I am hoping to find out a little more about the death of Lcpl Norman Horsefield ( 7880602), originally 3 RTR but posted to 5 RIDG. He was killed in action on 29 May 1940 and is buried in Estaire Communal Cemetry. I am presuming that 5 RIDG were involved in covering the withdrawl to the beaches. I suspect i will not be able to pin down where he was lost but would be interested in knowing where the unit was operating in the period 27 - 30 May.
Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards aka RIDG. Upon enlistment he was posted to the Royal tank Regiment. From: CMP Army Number Search His number has not appeared here before your post. CWGC link: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2276577/norman-horsefield/ Others here focus on May 1940, from my limited geographical knowledge his cemetery is not that close to Dunkirk. Mapping shows it 60kms away. The CWGC location text: Only a handful of WW2 graves are there and he is the only "tanker". I checked their shared museum website, it appears not to offer much, but could be worth an email to ask about regimental journals etc. See: https://inniskillingsmuseum.com/ The regiment (now amalgamated) has a separate museum. I was looking to see if the war diaries were available. Does not appear so. See: Home - RDG Museum Ah! Found the WD. See: War Diaries of 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards Now the bad news: An online search with: "5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards" + "May 1940" site:ww2talk.com There are approx. ten threads here, none looked at. I did though spot another death earlier in May was a "tanker" who was posted to the RIDG to get the unit up to wartime strength. Perhaps your subject was the same? Found quickly: 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards War Diary which has the WD for late May 1940 Thanks to Drew our 1940 expert.
Hello John, Jim Boardman's Tracks in Europe lists 7880602 L/Cpl N Horsefield being killed on 27 May 1940 - connect the Commonwealth War Graves link from davidbfpo above. Another fatality that day was Lt FV Beaumont, but he is interred at Hoogstadt Church cemetery, which might indicate a consequence to a different action. A gist of events around that time indicates that the surviving elements of The Skins were regrouped with what remained of 4/7 DG and 15/19 KRH into a composite, amalgamated force by GOC 2 Division, Maj Gen Irwin. May 25 was spent in the Steenwerck area, being buzzed by the Luftwaffe, but not attacked. "We were quite unaware of the seriousness of our position and were sincerely thankful for an undisturbed night." The following day witnessed the "systematic destruction of Estaires and Bailleul by German dive bombers" and the (composite) Regiment moved into positions on the River Lys at 1430 hours to permit the infantry to withdraw. RHQ was in Laventie and patrols were sent to Aubers and Fromelles. "Although we were still ignorant of it, the Cameron Highlanders and Dorsets who we were to assist were already entirely cut off. We only realized this when medium German tanks came up the Estaires Road and were engaged by our patrols. Our tank troops, hopelessly outgunned and out-armoured, suffered terribly." Tracks in Europe then mentions that two tanks from the troop led by Lt JR Crockett were destroyed on 27 May covering an important bridge, but does not detail any fatalities. However, Sgt Charlie Bevan (DCM) was involved in this action and was wounded when his tank was hit, but managed to haul his gunner out of the rapidly brewing-up vehicle. He and his tank gunner were casevacced to a 29 Fd Ambulance station; no detail of other crewmates. I have had a quick look in Howard Hollingshead's Back to the Front, but it adds nothing. It is a pity you hadn't posted this a month ago, when I had the loan of a copy of Roger Evans's History of The 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and might have been able to delve in that. However, the attached map may be of use: Charlie Bevan had been in B Squadron and features in this thread: 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards May 1940 My loan copy of Evans's book came via the University of Birmingham library, if that is near you. I was obliged to sign an undertaking to pay £215 if I 'mislaid' it! I like giving libraries trade, but I thought that was a bit hefty, connect Wobbler's input below. Whichever I only skimmed the late May 40 section, but you may be lucky on the detail you seek. I am putting a piece together to add to the above thread on pre-18 May locations and hope to do so soon. These may help flesh out Horsefield's story. Can you offer any more background on him - any photos?
John, Worth searching worldcat.org for History of The 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards cited above. There are six UK libaries that hold it, not just B'ham - which I can access if needed, when next on campus.
A copy for sale here, but t’ain’t cheap. 1939- 1945 5TH ROYAL INNISKILLING DRAGOON GUARDS. 1951 Roger Evens War Rare Book | eBay
Davidbfpo The other (Tanker) you refer to was he Trooper 404717 Arthur Jackson by any chance as he was killled 22 May 1940, and is remembered on St Pauls North Shore Blackpool roll of honour.
Oldman, No, not him from memory, another unit. Standby will try to identify that "tanker". Gotcha: From Post 9 in: 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards May 1940 Clarity: Suggit was not killed in May 1940, he became a POW.
Thank you all of you for the information you have provided on Norman Horsfield, I suspected we would not get to a specific place but feel I am a little closer. My interest stems from research I carried out for our Local History Group in Snape, North Yorkshire on all those who Fell in both Wars. I have a particular interest in Norman as he would have been my next door neighbour if he had survived the war. We were fortunate that a lady in the village was the niece of Norman's wife Kiity so I know a good deal about both of them from her. Norman had been a mechanic when he enlisted in 1929 into the Royal Tank Corps. He spent time with 6 RTR in Bangalore and Kashmir, he marreid Kitty in 1935. I have attached 2 pictures, Norman in 1929, and his Temporary Grave Marker. The family scrapbooks and letters were handed to the Royal Dragoon Guards Museum in York
Yesterday, I came across a copy of Change and Challenge 1928-1978, another account of The Skins written by General Sir Cecil (Monkey) Blacker and Major General Henry Woods. Monkey Blacker was amongst the 'we' for the BEF details; Henry Woods was not commissioned until 1944. Alas, no eureka moment for your quest in the snapshot of events: but perhaps one more avenue to probe; if the dismounted survivors were grouped under the command of Major GJ Mullens (2iC 4/7 Dragoon Guards) within the composite force, Norman Horsefield may have been one of their number and some details of their endeavours just may have found their way into a 4/7 DG War Diary or other account, albeit not at Transcript of Journal - Belgium/France May 1940 #2. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Actions-Royal-Dragoon-Guards-May-June/dp/1783310251 - compiled from Squadron Diaries and personal narratives is maybe one to keep an eye open for. Afternote: The 4/7 RDG Roll of Honour at: BBC - WW2 People's War - XVII Roll of Honour does not reflect any fatalities on 27 May 40, or interments at Estaires, so the dismounted element increasingly looks a slim option to pursue. I am wondering if Horsefield was the injured gunner bravely pulled out of the brewing up tank by Sgt Charlie Bevan, who then succumbed to his injuries, or another crewman from the same. In his postwar escape story, Bevan does not name his gunner, which otherwise might have been expected.
