Not sure if the right forum but help needed with a querry

[Nige GSX1400 UK]

Hi all,
my Great Uncle served with the British Army in France in May 1940 where he was a driver attached to the Royal Artillery, (originally he was Worcester and Sherwood Foresters T.A.). My question is as a driver when the vehicle stopped and the anti tank gun he was towing was unhitched as it appears it was at the time of his death, what role would he play in the gun crew?
I presume he would have had a role as otherwise it seems v inefficient to me.

Thanks
Nige
B.A.(Hons)

[Owen]

Nige, You say he died?
Can you show us his CWGC entry.
If he was a driver he'd stay with his gun-tractor, at a safe distance behind the gun.
Ready to hitch up when the gun needs to move.

[Nige GSX1400 UK]

Originally Posted by Owen D

Nige, You say he died?
Can you show us his CWGC entry.
If he was a driver he'd stay with his gun-tractor, at a safe distance behind the gun.
Ready to hitch up when the gun needs to move.

He was part of 211 Battery, 53 (The Worcestershire Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, rank Gunner. Taken from the CWGC entry.

[Owen]

Same unit as one of Barbara Cartland's brothers, then.
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searchi...-brothers.html

Was he one of those killed at Wormhout?

EDIT.
Sorry just read your post from 2004 about Wormhoudt, I see Great-Uncle is buried there.

[Paul Reed]

Have you had a look at the unit War Diary for this period?

[GPRegt]

Interesting unit, the 53rd. Became a part of 6th Airborne's artillery contingent. I've only got info on its role in Op Varsity, but I may be able to get the earlierr stuff.

Steve W.

[Owen]

A good intro to Anti-Tank units here.
>>> ANTI-TANK

[Nige GSX1400 UK]

Originally Posted by Owen D

Same unit as one of Barbara Cartland's brothers, then.
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/searchi...-brothers.html

Was he one of those killed at Wormhout?

EDIT.
Sorry just read your post from 2004 about Wormhoudt, I see Great-Uncle is buried there.

No problem, re my earlier posting in 2004.

He was actually killed at a place called Baelden's land near the 2nd Warks H.Q. (a farm) between the Ledringham and Rubrouck roads. I suspect it is on the opposite side of the road though. just to the south-west of Wormhout.

When I was there in 2005 I did speak to a few local farmers, but they could not help me locate Baelden's Land. Although one farmer had a vague memory of a family by that name many years ago.

My main aim now is to find this land and if possible find the family who buried him there before his re-internment in Wormhout.

It is possible someone might still be alive who remembers the events there as another 21 British troops died fighting at this spot including a Captain and a Major from the 2nd Royal Warks (Sourced from Guy Rommelaere's excellent book 'The forgotten massacre'). I am pretty sure I am close so far. But hopefully I can find out for sure this year.

I will now go and look up the diarys someone kindly mentioned in another post.
Thanks to all
Nigel Hodgetts
B.A.(Hons) History/Politics.

[Nige GSX1400 UK]

After further reading and cross referencing I think I have tracked his place of death to the opposite side of the road to the 2nd Warks HQ at a farm south of Wormhout. At this spot the 2nd Warks stopped a German attack until dive bombed by Stukas called in for support. I presume he was killed in the Stuka attack.
Next time I am over there I will hopefully be able to confirm this but from what I have read units in this area held up the Germans allowing more men to escape from Dunkirk so his sacrifice was worth it and I am proud of him as I have always been.
Cheers
Nige