BEF rearguard action at De Moeren/Bulskamp (May 29th till May 31st 1940)

The village of Bulskamp (in Belgium, between Furnes and the French border in a region called De Moeren), is one of the most remote places in Flanders. The place is (by Belgian standards) isolated, scarcely populated, flat as the palm of my hand, and often battered by wind and rain. Except for the local farmers and some occasional cycling tourists wandering the polders, hardly anyone ever goes there.

In the village churchyard 26 British soldiers now forever rest in peace. They are, however, often mistaken for WWI casualties. Except for the proverbial exception to the rule, the circumstances of their sacrifice is almost forgotten among the locals. I am currently trying to remedy this situation by trying to piece together a coherent and comprehensive account of the combats that took place there between May 29th and May 31st 1940.

It has been my impression that, within the ‘big picture’ of the Dunkirk perimeter’s defence, the importance of the fierce combats that took place in and around Bulskamp is somewhat underestimated (or even sometimes overlooked) by historians. If the Germans had been able to punch through in De Moeren, they could have easily reached Ghyvelde and Bray-Dunes, effectively cutting the defence perimeter in half, subsequently trapping all French and British troops still fighting in Belgium.

As far as I could make out so far, the British units involved (as part of the 50th Division, 9th and 151st Brigades) were:
· The 92/Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
· The 2/Royal Ulster Rifles (RUR)
· The 3/Grenadier Guards (GG)
· The 1/King’s Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB)
· The 6/, 7/, 8/ and 9/Durham Light Infantery (DLI)
· …
Also, let us not forget their opposite numbers, the Wehrmacht’s 216. Infanterie Division (Generalleutnant Kurt Himer) comprising Infanterie Regimenten 348, 396 and 396 + Artillerie Regiment 216 and supporting elements.

As always, all inputs and/or insights forum members could offer on this subject would be most appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Christian

 

There are a few threads here for each village you named. By now you may have found them!

 

Believe it or not, but I had found them before posting the tread. What I was able to compile, however, was fragmentary. It allowed me though to lay the first pieces of the jigsaw.

 

I think the Artillery component is described in Return to Dunkirk by 'Gun Buster'. It's written by an officer in 92nd Field Regiment RA and describes the battles at the Dunkirk perimeter around this area.
Details here:

Return Via Dunkirk
Gun Buster
Published by Severn House, 1975
ISBN 10: 0856172898
ISBN 13: 9780856172892

 

I think the Artillery component is described in Return to Dunkirk by 'Gun Buster'.

It's written by an officer in 92nd Field Regiment RA and describes the battles at the Dunkirk perimeter around this area.

Map of his 'Y' Battery fighting withdrawal to Dunkirk here:

 

Hi John,

This forum is quite fantastic! Thanks to people like you one can learn new things almost every day!

I realize this may sound strange to a Brit but, not being insular, I must confess I didn’t know about this book
I now learned – thanks to you kind input for which I’m very grateful – of the existence of this wartime classic.

After your post I immediately tried to get hold of a copy in one of the public libraries in the vicinity. No joy… I then enquired in a number of specialized bookshops throughout Belgium. Again, ‘Return via Dunkirk’ was nowhere to be found…

A copy would probably be available through a University Library in Brussels or at the Royal Military Academy, but I thought it simpler to save myself the trouble and order a copy via eBay. It should arrive within a fortnight.
Again, thanks for sharing!

Kind Regards,
Christian

 

The village of Bulskamp gets mentioned a few times, e.g. on Page 135....


It describes the church spire
being used as a German Observation post and the artillery duel that resulted.


'...And in the centre of Bulscamp [sic], from the middle of a cluster of red houses, rose my destined victim, a grey church with a tower surmounted by a wooden steeple. At once I fastened on the two slit windows in the belfry just below, visible from where I watched as little more than two short vertical lines. From these windows we, in our turn, were doubtless being observed by some German O.P. officer...'

 

Christian- could this be the 'White Windmill' described? It's just off Debarkestraat Veurne.

 

Yes, this is the Sint-Karelsmolen (St Charles windmill). It serverd as OP for the British (92/Field Regiment). The Germans used the St. Bertinus church tower as their OP. During the ensuing artillery duel, the English were more proficient: after hitting the church's roof, swift corrections were transmitted to the batteries (presumable located close to the windmill). The church tower took several direct hits and the Germans had to close shop.

I have contacted the Tourist Information Bureau in Veurne/Furnes and obtained the necessary contacts to arrange a visit of the Sint-Karelsmolen. It has been extensively renovated but is not open to public. I may have to be patient.

If the weather remains sunny, I intend to survey the location and post photos of the terrain and the visual reference points IOT increase situational awareness. It is one of the few battle sites that has not changed much over time: dead flat terrain, brooks intersecting everywhere and little/no cover - ideal for defence if decently entrenched. Retreat towards the coast, however, could only have taken place over one route and at night. Given the orientation of the front line, attacking Germans forces would have had an advantage in the morning (low sun facing the British).

Please find attached two photos that have been for sale on eBay a couple of years ago (I took the liberty of saving them).They were taken at the intersection of the Presendestraat and the Boonakkerstraat in Bulskamp.

