Hi, I wonder if anyone can help a newbie please? I have a relative (Sidney Bertrum Williams, Service No. 2184404) who was a Private in the Pioneer Corps and who died on 17th June 1940 at the age of 22. He is buried in the Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery. I'm curious if it is possible to find out how he was lost, and would be really grateful if anyone can point me in the right direction? Simon
Casualty Details | CWGC PRIVATE SIDNEY BERTRAM WILLIAMS Service Number: 2184404 Regiment & Unit/Ship Pioneer Corps Aux. Mil. Date of Death Died 17 June 1940 Age 22 years old Buried or commemorated at RENNES EASTERN COMMUNAL CEMETERY Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row A. Grave 57. France I think if you read this link it may explain - BBC - WW2 People's War - Rennes, Brittany, France, June 1940. After Dunkirk, escaping to the west. Chapter 1. TD Private William Nelson - Cookstown War Dead Private William Nelson was serving with Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps at Rennes Train Station when he was killed in action on Monday 17th June 1940
There is a lot of expertise on the France 1940 campaign, so help will be along. Apply for his service record from the MoD Glasgow, do not rely on websites that claim to have them only. There is a long wait currently. See: Requests for personal data and service records: a detailed guide Plus threads here via: Service Records The CWGC records online provide some help: Casualty Details | CWGC Looking through the other 171 WW2 casualties buried there quite clearly something bad happened that day. I only looked at the first two pages, it appears that Rennes could have been a Base Depot. See: Nantes - BEF 2nd Base Sub Area 1939-40 Four other threads can be id'd searching with "rennes base" + site:ww2talk.com
Hi Loop Your relative was one of a few members of Pioneer Corps to have been killed that day. Extract from Army Cas lists 1939-1945 on FMP. That was the day the Lancastria was sunk. But I could not find him on the roll of honour. Lancastria Archive Hope this helps Gus
There are several threads on this forum which refer to the Rennes Railway Station bombing of 17th June. There was a jam of troop transport trains caught up there and surprised by an air attack. Unfortunately, munitions wagons were also hit.. It's quite possible that Pioneer Corps troops were there in connection with unloading trains. This link is in French but is the best illustrated that I can find. If you Google 'Rennes Railway bombing 1940', it should turn up more. Bombardement du 17 juin 1940 — WikiRennes
Note the comment on the casualty list post #4, the previous list (281) dated 14 Aug 1940 this reports him 'missing' in May 1940, date of month not stated.
Wow, thanks everyone for all your speedy, knowledgeable and very valuable input. It's fantastic and very much appreciated. I'll now work my way through the links that you've sent, so again many thanks indeed. Simon
There were many casualties from the Lancastria sinking on 17 May 1940 when it was awaiting sailing to Britain and lying in the St Nazaire roads .Of the units involved there were many Pioneer Corps personnel among the dead. When the order was given to evacuate France, St Nazaire was one of the western ports that the BEF were instructed to head for as an evacuation port. I would say that Private Williams was killed during this withdrawal and was caught up with the bombing of the troop train at Rennes on 17 June 1940. (All those lost on the Lancastria without known graves are remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. Others,some unknown lie in coastal cemeteries south of St Nazaire.)
Harry - I dont usually contradict you but in this case RMS Lancastria - Wikipedia She was sunk on 17 June 1940 during Operation Aerial TD
Sorry Rich....... that certainly was a typo. I must be on the list for refreshed proof reading training