Bois-Grenier May 1940

[Paul Reed]

I was taking a group round the WW1 battlefields this week and we made a stop at a cemetery in Bois Grenier. I saw this memorial on the wall right where we parked the coach.

[Paul Reed]

Close up of the plaque:

[Paul Reed]

Raymond de Pourtales was an officer in the 15th DIM, and was killed on this road junction on 28th May 1940. He was the son of the Swiss writer Guy de Pourtales and had studied at Oxford before the war. He had been commissioned from St Cyr in 1939, and this street was named in his honour in 1954. An interesting relic of the 1940 campaign. This is him from the Bois Grenier village website:

[Paul Reed]

By the way the 15e DIM was the 15e Division d'Infanterie Motorisée (motorised infantry). This is their badge:

[Paul Reed]

Better close up of the plaque:

[Owen]

Cheers Paul, always good to see some 1940 sites highlighted.

[Paul Reed]

Yes mate, I also visited Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery where there are a number of May 1940 graves.

Think I am going to ask Santa for ATB's Blitzkrieg Then & Now this year...

[von Poop]

Originally Posted by Paul Reed

Think I am going to ask Santa for ATB's Blitzkrieg Then & Now this year...

I doubt you'll be disappointed with it .
Though no mention of this Pourtales gent, as referred to on that moving little plaque... so far.

[Owen]

Just reading this about the fighting at Hazebrouck.

HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter XIII]

The 44th Division, in position on the canal running south-east from Hazebrouck and on the Caestre–Strazeele line, were subjected to heavy and continuous shelling and mortar fire all day, and were repeatedly attacked by infantry and tanks. Rouge Croix, between Caestre and Strazeele, was lost and retaken. Further south the road was crossed by the enemy, who took Clyte Hill, but that too was retaken. On the canal sector, La Motte was entered, recaptured, and lost again in a prolonged struggle; but though the Canal Line was eventually secured by the enemy, they made no substantial progress beyond it, and in the evening they abandoned the attack. Round both flanks of the divisional position, however, where there were no troops to oppose him, the enemy penetrated to Godewaersvelde on the north and Caudescure on the south.[19] The 2nd, 4th, and 5th Royal Suxxes, 1st/5th and 1st/6th Queen's, 1st, 4th and 5th Royal West Kent, a company of the 2nd Buffs and a detachment of Don Details suffered heavily in this day's fighting, and some battalions were reduced to the strength of weak companies before they were ordered to move north.