 

Eons ago I read some of Gun Buster's book, they had been inherited and long ago disposed of. I can only recall reading about the siege of Malta now, minus any details. See: Gun Buster - Wikipedia

 

According to the book by W. Pauweks, "Veurne Bezet", the attack of the 56.ID (192nd IR at VEURNE and 171st IR at BULSKAMP) began on May 29, 1940, from 4 p.m. on. Only when the British withdrew toward De Panne on June 1, 1940, were the Germans able to cross the channel and occupy Veurne. About 300 fallen Germans were buried in the German military cemetery near Veurne.
At germandocsinrussia unfortunately no documents are preserved
Veurne bezet

see also:
Beschrijving Bruggenhoofd Gent

 

According to the regiments war diaries,,,

92 Field Regt moved to Adinkerque during the night of the 29th May 1940
2 RUR arrived Bulscamp at 0200hrs on the 30th May 1940
3 Grenadier Guards marched to the Fens north of Moeres arriving at 0830hrs on the 30th May 1940
1 King’s Own Scottish Borderers moved to Furnes on the 29th May 1940
6 DLI was in position around Houthem Bridge by 2330hrs on the 29th May 1940
7 DLI didn't deploy to France during 1940.
8 DLI arrived at Moeres at 0100hrs on the 30th May 1940
9 DLI took up positions south of Bulscamp around 0530hrs on the 30th May 1940

 

A few more net finds on Veurne + Bulskamp:

Light cavalry tank AMR 35, Veurne, 1940:
Light cavalry tank AMR 35 87408 in Furnes 1940 | World War Photos

German newsreel:
Einheit des Heereswaffenamtes | Agentur Karl Höffkes
Veurne mentioned at 11:04:53

with some pictures from Bulskamp:
18 daagse veldtocht na 3 dagen strijd aan bruggenhoofd Gent.

AI is not just the devil's work, but can be quite useful.
From the latter link and from an expired Ebay auction I have improved some thumbnails with AI:

insription: Bulskamp after the departure of the British

Vormarsch Pioniere der 56. ID in Belgien, Mai 1940: Kampfraum Leie / Veurne / De Panne

 

Please find hereunder, as promised, several photos of the surroundings of Bulskamp (dated 30/04/2023).
Feel free to contact me should you require a high-resolution copy.

 

Allow me, in order to clarify the photos I recently posted, to add some comments with regard to this unusual battleground.

The area known as De Moeren (called Les Moëres on the French side of the border) was initially a vast marshland, smack on the French-Belgian border. Topographically, this terrain is the lowest land point under sea level in the whole of Belgium (the green zones on the map are about 1 to 2 m under sea level)



In the early 17th century, in order to turn these marshes into cultivable farmland a slightly elevated canal, called the Ringsloot, was dug all around it (clearly distinctive on the map). Subsequently, a series of windmills were also constructed in order to continuously pump the water from the many brooks traversing De Moeren directly into the Ringsloot. From there on, the water was then gradually evacuated towards the sea by a network of dykes, sluices and the Bergues-Furnes canal (that traverses Bulskamp). These windmills are now of course replaced by modern pumping stations, but the general principles haven't changed. The St. Charles (recently restored and still in working order) and the St. Gustaaf windmills are remnants of the 22 windmills initially constructed.



De Moeren have always played an important part in the military defence of Dunkirk. The first time the area was purposely inundated in order to bolster the town's defences was in 1658 when the town, then in hands of the Spanish, was besieged by… French and English troops (Oh, the irony!). History repeated itself, although involving different actors, in 1940 and 1944.

It is important to note though that in May 1940, on the Belgian side of De Moeren, only the area just adjacent to the French border got inundated. The water did not reach the zone around Bulskamp where the actual fighting took place. In 1944, however, it was a different story: This time, the whole area we are discussing in this tread got entirely submerged up to sea level.

 

Whilst conduction some research related to this tread I stumbled on a unique individual of which I had never heard before: Father Tom Duggan, chaplain with the 8/DLI.

Cited from: Father Tom Duggan - Chaplain | Military History Forum

“On May 31st elements of 8DLI set up a joint regimental aid post. German shelling was heavy and accurate and casualties mounted steadily throughout the shelling Padre Duggan and Cpl H .Fletcher made repeated journeys carrying the wounded into the cellars of the nearby chateau. The Padres humour, coolness and courage did wonders for the morale of the Durhams as he carried on regardless despite the ferocity of the German bombardment.”



Padre Duggan is also mentioned in Jerry Murland’s book ‘The Dunkirk Perimeter and Evacuation 1940’. He was awarded the MC and OBE for outstanding bravery, whereas Cpl Fletcher was mentioned in dispatches. When making a query on our forum’s search engine, I learned that Padre Duggan’s MC was the first clerical award of the war. Imagine my surprise when, whilst surfing on the net, I found Padre Duggan’s medals were being auctioned.

