My Father joined the Militia in June 1939 and went to France as part of the BEF. The Unit he was in is a bit of a mystery though. I do know that He left France via Cherbourg on 15th June 1940 Well after Dunkirk. I like to hear of first hand accounts of similar repatriations after Dunkirk! Any feedback??
Hello John Welcome to the forum. I mentioned it on this thread. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-cemeteries-war-memorial-research/8875-british-troops-normandy-june-1940-a.html Have a read of this Chapter. HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter XXI] Soon after midday on the 17th General Brooke received a message from the C.I.G.S. saying that the French had asked for an armistice.[24] There was in any case nothing more that he could do. All the arrangements for evacuation, mad under his orders by General de Fonblanque, were working well. Almost all of the 52nd Division had gone, and all that had landed of the 1st Canadian Division; over 40,000 troops had been carried to England in the past two days. General Marshall-Cornwall's remaining troops were coming in. Half an hour before midnight General Brooke boarded the armed trawler Cambridgeshire. Early on the 18th she sailed as escort to a slow convoy, sol that he did not reach Southampton till six o'clock in the evening of the 19th.[25] Twenty-four hours before his arrival the last ship had left Cherbourg.
IWM photo F 4847 The Evacuation of the BEF from France, June 1940: Motor transport on the quay at Cherbourg awaiting evacuation to England.
F 4849DESCRIPTION:Motor transport on the quayside at Cherbourg during the evacuation of British forces from France, 13 June 1940.
F 4884 Soldiers on board the steamer 'Royal Sovereign' en route to Southampton during the evacuation of British troops from Cherbourg, 13 June 1940. The man in the foreground carries a dartboard with the rest of his kit.
F 4878 An exhausted British soldier catches up on his sleep on board the steamer 'Royal Sovereign' en route to Southampton during the evacuation of British troops from Cherbourg, 13 June 1940.
F 4871 British and French troops on board ships leaving Cherbourg en route for Southampton, 13 June 1940.
F 4863 Abandoned lorries used as roadblocks on the outskirts of Cherbourg during the evacuation of British forces from France, 13 June 1940.
F 4864 Abandoned and burnt-out lorries on the outskirts of Cherbourg during the evacuation of British forces from France, 13 June 1940.
...and because no BEF thread should be without a decent motorcycle photo, here are men of 4th KOSB (52 Div) of 2nd BEF pictured at Southampton on their return to England. Cherbourg was one of the few locations where equipment was evacuated. IWM H1841
F 4884 The man in the foreground carries a dartboard with the rest of his kit. I like the fact he still has his dartboard Hi John and welcome to the forum. Cheers Andy
Now thats what I call Replies, 11 in the time it took me to watch Ross Kemp in Afganistan! Many thanks and keep em coming. I know my father (now deceased) said that his mob (whoever they were?) salvaged equipment to the UK by means of laborious rail movements through Frances' rail network. He was later in the 79th Armoured Div REME workshops. So I assume his roll in the millitia was similar and what they salvaged my have been stores etc. Any details of such movements??
Operation Cycle was the codename for evacuation of Le Havre, Operation Aerial was the codename for the evacuation of the Western France ports including Cherbourg, found these links that might be of interest to you. BBC - WW2 People's War - "A Definitely Unpleasant Show" Operation Cycle, the evacuation from Havre, 10-13 June 1940 Operation Aerial, the evacuation from north western France, 15-25 June 2008
Not that relevent to your query but the Kent Fortress Engineers are worth reading about. Kent Fortress Royal Engineers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hi Mullet, I hope your tag is not a reference to your hair in 1994! Thanks for the references. The point made in the Peoples war is very true, that being that Dunkirk was the final act of the BEF. The sinkikng of the Lancastria and the cover up saw to that. How sad!
Hello everyone, ive newly joined, and thought i should join in!! ive always been facinated in all aspects of ww2, having had both parents that were involved .My mother was capstan lathe opperator on war work, and my father was with the R.A.S.C. with the 2nd division BEF in France 1940, I was wondering if the Service corps units were just temporaryly attached to divisions, or stayed with the same division permanatly, (sorry about the spelling!!)
Hello Rodan. Welcome to the forum. The 2nd Infantry Division were part of the First BEF (arriving in France in 1939). They are a particular interest of mine as my Norton Motorcycle which was found here in Belgium carries their 'crossed keys' insignia. As I understand it, the command structure of the corps attached to Divisons remained there permanently but there was perhaps more movement of personnel as needed. Did your father stay with 2nd Division after 1940 and travel with them to the Far East ? Rich
I like the fact he still has his dartboard Hi John and welcome to the forum. Cheers Andy yes very British no wonder they did'nt stand a chance!
Quite right! The Axis were destined to lose. Dartboards played their part but, more importantly, HOT SWEET TEA ;P yes very British no wonder they did'nt stand a chance!
