Dunkirk 1940. Inland. France & Belgium. Photos, some never seen before

Discussion in '1940' started by morrisc8, Jan 23, 2018.

  1. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Near Bray Dunes Photo from my collection.
    Keith
    Dunkirk Bray Dunes. kb.jpg Dunkirk Bray Dunes. kb. ac.jpg
     
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  2. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

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  3. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Did Lumsden or anyone else write an account of the 12th Lancers 'adventures' in France with the BEF ?
    Craig
     
  4. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    carrier RMY 9.jpg Carrier on fire RMY 9. info on back of photo in German. Photo from my collection.
    Keith
    burnt out carrier 1940 colour kb.jpg burnt out carrier 1940. kb.jpg burnt out carrier 1940.close up.kb.jpg burnt out carrier 1940. back.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2021
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  5. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

  6. Nido

    Nido Active Member

    The text says:
    Brennender engl. Panzer hinter dem
    Isère-Kanal bei Ypern.

    (Burning English armoured vehicle behind the
    Yser Canal by Ypres).

    It was a bit misleading to see "Isère-", where one would expect "Yser-". But, there it is...
     

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  7. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    The photographer was probably hearing the West Flemish who would normally say "Ijzer" pronounce the French "Yser"...The accent remains unique and inaccessible. The saplings beside the road pretty well confirm that this was an area devastated during '14-'18.

    A shame that we have no visible markings...We have too many photographs of vehicles on the beaches and too few inland where the real fighting took place.
     
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  8. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Morris PU. Hard to make out the number 127? [ 1/6 Bn South Staffordshire Rgt ? ] The first number does not look like a 1. Photo from my collection.
    Here is a link to 1/6 Bn South Staffordshire Rgt .
    1/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
    Keith
    morris pu shot up.1.kb.jpg morris shot up back.jpg shot up morris pu. close up.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2021
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  9. Nido

    Nido Active Member

    The text on the back doesn't bring much info. Yet, it's readable:
    Krieg in
    Belgien. 1940

    (War in
    Belgium. 1940)
     
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  10. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Morris Armoured Car CS9, left by the side of the road.
    Photo from my collection.
    Keith
    Morris Armoured car CS9.kb.jpg Morris Armoured car CS9 colour kb.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2021
  11. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Morris quad [ update Guy Quad ] from the 77 Field Regiment RA. Photo from my collection.
    Keith
    morris quad 15 1940 colour 77 FRgt RA.jpg morris quad 15 1940.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2021
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  12. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    A row of captured 25pdrs or 18/25pdr. Photo from my collection.
    Keith
    18 25 Pdrs bef kb.jpg 18 25 Pdrs bef colour kb.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2021
  13. Blanket Stacker

    Blanket Stacker Junior Member

    Actually 18 pounders with the Martin Parry conversion replacing the original spoked wheels, unusually paired with no. 27 trailers.
     
  14. John58th

    John58th Member

    Hi, Amazing photos. I am researching my fathers Regt, the 58th (Sussex) Field Regt, he was in 230(Hastings) Battery, Don Troop. The regiments war diary is detailed about their movements around Belgium and onto Dunkirk. What I do not have is any photos of them in France or Belgium, I have for them in UK prior to leaving. Long shot, but would your collection include any tor this regt? And, any ident on what this vehicle is? Thanks John 5GroupVehicleRA.jpg
     
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  15. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    Vehicle is almost certainly a Guy Quad-Ant FAT. Clue is the straight rear edge to the rear wheel arch - the Morris had a rounded arch. And I agree with Blanket Stacker about the 18 pounders (though presumably they had No 27 trailers because of the lack f the proper ones).
    Chris
     
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  16. John West

    John West Active Member

    Any clues as to where this was taken? The church steeple might be a giveaway although I can't find a similar image anywhere in Flanders.
     
  17. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Would you by any chance have come across Vehicles with a 44 plate (67th Field Regt RA TA) They withdrew from Leefdael on the Dyle along with 1st Div to defend the beaches at Bray Dunes 266 Bty with 4.5 inch Howitzers and 265 Bty the canal line in front with 18 pounders. The OC abandoned his Baby Austin car at the Port of Dunkirk boarding HMS Worcester.
    The two other Field Regiments in 1st Div were 2nd and 19th Regiments RA.
    It would seem that much of the evacuation was more controlled than often depicted as the Regular Regiments seem to have been selected to leave earlier than the TA to return to prepare to defend the home country. Certainly the Regular officers attached to the 67th did so. Leaving the day before the main parties who were tasked with disabling the equipment before walking down the beaches and embarking from the Mole. The veterans insisted that theirs was a fighting withdrawal not a retreat. Returning in good order with all their guns. They cited 50th Division Artillery as doing the same.
    It would be interesting to see if their equipment is visible in your collections, if you have time to take a look.
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2021
  18. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    (67th Field Regt RA TA) would have had a 5 on the vehicles in the BEF not 44.
    Photo 1 . Guy Quad left on beach/dunes.
    Photo 2. Guy quad on side of road.
    I will have a look for more photos.
    Original photos from my collection.
    Keith
    dunkirk guy ant.jclose up A 5.jpg burnt out quad bef 1940. 1jpg.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2021
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  19. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Another couple of Guy Quads with '5' on horizontal red / blue - allocated to the junior Field Regt. No formation signs visible, regrettably.

    Guy Quad AoS 5.jpg

    Guy Quad AoS 5 Beach.jpg
     
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  20. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    The first photo has the number A [A battery?] and 5 (67th Field Regt RA TA) would have had a 5 on the vehicles in the BEF
    Keith
    dunkirk guy ant.jclose up A 5 guy.jpg
     

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