The chateau referred to in the citation can be no other than Kasteel St. Flora, near the Ringsloot in Bulskamp. It did not only serve as a temporary HQ for the 8/DLI and 9/DLI, the cellars were converted in an Regimental Aid Post by Lieutenant Wilkinson (Medical Officer of the 8/DLI) and Captain Rutherford (Medical Officer of the 9/DLI). Padre Duggan and Cpl Fletcher picked up the wounded on a stretcher and carried them to the RAP throughout the shelling.

The castle, now a private property, is occasionally used as an event location and is ordinarily closed to the public. I nonetheless contacted the owners and asked for their permission to visit the site. I expect their reply by the end of the month (the location is currently booked for a number of events) and hope to be allowed to make a couple of snapshots.

Would anyone, by any chance, be able to elaborate on this heroic story? Evidently, the Padre made it safely back home, but what became of the courageous Cpl Fletcher? What also strikes me - I may be imagining things! - is the uncanny resemblance between Father Duggan and the fictional character played by Marc Williams in the BBC drama series Father Brown. Or is it more than a coincidence?

Kind Regards,
Christian

 

There`s three posts on Fr Duggan on this thread:-

The Lord he moves in Mysterious ways...

including the medals which were auctioned back in 2018. Lots of info on the good father to keep you going for awhile. In the meanwhile I have made an enquiry regarding Cpl Fletcher,

Kyle ,
Cpl Fletcher was a pre war territorial ,a bandsman .
4444615 Cpl H Fletcher was awarded a Territorial Efficiency Medal in 1938 (There`s some confusion on his initial sometimes `H` sometimes `R` but the number is the same . He enlisted in 1927 ( If anyone has access to Army Form B 358 enlistment book, Durham Light Infantry, his first name may be in there at at present the Durham Records Office remains closed to the public) Prior to moving out to France 8th DLI were inspected by the King GVI. Cpl (A/Sgt) Fletcher was in charge of the band and he was supposed to play a rendition of `The Blaydon Races` however due to the bitter cold neither instruments nor bandsmen were able to muster a meaningful tune.
Cpl Fletcher lead the stretcher bearers in France and was awarded a MiD working alongside Padre Duggen . He returned from France via Dunkirk on June 1st-2nd 1940.
On redeployment to Iraq then North Africa it was felt (Now) Sgt Fletcher was a little old to travel being one of the more senior NCOs but travel he did ! Again in charge of the stretcher bearers in the desert he was also in charge of the 8th Battalions Mobile Bath Unit . It was Sgt Fletcher who invented a contraption made from disused oil drums and fuel cans which when fired up enabled all who wished to participate to have a hot bath. No mean feat given water rationing and the desert conditions. The invention was known by men in the battalion as `Fletchers Rocket` as it bore some resemblance to `Stephenson`s Rocket` (Rocket was a locomotive designed and built by Robert Stephenson in 1829, and built at the Forth Street Works of his company in Newcastle upon Tyne.)
Fletchers MiD was published in SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 20th DECEMBER, 1940 . If he deployed to Sicily or NWE I have yet to establish. Hope this gives you a little insight into Cpl H Fletcher


Cheers


Kyle

 

Hallo Kyle,

Super! Thanks a lot for your inputs - much appreciated!

I had found the posts related to Father Duggan in the tread you refer to (it's the same link as the one in my earlier post), but I was unable to find anything at all concerning Cpl Fletcher. I don't know how you got hold of this information, but I can tell you I am most grateful for it It's that kind of fascinating anecdotes that makes History truly worth studying

As soon as I have some spare time, I'll try to find a photo of the man and a picture of his 'contraption'. In my younger days I was in charge of field support accommodations (including mobile baths), which now of course makes me very curious about 'Fletcher's Rocket'.
Again, many thanks for sharing
Christian

 

I just noticed I forgot to post two photos of the St. Charles windmill which may perhaps be of interest.



The first, on the left, is the window from where Captain Richard Austin (Battery captain of the 358/Battery, 92/Field Regiment, Royal Artillery) could observed the surroundings of Bulskamp. The panoramic view I posted last Monday was taken from that same spot. Next to the window, you can observe a stairway which allows access to top of the mill. It is where the motion of the mill blades is mechanically translated to a vertical axis, i.e. a giant oak gearbox. That space is so cramped (and off limits to visitors) that it’s very unlikely that Austin could have used it as a lookout. The windows on the floor underneath, however, provide a 360° coverage of the entire landscape. The 25-pounder batteries were most likely positioned on both sides of the mill

The second is an old picture taken during the first restoration of the mill in the end of the ’70. It was in an appalling state and was temporary patched up. Nobody could confirm me though if some of the damage had been caused by enemy artillery fire.

You can find very comprehensive information on following site (in Dutch, but Goolge Translate work wonders): Belgische Molendatabase | Sint-Karelsmolen | Scheldemolen (hist.) | De Schelde, L'Escaut (hist.), De Moeren (Veurne) You will, no doubt, notice that the role of the mill during the combats that took place end May 1940 is not recorded. I shall attempt to rectify that omission.

For those amongst you who would be interested to visit the mill during an excursion on the continent, I strongly advise to contact Westkustpolder prior to your trip: Sint-Karelsmolen

Enjoy your Coronation weekend,
Greetings from Belgium,
Christian