asked his Foreign Minister Paul Baudouin to pass a note to the Spanish ambassador asking Spain to request "the conditions Chancellor Hitler would require to put a halt to military operations and sign an armistice." "
Photo No 1. 1940. An A9 Cruiser Mk I. Photo 2 with number 5 on the front . Photos from my collection. Keith
