3 RTR B Squadron

On another tack - before he joined the 3RTR, my Dad was a medical orderly in the Duke of Wellington / Westminster Dragoons. I have 3 pics of DoW soldiers in rows, one with names on the back and one or other marked 'medical orderlies'. I can't see where to post these on this forum as the DoW thread is about other things and not 1940. Any ideas?

 

Hi Maggie, I don’t recognise the chap and I agree the last photo could be postwar. I’ll ask Monique who the man top left is.

 

Dragon Naturally - another thing to be grateful for! Yes, would love to read them when they do, Cass.

 

Some more photos of Len's (with George and Ted) Apologies Maggie, Adam if I've posted them before!

 

Don't apologise, Cass. Never seen these before. In one of them, my Dad's making a funny face so is hardly recognisable but in two of the others, it's clearly him - so nice to see the three of them together. Also, to get a proper look at Norman Griggs. Thank you so much for these.

 

I agree!

I am impressed with how neatly "COQUETTE" has been written on the front of the Comet.

 

I tried to follow you on Facebook, Cass, as suggested but I think I'm following the wrong person!

 

Great to see the three of them on Coquette. I think previously mine was cropped. Dad was very fussy about his boots (which shows) and always made me clean mine for school and work.

 

If Adam doesn't mind you could get to me through him. He will be easier to find with a less common name if he is OK about it.

 

No problem Cass, Maggie I’m just plain Adam Hermitage on FB and sure I’m the only one (in the UK!) Ping me a friend request and I’ll accept.

 

My Dad was too. He used to spit and polish his civilian shoes till they shone. Luckily for me, he did mine too (I was the youngest).

 

Len too!

 

Hi all, been a while.

Had a bit of free time and was going through IWM film archive, came across this... re: Belsen, not sure if this has been posted previously...

MILITARY CAMP WHERE GERMAN AND HUNGARIAN SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN ILL WITH TYPHUS IN THE FALLINGBOSTEL - BELSEN AREA, GERMANY [Allocated Title] (dated 15th April)

I've seen some clips of this, esp. with Comets passing the camp gates. The first part shows Comets on road and there is a clip with them parked, possibly:
1230; Move to area 2000 yds WEST of WINSEN, 4656 - as stated in WD.

Also, it includes scenes of the Hungarian troops. Notice the title, MILITARY CAMP WHERE GERMAN AND HUNGARIAN SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN ILL WITH TYPHUS, obviously they were still oblivious of the true situation there.

NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE SURRENDER OF GERMAN AND HUNGARIAN SOLDIERS, TAKEN ILL WITH TYPHUS IN CAMP, NEAR FALLINGBOSTEL, GERMANY [Allocated Title]

Another clip, dated 12th April, of initial negociations.

Both were filmed by Ian Grant, who also filmed the tank maintenance scene of B Squadron at Schwarmstedt on the 13th.

 

Another one from Ian Grant, 14th April.

ACTIVITIES IN THOREN, GERMANY [Allocated Title]

According to the WD, the battalion leaguered between Engehausen and Thören, possibly that's them at the beginning of the film.

SOLDIERS OF THE KING'S SHROPSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY AND COMET TANKS OF 29TH ARMOURED BRIGADE ADVANCE NORTH OF BAD REHBURG, GERMANY [Allocated Title]

Dated 8th April, possibly showing the battalion advancing north of Rehburg. WD states that:
1300; Halted just NORTH of REHBURG. Inf and bazookas in wood to immediate front. One Sqn deployed on both sides of CL.

 

Used to buy my scale models on the northern edge of Rehburg, there was a well-stocked shop.

The road leads up to Husum, where 12th SS Ersatz put up a massive fight and they brought in Wasps to winkle them out. You can still see signs of fire on timbers of the old half-timbered farms if you know what you're looking for.

Next north from there is Schessinghausen. It's mayor decided to avoid the fate of Husum and they met advancing British troops on the road to Husum after the breakout from the Leese bridgehead I think.

North of Loccum, where I grew up, there was another ambush by 88s I think.

All very messy and pointless.

All the best

Andreas

 

Filmed the previous year, 1st Sep:

THE 11TH ARMOURED DIVISION ADVANCES THROUGH NORTHERN FRANCE [Allocated Title]

 

The towers are oil drilling rigs as the area between the Weser and Aller rivers produced crude oil from the Steimbke-Rodewald field. Just to the east of Steimbke was the Brigitta oil facility which processed but not refined the crude. As the oil field is to the west of Thören, Grant must have returned to shoot the film of the rigs having filmed the leaguer. Apologies for the less than subtle plug, but Chapter 5 in my book covers the action in this part of Germany.

 

I believe the film shows Comets of C Squadron 3 RTR as this squadron, together with B Company 4 KSLI, were heavily involved on the battle between Rehburg and Husum. The tanks could be in the open area before entering the forestry, where most of the action was to take place. I also believe that the surrendering German soldiers came from either 5. Kompanie of SS-A.u.E.Btl. 12 ‘HJ’ or from the battalion’s Stamm Kompanie. Again, my Chapter 5 refers.

 

I think the Knight’s Cross holders are Oberst Hanns Schmidt and Oberstleutnant Bohnenkamp. Bohnenkamp was the deputy to Oberst Grosan the commander of Gruppe Grosan which was in action against the British 11 Armd Div in this area at this time. Bohnenkamp was dispatched with Schmidt, the supply officer for the Hungarian armour training school at Bergen, to open negotiations for dealing with the typhus outbreak at Belsen.
One of the Hungarian soldiers clearly (0:40) has a tank badge on the side of his field cap showing that he belonged to the armour training school, probably as a staff member.

 

A colleague showed me pictures from his dad yesterday. They used a Wasp flame-thrower to destroy typhus-infected clothes and gear in Belsen.

All the best

Andreas