1/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment

Discussion in '1940' started by elfinblues, May 20, 2015.

  1. elfinblues

    elfinblues Member

    Hello everyone. I remain something of a newcomer to military history, but over recent months in researching my grandfather's war years I've had some fantastic help from many very kind people on WW2 Talk that has really enabled me to get a better understanding of what he did. I've since become interested in finding out more about what a friend of his did during the war. That friend was one Alec Horwood who was, I believe, the only man to win both the DCM and the VC (the latter, posthumously) in the Second World War. A lot has been written about Alec's heroic exploits in Burma that led to his death and to the VC award, and I'm already reasonably clued up about that, so I'm trying to find out more about his early years in the war, but have hit a few stumbling blocks.

    Alec was in the 1/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment, 131st Infantry Battalion, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division, until he received his commission and was attached to the Northamptonshire Regiment and sent to Ceylon for jungle training. I'm really keen to find out what the 1/6ths did between the outbreak of war and 10th May, so that I can have as full a picture of their movements as possible. I'm lucky enough to have a few pages from the Queen's History that detail what the 1/6ths did between their dash from Steenwerck on 10th May to the capture of many of their number on the Escaut near Audenarde on 21st May, but I am completely devoid of information about where they were, what they were doing between the outbreak of war and 10th May. Is there anyone out there who would happen to have knowledge of that period and who might be able to help fill in the gaps in my own knowledge?

    I am also wondering if anyone would be able to tell me whether there is a way to find out which company of the 1/6th Alec belonged to? I have a map that shows the various positions of the 1/6 companies on the Escaut, and I would love to be able to pin down exactly where his company were during the fighting there. If it helps to identify the company at all, I know he was recommended for the DCM by "Lt-Col O.C" of the 6th Queen's and he later made his escape from captivity with a Captain Trench - I don't know, but either man might perhaps been in the same company, possibly?

    Lastly, it would be great to find out more about what they did when 1/6ths got back to England after Dunkirk. I know that they reconvened soon after somewhere near Oxford (though I don't know exactly where), and that Alec was eventually attached to the Northamptonshires (I guess I'll need his service record to pinpoint exactly when that occurred), but I know nothing of the time between. Again, if anyone out there is able to help fill in the gaps in my knowledge, or point me to a useful resource, I would be enormously grateful.

    Many thanks indeed in advance to everyone. Best wishes!
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  3. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    CWGC details:

    HORWOOD, ALEC GEORGE

    Rank:Lieutenant
    Service No:165583
    Date of Death:21/01/1944
    Age:30
    Regiment/Service:The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) attd. 1st Bn. Northamptonshire RegimentAwards:V C, D C M Panel Reference: Face 4. Memorial:RANGOON MEMORIAL
    Additional Information:Son of George Alfred and Florence Emma Horwood; husband of Madeline Horwood, of Yeovil, Somerset.

    Citation
    The citation in the London Gazette of 30th March, 1944, gives the following details: At Kyauchaw, in Burma, on 18th January, 1944, Lieutenant Horwood with his forward mortar observation post accompanied the forward company of the Northamptonshire Regt. into action against a Japanese defended locality. Throughout that day he lay in an exposed position under intense fire and effectively shot his own mortars and those of a half-troop of another unit, returning at night with valuable information about the enemy. The following day he moved forward with another company, and from an observasion post which he established on a precipitous ridge, directed accurate mortar fire in support of two attacks. He also deliberately drew enemy fire upon himself, so that the fresh company he was with could see the Japanese positions. That night he remained on the ridge, and on the morning of 20th January again directed mortar fire in support of an attack. In the afternoon, while leading another attack, he was mortally wounded at point-blank range. Lieutenant Horwood set the highest example of bravery and devotion to duty, to which all ranks responded magnificently. His cool calculated actions during these three days, coupled with his bravery, very largely contributed to the ultimate success of the operation and the capture on 24th January of the Japanese position.
     
  4. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    On 2 September 1939

    From Battalion War Diary.

    Mark
     
    Owen likes this.
  5. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    7 October 1939:


    Mark
     
  6. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    22 October 1939

    Mark
     
    Owen likes this.
  7. elfinblues

    elfinblues Member

    Thanks so much, Mark - wonderful to have such a level of detail from the very early part of the war, detail that I didn't have before. Do you know of any way to identify which company he might have belonged to?
     
  8. BFBSM

    BFBSM Very Senior Member

    I am still going through the Battalion Diaries, if I find anything I shall let you know.

    Further movements, this time from the Regimental History, 2 April 1940, left billets in Yeovil and 'after a short and easy journey reached Southampton.' The 1/6th then embarked in H.T. Archangel, and sailed at night arriving in Cherbourg next morning, 'the 1/6th, who disembarked at 0700hrs., being the first Queen's Battalion to land in France in the war.'

    I don't have the Diaries for the months in France, Andy (http://ww2talk.com/forums/user/6786-drew5233/) will be able to help with those, as suggested by Owen in post 2.

    Mark
     
  9. elfinblues

    elfinblues Member

    Wonderful - thanks so much, Mark. Enormously appreciated. It is so wonderful to have little snippets of information like the name of the ship that took him to France, a few words about the journey to Southampton... It all helps me to add meat to the bones and create a fuller picture in what I'm writing. Thanks so much.
     
  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Moved thread to 1940 section of forum where Andy will see it when he next logs in.
     
    Jarvo likes this.
  11. elfinblues

    elfinblues Member

    Great - thanks, Owen. As an aside, I've just found this marvellous interview with a despatch rider from the 1/6th Bn Queen's, in which he recollects a lot that helps me fill some more blanks: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80006203 - very interesting listening, if anyone is interested?
     
    Jarvo likes this.
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I'm just back from France and in Kent trying to catch up on things (hahaha). I'll not be home until Sunday and on Monday and Tuesday I should have some time to look at this in detail and answer anything that's not already been answered by the chaps above.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  13. elfinblues

    elfinblues Member

    I certainly know how that (catching up on things) feels, Andy! Thanks very much indeed for anything you can add.

    I hope you've had a successful trip to France? Visiting the battlefields?
     
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I was over for the 75th anniversary of Dunkirk plus researching a missing man who's medals I have - The trip was excellent, it was my sons first visit and I met up with 6 other forum members. The only problem now is I have to go back again hopefully in a few months as I've got more walking to do where my chap was killed.
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Not sure if you already have it but here is Horwoods DCM

    [​IMG]
     

Share This Page