239 Bty., 101 Lt. A.A./Anti-Tank Regt. Royal Artillery

Hi Everyone, Can anyone shed any light on the above, as I am trying to tell the story of what happened on the 8th June 1940 when one of my soldiers died and who is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. I want to tell his story so he won't be forgotten, but I cannot find any information on the Unit above.

Gunner
OWENS, GEORGE THOMAS
Service Number 1444744
Died 08/06/1940
Aged 26
239 Bty., 101 Lt. A.A./Anti-Tank Regt. Royal Artillery

Son of Mr. and Mrs. George Owens; husband of Florence May Owens, of Hawarden, Flintshire.

Many thanks in advance, Regards, Mavis Williams

 

From panel 14 of the Dunkirk Memorial.

 

Many thanks Ramacal, I'll add it to his page when it gets published. Kindest regards, Mavis

 

Hi again,
Can anyone shed any light to what role the
239 Bty., 101 Lt. A.A./Anti-Tank Regt. Royal Artillery played at Dunkirk please, so I can add to George Thomas's story. Regards, Mavis

 

They weren't at Dunkirk. They were part of 1st Armoured Division Support Group. If he was with the AT part of the regiment there's a good possibility he would have been killed around/near Aumale fighting with the 2/6th East Surrey Regiment. They were supporting 51 Division and trying to slow the German advance as 51 Division was withdrawing eventually in to St. Valery.

 

Thank you Drew5233, I just couldn't find anything out about his unit, no matter where I tried, I assumed that as he was on the Dunkirk Memorial, he was at Dunkirk. I want to tell his story, but it has to be correct, so thank you again, Mavis

 

Adding to Andy's responses...

Quite correct. 239 ATk Battery was not at Dunkirk and took no part in the withdrawal to Dunkirk at all.

239 Battery was indeed one of the two ATk batteries in 101 AA/ATk RA. They were equipped with the standard 2-pdr ATk gun.

On 7 June, G and H troops bore the brunt of the attack on Aumale which began mid-afternoon. The claimed several tanks destroyed. However, this attack was carried out by 2.Inf-Div(mot) of Hoth's XV Pz.Korps which probably had no tanks. Hoth's two Panzer divisions were attacking elements a little further south.

The XV Pz.Korps KTB shows Aumale overrun and 2.Inf-Div(mot) well past it to the SW by the next day.

On the otherhand, 239 Battery were only ordered to leave at 0300 on 8 June in a NW direction then later in the day SW. No action appears to have taken pkace on the 8th. Just plenty of moving.

The Regiment was part of the force encircled with 51st Division around St.Valery.

From the whole regiment, 7 officers and 303 men made it back to England; most of the rest became POWs at St.Valery.

 

Sorry about the delay in replying, but thank you so much for all your input, it will add to George's story. It won't tell us how he was killed but it gives just a little of what they all went through, bless them. Many thanks again, Mavis

 

I have just found another local soldier who died on the 4th June 1940 with the same regient, would the action described above relate to him as well. He was Thomas Handley EDWARDS:-
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
GUNNER THOMAS HANDLEY EDWARDS
Service Number: 1457643
Regiment & Unit/Ship Royal Artillery - 239 Bty., 101 Lt. A.A./Anti-Tank Regt.
Date of Death Died 04 June 1940
Age 21 years old
Buried or commemorated at DUNKIRK MEMORIAL
Column 11.
France
Country of Service United Kingdom

Additional Info - Son of Robert and Elizabeth Handley Edwards, of Caergwrle, Flintshire.
Regards,
Mavis

 

The Anti-tank batteries had been converted from Royal Welch Fusiliers TA from Flintshire before the war (60th RWF AT Regt RA, IIRC), before becoming a composite anti-tank and anti-aircraft regiment to support the newly formed 1st Armoured Division.

Those Welsh gunners killed in Upper Normandy or captured at St Valery do not get the credit they deserve.

Adam

 

Thank you Adam, I had no idea, they shouldn't be forgotten for their sacrifices. I much appreciate this information. I will try to find out more. Regards, Mavis

 

Yes in respect to not having anything to do with Dunkirk.
No in respect of the actions and movements on 7 and 8 June near Aumale.

 

Thank you MarkN, so when I read the 51st Division is that the same as the 51st (Highland) Division? Battle of Abbeville - Wikipedia mentions them on the 4th June 1940, many tanks were hit - Excerpt from the above 4th June - When the heavy tanks were ordered back to the start line, only six of the 30 heavy tanks and 60 of the 120 light tanks returned. Any help would be appreciated. Regards, Mavis

 

Off the top of my head.

By organisation, the 239th Battery was part of the 101st Light AA and ATk Regiment which, in turn, was part of 1st Armoured Division Support Group. It will not be much of a surprise to learn the 1st Armoured Division Support Group was part of the 1st Armoured Division.

However, for the beginning of June 1940, the 1st Armoured Division Support Group (less its infantry and field artillery) was under command 51st (Highland) Division not 1st Armoured Division.

On 4 June 1940, the 51st (Highland) Division was part of a major attack on the German held Abbeville bridgehead south of the Somme river. Indeed, the attack had been planned by General Fortune and his staff although the bulk of the attack was carried out by French forces (31e DI and 2e DCR).

That having been said, 239 Battery had no involvement in this attack whatsoever. They were several miles away where no (ground) fighting was taking place at all. Their problems began on 7 June as mentionned previously.

 

Thank you for the explanation, but now I have more questions. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with me. I am attaching his Casualty Lists and there were many, many men missing as well as Thomas, so it is a mystery to me. [ ATTACH=full]300487[/ATTACH] Kind regards, Mavis

 

What is a mystery to you?

 

If I understood you properly, you said there was no fighting where he was, but all those men were missing. Sorry if I sound stupid, but I am not very au fait with Regiments etc. Please excuse my naivete, I am trying to learn all the while.

 

The missing list you have just posted refers to missing men from the whole campaign. It is not a list of missing men from 4 June 1940.

The battery was not engaged fighting on 4 June but they were completely overrun on 7 June and scattered.

18 months ago you were after information about somebody from the same battery killed on 8 June 1940. In that exchange I noted that "From the whole regiment, 7 officers and 303 men made it back to England; most of the rest became POWs at St.Valery." In other words, over half the regiment were "missing": most were POWs, some had been killed.

 

Thank you MarkN, I am so sorry, it was George Thomas Owen who died on the 8th June and he is also on the Dunkirk memorial. I try to understand, but it is very complicated, of course Thomas Handley EDWARDS was missing, indeed killed by the 8th when George Thomas OWEN died. Apologies for the misunderstanding, I will try harder next time. Regards, Mavis