So it was something along these lines, according to some notes I have made largely from 'Sebag-Montefiore', posts on this site & Ellis' "War in France & Flanders" (could do with some clarification where I have italicised): "ALLIES 4th Ox & Bucks 2nd Glosters & their mortar platoon(s) are mentioned [presumably 3" from Battalion Support] Cheshire TA machine gunners French army MG & AT of [some sort?] Light Tanks & Bren carriers from 1st Light Armoured Recce Brigade (1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry & 1st East Riding Yeomanry) [I am assuming the tanks referred to were MkVIB tanks & that these were all diverted North half way through, and were the carriers actually Carrier Platoons?] 9x 25mm AT guns from Brigade & 15x 2 pdrs of the Worcester Yeomanry ?x RFA 18 pdrs [?] GERMAN 6th Panzer Division"
I've just been reading that D Troop of 5 RHA were on the South Eastern slopes....There's a couple of 1 HQ Sigs in the cemetery too, assuming they weren't just passing through. Cheshires will be the 4th-If you want to know what the platoons were, I think I have them somewhere. A
I've just been reading that D Troop of 5 RHA were on the South Eastern slopes..... Would that be four 18 pdrs, then? Cheshires will be the 4th Were they the Company MG Platoon separated from the main unit?
I've just got a new book today from the IWM which lists the units at Cassel. I'll dig it out in a bit and type up what info it gives but to answer the above. Yes 18 Pdr's - I think there was two though, I'll try and confirm that in a bit. As for the 4th Chesires they were a MG Battalion and split up into Platoons and spread around the West side of the corridor. Ie two Platoons were at Wormhout, there was atleast one at Ledringhem and so on. A
Dunkirk 1940-Douglas Dilby lists the following units and information: 2nd Bn Gloustershire Regt. 4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Regt. Nine 25mm Hotchkiss anti-tank guns. 15 2-Pdrs 209th Battery (reinforced), 53rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Worchestershire Yeomanry. 4 18-Pdrs from 5th Royal Horse Artillery. Although the details in Idlers thread about the defence of Hondeghem state it was a Troop which I believe is two guns. The German units listed in the book are: Panzer Regiment 11 consisting of three Panzer Battalions. Regards Andy
Les, There seems to be an accurate list in one of the diaries in this thread: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/24647-battle-cassel-1940-research.html No French Arty-Just their guns but they seem to have took most of the firing pins with them. Andy
I thought a War Diary might shed some light on the situation, surprised it had never been posted up before... No French Arty-Just their guns but they seem to have took most of the firing pins with them. It did seem incongruous to me that the French were at Cassel (during the siege, at least, as they seem to have been caught in air raids & barrages prior to Brigadier Somerset's arrival) but anyway this is the statement that Drew my attention: "By Lieut.-Colonel E. M. B. Gilmore, D.S.O. From 'The Back Badge' The Battalion reached Cassel, after a journey of some vicissitude, in the early morning of Saturday, 25th May. Up till this date it had been the regular battalion in the 145th Infantry Brigade T.A. commanded by Brigadier the Hon. N.F. Somerset, C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C. But on arrival at its destination, it was found that one battalion (The Buckinghamshire Regiment) had been diverted to occupy Hazebrouck. From now onward the Battalion was part of a mixed force, still under Brigadier Somerset which included the 4th Oxf. and Bucks L.I., some R.F.A. (18-pdrs.), machine gunners from a T.A. Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment, Brigade A.T. Unit and some French Army elements, mainly A.T. and M.G.; there were also Royal Engineers, Royal Signals and R.A.M.C. personnel. Other units were at some time or another added to or withdrawn from the Force, but such movements were outside the ken of the Battalion". Presumably Lieutenant-Colonel Gilmore is referring to AT Rifles, then?
The diaries Dave posted for me also mention the Welsh Guards and Sherwood Foresters that were going to or did help out too. Like Wormhout, I think everyone in the area was passing through though.
