Greetings All!

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by Moles, Mar 22, 2011.

  1. Moles

    Moles Junior Member

    Hi there everyone,

    I've been sifting through endless threads on here for around a couple of months now and I thought my subscription was well overdue!

    I've been fascinated by ww2 for as long as I can remember to be honest, possibly due to my father and his father!

    My grandfather is actually the reason I have decided to get in touch with you all (well hopefully) I've been researching my grandfathers history for a while now as I am looking to possibly tell his story!

    My grandfather was;

    Moles, J
    6346927
    Third Corps
    44th Division
    132nd Infantry Brigade
    1st Battalion
    Queen's Own Royal West Kents

    I'm specifically researching from first deployment to France in March to May 1940. He received gunshot wounds to his hand and arm which is why he remained in the uk after Dunkirk!

    I have many of his official documents which state that he was both injured and returned home on the 31st of may, he was adamant that he walked wounded for a couple of days to the beaches and so I am assuming that due to the chaotic events of the evacuation that official reports would have been delayed.

    I have photographs of him in the trenches at roubaix dated April 1940 and also he had a copy of the planned defences of cassel. He frequently spoke of how he lost everyone at some point, but was at cassel!?!?

    Sorry to go on in my first post, I just get very passionate when I talk about this. He told me many stories about different scenarios etc.

    But I dont actually know too much about his movements! I have read many stories and made assumptions but if anyone could help in any way that would be amazing
    I read thoroughly the thread about the RWKs who were killed at foret de neippe and was stunned at the information found! And those men were in the same brigade as my grandfather!

    Thank you all for your time! Look forward to speaking to you all again!

    C. Moles
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    Get those pictures on here please :D

    Do you know what day he was injured?

    Regards
    Andy
     
  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    welcome to the forum
     
  4. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Hello and welcome.
     
  5. Moles

    Moles Junior Member

    Hi Andy,

    Im not sure when he got injured, although as I say it states on the report that he was injured on the 31st but also got back to England on the 31st, whereas my grandfather said that he was walking towards Dunkirk for a couple of days injured!?

    Below is a photograph of the trenches on the French / Belgium Frontier, specifically Roubaix dated April 1940 - Apparantly this was a publicity shoot 'For the folks back home!' (Moles, J is playing the Harmonica - Crouched)

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    welcome from the Netherlands
     
  7. Moles

    Moles Junior Member

    Again Roubaix - Waterlos April 1940[​IMG]
     
    Smudger Jnr, sol, dbf and 1 other person like this.
  8. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum.

    You will, as I have, find much help here with your research, good luck with it.

    Mark
     
  9. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Hi Moles and welcome. Some great photos you have there - even if they were posed - thanks for posting them and good luck with your research. Andy's your man, sure he will be a great help.
     
  10. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    Great images, thanks for posting them.

    I am sure they will get Andy (Drew5233) salivating.
     
  11. nicks

    nicks Very Senior Member

    Hi and welcome to the forum.
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Those pictures really are something !
     
  13. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum


    Cheers
    Paul
     
  14. Moles

    Moles Junior Member

    Hi there Andy

    I've spoken to my father and Don battalion doesn't ring any bells at all!?

    Was this a battalion formed of other battalion units?
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Sadly, I can't find much in my main books on this battalion. The Battalion was in brigade reserve on 27th May at Vieux Berquin.

    On the 28th May the Brigade was under pressure throughout the day, mainly from the direction of Hazebrouck. All brigades were told to break contact with the enemy and make for Dunkirk or Monte des Cats as fast as they could after dark.

    By sun rise on the 29th May most of 132 Brigade was on the Bailleul to Poperinghe road and was moving in groups towards Dunkirk. From the day the brigade ceased to function as a unit and the battalions were now working on their own, all making their own way to Dunkirk. By the end of the 31st May the division was evacuated.
     
  16. sol

    sol Very Senior Member

    Hi Moles welcome to the forum. Great photos, thanks for sharing. Regimental signs, inverted dark blue triangle and the dark blue - light blue - dark blue helmet flesh, are clearly visible.

    Cheers
    Enes
     
  17. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum Moles.

    Cassel is definitely Andy's bag - no pressure Andy - and if you do a search you will find a lot about the place/action on this forum.

    That looks like a Boyes anti-tank rifle at the bottom of the picture you posted at Message #7. Best shot of one that I have seen to date!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  18. Moles

    Moles Junior Member

    Thanks for all the welcome messages and advice so far, very much appreciated!

    That is indeed a Boyes anti tank rifle, apparently my grandfather complained about how unreliable they were, always jammed!
     
  19. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello again, Moles,

    Can you imagine trying to stop a Panzer MKIII or IV with a rifle round and a rifle that was unreliable at that?! Just how unprepared for WWII were the BEF and its Allies? Massively!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  20. Moles

    Moles Junior Member

    Hi steve,

    I know! It's just unthinkable isn't it! Can't imagine!

    Whilst my grandfather's unit were going over in march as a special treat (probably to keep them happy) they were issued with extra rations of chocolate and rich foods, nice eh! Quite quickly they realised that they were ww1 rations and understandably caused some serious belly problems!

    Moles
     

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