Lt-Col W D Stamer 2/North Staffords

I'm trying to piece the career of William Donovan Stamer together and there's a hole around the start of the war. He was promoted to Lt-Col in December 1938 and presumably appointed CO 2nd Batt North Staffords at the same time (there is a LG reference from December 1941 confirming that his period of command had finished). The gap is that in 1939/40 I can't find any reference to him having led his battalion to France. Dunkirk-Fight to the last man refers to the battalion CO as being acting Lt-Col D C Butterworth. So where was Staner - by 1941 he's a area commander in the Middle East Forces and later a brigade and (Sudanese) division commander but he's awol in 1939/40. Can anyone help fill this gap?

TIA

Nigel

 

In October 1939 Lt. Col C B Stephenson was the CO of 2 North Staffs

23rd February 1940 Lt. Col C B Stephenson left Bn, appointed G.I. 44 Division.

14th March Major D C Butterworth arrived and appointed Bn CO.

21st March Major D C Butterworth promoted acting Lt Col of Bn. and stayed with the Bn as far as I can tell for the rest of the campaign.

Have you considered he may have been a Staff Officer at one of the Bde's or Divs?

Info sourced from 2 North Staffs war diary WO 167/830

 

Drew

thanks - as he was in Palestine until 1938 and in early 41 is a commander in the near East (Army List Jan-Mar 1941) and all his subsequent service was in that theatre I suppose it's entirely possible that he stayed there after the battalion came back from Palestine. It's just this Gazette ref (Viewing Page 7239 of Issue 35390) that suggests a command somewhere.

Nigel

 

If I get time (I should be revising for two exams next week) I'll check the Bde and Div Officer Field Returns that 2 North Staffs were under.

It may be an idea to ask Idler (Andrew) I think he has every regimental history ever published

 

Bit more digging and it looks like the latter half (at least) of 1940 he was commander firstly Sollum then area commander Benghazi resulting in a CBE in March 41

 

Here's his CBE:
| The National Archives

He also got a DSO before WW2:

| The National Archives

 

His DSO was for action in Palestine against Arab insurgents Christmas Day 1937 and his CBE for being Area Commander Sollum then Benghazi in 1941.

 

Have you got them? I was hoping someone (Owen Andrew) would post up the originals. They have a way of getting them for free

 

Have you got them? I was hoping someone (Owen Andrew) would post up the originals. They have a way of getting them for free

I've got both citations from TNA