I have a relative remembered at the Dunkirk memorial column 115. I have since learnt that he was killed 17/06/1940 at the Rennes troop train bombing on the 17/06/1940.He was with the King's Shropshire Light Infantry ,Pioneer Crps,attd.AUX.MIL.He was aged 31 years.As far as I can make out this attack left 800 dead at Rennes railway station. There was a bottleneck of trains awaiting orders for the track to be freed.Amongst the trains were evacuees,injured troops,livestock etc. But also in the midst of them was a munitions train.This train took a direct hit on the very first German bombing raid to hit the station.The station burnt for many days. I was wondering if anybody else had any information on this disaster.
Hi and welcome to the forum. Regards Peter A little info on the losses of 17 June 1940 Rennes bombing 17th June 1940
Peter, Thank you very much for that. My relative is on the casualty list. So he must be remembered in Rennes and Dunkirk war memorial. A very good link with some pictures etc that I would never have seen.Again, thank you.
hi my grandads cousin died in this he was henry pursehouse aged 19 i went on the CWGC site it shows the cemetery and has photos of the individual graves. it also gives useful links regards janine
hi my grandads cousin died in this he was henry pursehouse aged 19 i went on the CWGC site it shows the cemetery and has photos of the individual graves. it also gives useful links regards janine yes this is interesting for me . My Father who past away a few years ago was at Renne when this happened and told me about this. Not one to speak much about the war I dragged some detail out of him but not much . He could not leave France at Dunkirk and went to Renne I am sure they drove there in lorry's as they destroyed them later and filled their ruck sacks with cigarettes from some where before they set fire to them and decommissioned the vehicles. While in Renne they were at the railway station when they were bombed and they jumped over walls to get shelter. He told me that the train next to them was full of Manchester regiment which took a hit. He recalled there was aqusations of a colaborator at the station who had the finger pointed for alerting the Germans. This man was executed ( I have not been able to read this any where else) on the spot. My Father went from there to ST Malo and left by a coal barge to Weymouth, He also said they blew the port up before they left to stop the Germans using it. Regards Phil (son of Sgt Les Smith)
