Hello

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by beevee, Aug 21, 2011.

  1. beevee

    beevee Junior Member

    I have just joined this interesting site. My father was CSM of the 224 Field Company R E and although I have copied the war diaries of his unit nothing seems to be available for the month of May 1940. Was this because of censorship or is it likely that in the chaos of the Dunkirk evacuation they were lost?
     
  2. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Beevee

    Welcome aboard !

    nothing seems to be available for the month of May 1940. Was this because of censorship or is it likely that in the chaos of the Dunkirk evacuation they were lost?


    Censhorship unlikely, most Regimental Diaries are fairly explicit regarding factual events, more likely lost because of the chaos that you mention.

    Ron
     
  3. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the Forum beevee - Drew will be along soon with the answer to Dunkirk he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject!
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    If the May/June diaries are missing from the WO 167 series it is normally becuase they were lost like you mentioned or if the unit thought the enemy was a bit to close the diary would be destroyed for fear of it being captured and last but not least some were indeed captured by the germans and are now believed to be in Russia, recovered after the Russians liberated Berlin.
     
  5. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Beevee

    Further to Andy's comment, I paid a visit to the 4th QOH Diaries and found this explanation for the gap between 30/4/41 (Greece) & 1/5/41 (Egypt)

    NOTE. As all the Senior Officers of the Regt who took part in the Greek Campaign are now missing or PoW, this diary is incomplete and is only intended to act as a guide for the writing of the complete diary at the conclusion of the War.

    Ron
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Just had a quick check in my Orbat books and there isn't much mentioned on them only that as of the 10th May the company consisted of 7 Officers and 212 Other Ranks including your father.

    The company was part of the 48th (South Midland) Division and that Division took a bit of a hammering heading for Dunkirk.

    Did your father survive the 1940 France campaign?
     
  7. Jedburgh22

    Jedburgh22 Very Senior Member

    nd are now believed to be in Russia, recovered after the Russians liberated Berlin.

    Most of the captured German documents are in the 'White Pillars' archive you need to know the 'right people' and have a few US dollars to gain a look
     
  8. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Hello and welcome.
     
  9. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Hello Beevee,

    Welcome to the forum and good luck with your research.

    Regards
    Peter
     
  10. CL1

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

    welcome to the forum
     
  11. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  12. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum


    Cheers
    Paul
     
  13. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum beevee - enjoy!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  14. beevee

    beevee Junior Member

    Thanks to all who have added comments. Yes he did survive Dunkirk although came close to drowning. He then laid minefields in Cornwall before being posted to Yorkshire. He landed on D-Day +19 and his unit built bridges across Holland and Germany. They ended up destroying the U- boat pens at Hamburg. Like most he didn't say much about the war and it was only after his death in 1975 have I been anble to piece together his story.
     
  15. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Hi Beevee and welcome. Look forward to hearing some more about your research.
     
  16. gunbunnyB/3/75FA

    gunbunnyB/3/75FA Senior Member

    howdy, beevee, welcome to the zoo,lol!
     
  17. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello and welcome

    Lesley
     

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