Gunner Blundell 69 Med Regt 1940

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Chris Haywood, Oct 21, 2019.

  1. Chris Haywood

    Chris Haywood Member

    Hello All. I am new to this site. I'm trying to find out more about the death of my uncle and wonder if anyone has war diaries that might shed some light on how he died - John Edward Blundell 890652 69th Med Rgt RA (Denbighshire). He is buried in Kemmel Chateau and I have been told that he died on or around 28th May 1940. It seems that Kemmel is a good way away from Wermoult where I thought that most of his unit were when attacked. I know there were others from the RA buried in Kemmel, but most having died on 24th May. Any help appreciated, thank you
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    welcome
    might be an idea to put his full name in the title

    Do you have his service records Get a copy of military service records

    A forum member will be along who will possibly assist re the war diary.A couple of members offer copy service from Kew for a reasonable fee.

    Gunner BLUNDELL, JOHN EDWARD
    Service Number 890652

    Died 28/05/1940

    Aged 21

    69 (The Denbighshire Yeomanry) Medium Regt.
    Royal Artillery

    Son of John Edward and Lily May Blundell, of Llandudno Junction, Caernarvonshire.


    INSCRIPTION
    NOT LEFT TO LIE LIKE FALLEN TREE, NOT DEAD, BUT LIVING UNTO THEE"
    Buried at KEMMEL CHATEAU MILITARY CEMETERY

    Location: West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
    Number of casualties: 1137

    Cemetery/memorial reference: P. 11.

    [​IMG]
    Gunner John Edward Blundell (1919-1940) - Find A...
     
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  3. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Welcome Chris,

    I dont think the army know what happened to him he was posted `Wounded and Missing` and his date of death is an estimate/approx date 28th May on or since `Died of Wounds`
    GBM_RAM_DEATHS_AC_02089.jpg

    Kyle
     
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  4. Chris Haywood

    Chris Haywood Member

    Yes I guess this is all I am going to get to know. I suppose in a war situation it would be hard to know what happened to everyone. Would it be right to assume that he might have been injured near Kemmel then, or not ? Thank you for your response
     
  5. Chris Haywood

    Chris Haywood Member

    No I don't have a copy of his service record
     
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I've edited thread title.
    Ask Drew5233 about the unit war diary , he has most 1940 BEF ones.
     
  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    I sent pm to Andy last night

    it is worth applying for his records via the official government link supplied
    You will not find any info about him from paid for sites on the internet dont be conned

    regards
    Clive
     
  8. Chris Haywood

    Chris Haywood Member

    Thank you but I doubt his service record will tell me a great deal. I was hoping that the war diaries would shed more light on him. Incidentally I have a number of letter that he wrote fo my mother (his sister) whilst he was still in the UK training. He was only abroad a short time before he was killed. My biggest fear was that he was in 'the barn' but I now think k that he probably wasn't.
     
  9. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    The service records will at least give you a complete picture once you have purchased the war diaries plus a warning not to go to what I deem as scam sites on the internet who promise service records and info but do not have them.

    regards
    Clive
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Not much in the diary. Its an exact death so someone must have known when he died or CWGC would have a date range. Bit odd he's buried that late in Belgium unless he died of wounds perhaps. I'll check CWGC but may have been moved there after the war.
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Looking at the Grave Registration Report Form for the eighteen 1940 casualties I think he was in a medical facility prior to dying.
     
  12. Chris911

    Chris911 Member

    I have often wondered about the circumstances surrounding the death of Gunner John Edward Blundell and offer a couple of thoughts. Being a Junction lad, we can assume that he was with D Troop of 242 battery, 69th Medium Regt RA who were based at the Drill Hall in Llandudno before the war. On the 21st May 1940 Gunner Kitchener Jones of Llandudno was killed and a second, unknown, D Troop lad injured from shrapnel wounds as the battery were in action near Vichte, Belgium. Was that wounded soldier J E Blundell? Was there a field hospital in the vicinity of Mount Kemmel that he was taken too and succumbed to his wounds a week later? This seems to be corroborated by Drew5233.

    Alternatively, on the evening of 27th May 1940, 242 battery were dug in around Mount Kemmel. The following day they received orders to spike their howitzers, destroy all other kit, take as few vehicles as possible and retreat to Dunkirk. Could John Blundell have been injured in an accident while they destroyed the guns and died?

    I am organising a service of commemoration at Llandudno war memorial on 28 May 2020 to mark the 80th anniversary of the events at Wormhout which cost the lives of 8 Llandudno men. I have invited the families of the fallen to lay wreaths. Also laying wreaths will be the families of Kitchener Jones who died on the 21 May 1940 and Arthur Cimatti who survived Wormhout only to be killed on the beaches of Dunkirk. Although John Edward Blundell is not commemorated on Llandudno war memorial, you would be more than welcome to join us and I would be delighted to provide a wreath for you to lay as part of the service. My email address is info @ homefrontmuseum . co . uk (please ignore the spaces). Adrian
     
  13. von Smallhausen

    von Smallhausen Junior Member

    Hello Chris,
    Gunner Bernard Kitchener JONES is buried in Ingoyghem. If you want to I'll make a pic of his headstone.
    jef
     

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