[CROONAERT]

You've actually got one of the most gutsy and sacrificial holding actions right on your own doorstep, Soren.

From "Shrapnel Corner", the area between the railway line and the canal and the Ieper - Warneton Road (and westwards to Wijtschaete) became the battleground for "the Battle of Wijschaete 1940" which, although a defeat, delayed the Germans for 24 hours in the east and caused them to advance more cautiously from then on - perhaps enabling several thousand more BEF to escape up the Dunkirk corridor. The actions of the 17th Bde at Hill 60 (2/RSF), the "Dump" (6/Seaforths) and "the Bluff" (2/RSF & 6/Seaforths) make particularly interesting reading for those with an interest in WW1, though the actions further south are no less so.

Even more on your "doorstep" is the small action at the Menin Gate...

On the 28th May 1940 the cyclists of the German 18 Aufklärungs-Bataillon came under fire from the Menin Gate (held at that time by 150 Bde AT Coy and elements of the 1/6th S.Staffordshire regiment who had, since the previous day, come under the orders of 150Bde and who had just relieved the 4/East Yorkshire Regiment) whilst heading northwards over the Menin Road crossroads at approx. 14:30 hrs. Fire was returned with the aid of the MG.34s of two SdKfz half-tracks and supported by the guns of Artillerie-Regiment 54, who were just north of Zillebeke lake . After a short period the small arms fire from the front ceased, but there was sporadic artillery fire until about 18:00 hrs mainly ranged on the ramparts and the houses around the Gate. During this artillery fire ( at approx. 17:00 hrs), the bridge over the moat was blown (by Lt.David Smith of 101 Coy.R.E.(Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers(M)) - this action being one of his accumalitive actions that contributed to his award of the MC) and the defenders withdrawn. The Germans , meanwhile, continued on their way - northwards and on to further actions to the north of the town (in an attempted encirclement manouvre) where other German divisions (254, 14 , 19 and 30th Divisions) were in action along the Yser canal. (14 (and 18 Division - whose troops had been in action at the Menin Gate )- entering the town the following day - the 29th - via the Lille Gate. Men of Infantry Regt 30 under Oberst von Erdmannsdorff raise the swastika over the Cloth Hall at 11:25 am).

No British casualties noted in the actual small arms exchange. One German dead and several wounded.

The damage to the front of the gate was caused by this small action - both by German fire and by the British demolition of the bridge. There was an OP behind the lion during the 27th May (and into the morning of the 28th) set up originally by 260 Bty, 65 A.T.Regt R.A. (and shared by the other units manning the Gate), but this had become untennable by mid-morning of the 28th due to small arms fire specifically targetting it (with some (much?) of the fire coming from within the town itself!).


Dave.