2 Field Regiment, RA. 1940

I,don’t know how to do that so will reply to you on the private message!

 

Fc

 

Rowslow,
#22 MOD summary: Attached 67th Field Regt. 16.02.40
It would appear that he was with them when wounded.

There were two instances which might be associated with this.
1. 19th May when Capt Jimmy Styles was lost.
2. When Major Flay BC 266 Bty was wounded in the throat by shrapnel at Bray Dunes.
However whilst there is no mention of it, Maj Flay was evacuated because he became OC 67th in June1943 .
One would assume that your relative would also have been evacuated.
The chance is that he was wounded defending the Charleroi Canal Circa 19th May 1940.
They seem to have had to up and leg it pretty quickly, as no one knew what happened to Jimmy Styles
until the Belgian posting on the forum recently. (see link below)

Capt Styles was relocated in 1956 from a privately marked grave in Vlezenbeek Churchyard by the CWGC
after the graveyard became overgrown and was abandoned by the local community.

From the 267 Field Regiment Centenary Brochure I found that nearest recorded stop to the grave location during in the retreat,
was when they went into action at Zobbroek behind the Charleroi Canal.
Captain Styles aged 23, Commander of A Troop would have been a Forward Observation Officer directing fire from the infantry lines
or a vantage point with a view of the enemy, perhaps the church tower. He would have had OP assistants but we simply don't know who they were.
The Regiment may have withdrawn before he/they got back or they were caught in enemy artillery fire.
His burial was only a mile or so away from their Battery positions.

We dont kow how Sjt. Clifford was injured but he may well have been knocked unconscious by a shell burst and woke up to find himself left behind.

68644 Captain 'Jimmy' James Alfred Hampton STYLES, 67 Field Regt RA: 17/05/1940, buried Adegem


67 Field Regt 18 pdr with Quad Gun Tractors 1939/40.

 

He had leave in England and ca e back with the 67 th but I think he must have got sent back to the 2 Field Regiment because on a secret document I didn’t post yet. From findmypast he is listed as 2 Field Reg also his POW papers list him as 2 Field Reg. Interesting read about the 67 though thanks so much!!

 

He was with the 2nd Field Regiment on this document!

 

These German cards from the National Archives are very confusing because the date 24 July 1940 is on two of the cards which doesn’t make any sense as he couldn’t have been in both places!

 

He brought this home when he was repatriated,in 1943. I think it was made for him as that is his POW number and I assume that those are some of the POW camps where he spent 3 years.

 

Need someone who reads German #28
First card 24.7.40 looks like a Red Cross Hospital No121
Transferred to 24.7- 31.7 40 Laz119 Amputation looks like he was then move to Lazarett N60
last card refers to Lazarett N60 31.7 40 - 10.8.40 possibly signed off.
He may have been residing in one hospital going for treatment and evaluation to others.
A Lazaret is a German military hospital.
A Feld Lazarett is a Field Hospital.

 

I managed to translate it using Google translate but the 24 Jul date has me stumped!

 

Just looked at his souvenir card Rouen had a large Military Hospital there in WW1 possibly still in use in WW2.
Lamsdorf is well known.
Stalag VIII-B - Wikipedia
One of the 67th FR Captured at Banana Ridge Tunisia was in a sub camp E715 at Auschwitz
They made synthetic rubber for IG Farben

Schildberg I am not familiar with. BRITISH PRISONERS OF WAR IN POLAND, 1940-1945

Whilst you might be familiar with all this I post it for the benefit of others who might come along.
Don't like wasting research.

 

As can be seen on the card I just posted, that month of the date has been changed to the 6th Month , so 4 June 1940, which is impossible if his arm was amputated on 31 May 1940.

 

I think the Rouen was in 1941 when they sent all the POW who were wounded to be repatriated but there weren’t enough wounded German soldiers so the exchange fell through.

 

"4 June 1940, which is impossible if his arm was amputated on 31 May 1940".
Why? It doesn't take long to remove an arm and the wound can be cauterised very quickly.
They could do that in the field in an Advanced Dressing Station.
Getting over the shock and infection in the wound was the problem.
The type of wound and the time that passed before being treated would govern the surgeons decision.
Something that we will never know unless records were kept. Not always the case in military hospitals.
They would have at least a 100 year confidentiality.

 

Thanks for the sketch it really brings it to life!

 

I found the names of 3 burials InEstaimboug cemetery from the2 Field Reg R A Eric Herbert Tubb killed in action 19 May 1940. Dad must have known him as they lived in the same town Borden!
harry Gleave 22 May 1940 and Dennis Murphy 21 May 1940

 

I thought you might have had enough of me.

Both the 67th and the 2nd Field returned on HMS Worcester See attached from #15 adbw posting.
(Can't read the other pages).
They went along the Mole and got on the destroyer HMS Worcester. She had one propeller and half a rudder, a mile from Dunkirk she was attacked by nine bombers. Fortunately due to the excellent seamanship of the Lt Commander the large ones missed but several small ones hit. We were then machine gunned. About 24 were killed and 100 wounded out of 450.
The Ship successfully negotiated the treacherous Goodwin Sands, towards the end, the journey became tedious, so to give us a thrill, we collided with another ship. We stood up at such an angle that the dead fell into the sea, a lot of the live ones had to be got out too.
Five tugs arrived and took charge.
Operations were performed on the deck all this time, it was a picnic!
Saw one of my chaps have his legs cut off, a lad from Malvern.

It seems that they followed more or less the same route from the Dyle to Bray Dunes.

It would be very interesting if you could post the route from the 2FR War Diary, once you get it all sorted.