War Diary of the 5th Battery 1st Searchlight Regiment Royal Artillery Calais 1940

Discussion in '1940' started by skipperphil10, Apr 8, 2013.

  1. skipperphil10

    skipperphil10 Member

    My Great Grand uncle was a Major in the Searchlight regiment of the Royal Artillery at Calais in 1940 when it was taken by the Germans.

    I have seen mention of War diaries and I have read a number of them and found them very interesting.

    I am interested in finding the war diary for the Battery Major Heywood was with. Now depending on two sources I have found that he was either 2nd Battery or 5th Battery of the 1st Searchlight Regiment Royal Artillery. His record on the Forces War records website state he was in the 5th battery.

    One thing is for sure is he was Major John William Heywood Service number 7447. He died in France on 15th June 1940, apparently from his wounds. He was a TA/Militia officer and had been since WW1 and was originally in the 1/4th Battalion Northamptonshire regiment until WW2.

    I have seen reference to a War Diary of the 2nd battery and listed is a Major Heyward, different spelling but I can't find how to find the War Diary to see if it gives any clues.

    He is buried in the CWG at Southern Calais.

    Any assistance in finding any information in particular the War diary for the 2nd or 5th Battery as above would be gratefully received.
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Phil - I have the diaries so will post up some bits for you. You'll have to bare with me for a day or so though, I'm just off to bed as I'm up at 4am for a 4 hr drive to the National Archives for the day.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  3. skipperphil10

    skipperphil10 Member

    Andy,

    Thanks, I appreciate it. My Grandfather, now in his 90's will be very interested in what you have. many thanks

    Phil
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I've just started looking through the various diaries I have and I've found him appointed Second in Command 1 Searchlight Regiment on 29th April 1940 which would make him HQ Battery.

    Still looking....
     
  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Nothing more in 1 SL Regts war diary - May and June is missing. Sadly, very common with units that fought in France during 1940. However I have just checked some of my books and two that I would highly recommend are 'The Flames of Calais' by Airey Neave and 'Calais-Fight to the Finish' by Jon Cooksey.

    Can you post a link to the thread where you saw him mentioned by name?

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  6. skipperphil10

    skipperphil10 Member

    Andy,

    Thanks, I will try my best to add The link. Got to find where I saw it again.
    I'll take look at the book suggestions too thanks.

    Phil
     
  7. skipperphil10

    skipperphil10 Member

    Andy,

    I have had a quick look for that link but as of yet can't find it again. I remember it was a War diary thread and i'm sure it's where I first came across you so it must have been on this site. It was a different spelling so may have been a coincidence but seems a bit coincidental having two Major's in the same regiment both being Heywood/Heyward.

    I realised I already have the Calais fight to the Finish book just need to get reading it. Ordered the other for 10p on line!!!

    Phil
     
  8. skipperphil10

    skipperphil10 Member

    Andy,

    Spoke too soon found the link it was on the BBC WW2 Peoples War under the thread From Yeovil, October 1939 to calais, May 1940. Someone has left a comment under the article that mentions having read the War Diary of the 1st SL Regt and lists the name Major Heyward as being mentioned.

    hopefully the following link will help

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/55/a2152955.shtml

    Phil
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Good work on the books-Cooksey's mentions the Regt quite a bit and identifies where the Regts HQ was. Airey Neave used to be a MP and escaped from Colditz during the war. Sadly he was killed by the IRA in the 70's.

    I'm wondering if the Heywood was a Major in the Bucks at Hazebrouck?

    Edit:

    That link doesn't work, which doesn't surprise me-what with a new PC and forum everything that can go wrong seems to be doing so of late-I'm surprised I've not had a Myocardial Infarction yet !
     
  10. skipperphil10

    skipperphil10 Member

  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    He gets a brief mention in 2 Searchlight Battery war diary. If nothing else it confirm him as 2ic of the Regiment.

    WO 167/681 2nd Searchlight Battery, 1st Searchlight Regiment war diary:
    [​IMG]
     
  12. skipperphil10

    skipperphil10 Member

    Andy,

    Thank you, any little snippet of info is gratefully received. My Grandfather was unaware his uncle had been made 2nd OIC, I assume this was due to the original being injured/killed or captured.

    thanks again

    Phil
     
  13. alex lewis

    alex lewis Member

    Hi folks I'm a bit confused i have a copy of the 1st searchlight battery RA war diary for the month of May 1940, when they were in France. I know that its be mentioned that the 1st searchlight regiments war diary is missing. Im new to all this would the 1st searchlight regiment be the same as the 1st searchlight battery unit. Im happy to post the diary if anyone would be interested.

    regards
    Alex
     
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Alex - No, they are two separate diaries/units, I have both war diaries. There are normally several batteries within a regiment.

    1 Searchlight Regiment war diary ref is WO 167/674
     
  15. alex lewis

    alex lewis Member

    That would make sense then my Grandfathers regiment was the 68th Searchlight Regiment and his unit was the 1st Searchlight unit RA. With regards to the 2nd Searchlights war diary above would you say that the dates are accurate withe the event that are written next to them. I only mention because I've studied the events in Calais in books ect and they never really talk about the fighting in or around Calais until about the 23 of may. It seems to me that my Grandfathers position has been over run on the 22nd of may. The diary above is the first bit of evidence i have came across that describes the fighting before the 23rd of may.

    al
     
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Nothing is 100% but it's probably the best and most accurate you'll find. I've read accounts in war diaries etc that were a few days out but fighting an almost constant rearguard action to the beaches I think we are lucky to have any diaries at all.
     
  17. alex lewis

    alex lewis Member

    Sorry looking at my Grandfathers service records it seems to me that he has been tranferred into the 1st searchlight battery in march 1940 and then sent to France in the April. I take it that he's been transferred into a different regiment as well.

    Sorry confusing
    regards Alex
     
  18. Slade

    Slade Member

    Another member of Major Heywood's Searchlight Battery was Captain Harold 'Tommy' Trythall. He was wounded and captured at the fall of Calais and eventually transferred to the hospital at Camiers. There he met my uncle Capt Jimmy Johnson RWF. The two staged an escape just after lunch. They made their way to the south of France where they were interned for a month before again escaping and crossing the Pyrenees. Now captured by the Spanish they were held for another few weeks before being released to the British Consul. In Barcelona they joined up with Jimmy's cousin, Capt Chris Waters RE, who had escaped from a line of march after being captured at the surrender at St-Valéry. Using journals written by Chris (my father) whilst held by the Spanish and letters Jimmy sent home from internment a book has been produced retelling both these escapes, together with the stories of other escapees they met en route. Sadly an act of war on arrivel at Gibraltar meant that not everyone completed a home run Published by Troubador 2022
    From A Hard Place To A Rock - Troubador Book Publishing
     

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