2611187 Sergeant Major Arthur Henry SAWYER, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards: POW, 1940

Hi, I’m trying in vain to identify how my grandfather, A Sawyer, 2611187, came to be reported initially as missing between the 21/05/40 - 19/06/40 and then as a POW until the end of the war. I know that the Grenadier Guards were used to protect the Dunkirk evacuation. I can find several references to 1 and 2 Battalion for the period covering above dates but so far nothing for the 3rd Battalion. I would be very grateful for any guidance as to reference material to cover what the 3rd were doing. Thanks, Martin

 

Name: Arthur Henry Sawyer . Date of Birth: 05/06/1905 . Place of Birth: Weymouth . ... | The National Archives has him as captured 21/5/40 at Tournai

Reference: WO 416/320/306
Name: Arthur Henry Sawyer.
Date of Birth: 05/06/1905.
Place of Birth: Weymouth.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Sergeant Major.
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
Service Number: 2611187.
Date of Capture: 21/05/1940.
Theatre of Capture: Tournai.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag XXA Thorn.
PoW number: 20282.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 1.
Number of Fingerprints: 1.
Number of X-rays: 1.
Number of Cards: 6.

 

AB64, thank you very much. Most grateful.

 

3GG were part of 1 Guards Brigade in the British 1st Division in the BEF

Already on this forum:

War Diary, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards, BEF - Sep 1939 to Jun 1940

Tournai was where they stopped the enemy crossing the Scheldt at Esquelmes 21-23 May 1940.

https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-...etery-details/2023901/esquelmes-war-cemetery/

 

Many thanks. Very grateful.

 

Thank you. Appreciate your help.