Wormhout Massacre/Battle Related Research Questions

More photos looking back from my father's position on Cassel Road

 

Probably all pleased to know this is my Last Post.

The B Coy Platoon Cheshires was number 8 - Lt Clemence _ and had been at Rietveldt on previous day.
(9 Plt B Coy was destroyed at Ledringham, 7 Plt B Coy destroyed at Wylder on 29th May and A and C Coy 4th Cheshires were destroyed at Cassel).

On the map attached I have plotted the positions, direction of fire (and range of fire of 8 Plt and 13 Plt) of all four platoons of Cheshires (info from Kissack's report). Kissack is right, the platoons were too close together (and in danger of hitting each other - in fact, 4th and 2nd Cheshires (who my father joined later) were demonstration battalions for the Vickers gun and would show Infantry Officers and others what was possible - 16 guns blazing way on the Moors above Barnard Castle must have been an awesome sight).

The Open Ground between Esquelbecq and Wormhoudt was very different in 1940 when there were lots of fields with Pollarded trees for hedges.

My father is still convinced that 15 Platoon opened up first - shooting up a convoy which they set on fire. Clearly every British gun would open up on anything coming along the Esquelbecq but 15 Plt Cheshires were in a prime position.

My opinion, is that the AT gun of the Worcs Yeomanry, next to 15 platoon, shot up the Section of 6 Platoon 3rd Panzer vehicles of Cords and Gramell. When the Germans threw the whole of 3rd Panzer into the battle, the remainder of 6 Panzer Platoon shot up an AT Gun on the their left (ie the AT gun next to 15 Plt Cheshires) and turned in the direction of 15 Platoon, missing Gunnel's Platoon of Warwicks but smashing into Dunwell's. These German tanks penetrated the British Lorry Park but retreated due to exploding ammunition and burning petrol - the times all fit this action.

15 Platoon Cheshires was lucky, it had transports. Bounced off the battlefield on the West, Lt Ravencroft set up 2 guns protecting the North side and two the South side of Wormhoudt - placing transports in an excellent position. This was doen so slickly that I feel sure (and my father agreest this possibile action had been agreed before the battle. Hicks must have hoped to continue the battle in the Town itself (like the 5th Gloucesters achieved so well at Ledringhem) but the swift Panzer success must surely have prevented this.

OK - that it. I have learnt a lot (and made a lot of mistakes) but thanks to everyone - especially the two Andys.

PS -I think you should consider that the South Section 15 Platoon Cheshires in addition to 13 Platoon Cheshires were very likely to be Barn Victims. It seems to me that there was a third major criminal - Otto Baum and his Coy.

 

Probably all pleased to know this is my Last Post.

Far from it! What about the battles before Wormhoudt and, perhaps, after? Hope you'll stick around but, euther way, well done and thank you for sharing your father's story and memories, and for digging up all the source documents.

 

Sorry the obsession continues - I knew there was one thing bothering me.

The story of Schutzeck

Aitken has lots of detail but puts the action at 9.00am (is this French time or German?) whilst Rommeleare indicates that it was about 3.00pm (French time). Curiously there is also a reference in the 3rd Panzer report indicating an early morning attack reaching parts of Wormhoudt and being repulsed.

Can anyone clear this up? Does the reference to the movement of the SS battalion HQ prove or otherwise Aitken's timings which do seem very early.

Aitken cites a personal report from SS (Lt) Butler in the Sources for the Chapter (Beautiful writer and obviously excellent Padre that he was, his source data is very wobbly). Is there anything in the SS War Diary which I don't have which gives a clue.

This is almost my last question.

My other question is the Anti-tank gun operated by Cookson. I hav come across a 2 inch mortar which was used by the British Infantry in WW2. It is very tiny and looks like it could be used in a trench - is this the ?Anti-tank gun?

 

Samuel, I'm sure that many of us have found this a fascinating thread. I haven't joined in because it was beyond my limited knowledge right from the beginning.

The reference to a 30mm round and A/T fire is a puzzle. Presumably the calibre was reported from German sources. Could it have been a Hotchkiss 25 mm round fired by the British ?

 

Came across this BBC Dunkirk Blog

Sgt Farrier, if you recall, was seconded from 2nd Battalion to command 2 gun section at Wormhoudt with 14 Platoon 4th Cheshire.

His must have been the gun crew that Kissack says were blown out of their trench, luckily without any casualties.

Maybe if his son, M Farrier reads this or if anyone knows a 60 or 70 year old M Farrier, they can point him to this site. I would be pleased to send any info I have.

 

Sgt Farrier's DCM citation. Interestingly, it is with a couple of others that were upgraded from MMs to DCMs.

 

I managed to have a quick look at Crookenden's Cheshire Regiment history. Apart from a full version of the Oxley account, there is little detail on Wormhoudt. However, there is a roll of officers which offers some new (i.e. contradictory) information. I've appended this to an earlier post:

B Coy Cheshires... the Platoon Commanders were as follows:

2nd Lt Woodhouse missing with Platoon at Ledringhem on 28th May
Crookenden says: "Wounded and captured, Wormhoudt."

Lt Clemence commanding B Coy Platoon at Wormhout

2nd Lt Reid missing with Platoon at West Cappel on 29th May.
Crookenden says: "Killed, Wylder."

 

I agree that it is difficult to pin down B Company platoons on 28th and 29th May.

In Kissack's report Lt Clemence is stated as 8 Plt but occassionally the typist makes a mistake and types a 9 - in most cases this is corrected in pen but one typo slips through. However, Clemence contributed a lot to regimental history after the War. I think he would have corrected the number - so I think on balance his number is correct ie 8 plt.

0n 26th May the HQ Diary states that 7 Plt were at Ledringham and 9 Plt at Wylder in mobile reserve. (8 Pln were at Rietveld).

5th Glosters says that a plt of Cheshires were at Ledringham. I am pretty sure this was Lt Woodhouse's (but was it 7 or 9?). There was a Plt of D Company 5th Glosters at Rietveld - can't find it a the moment but I think I read that they may have had a section of machine gunners with them. So, I think Crookenden has got it wrong unless this Rietveld group included Lt Woodhouse (this lot of Glosters fought their way up that damned railway! to escape)

2nd Lt Reid was indeed killed. The Diary says that the battle started at Wylder but 7 Pln withdrew at 11.00hrs successfully to West Cappell under orders. Reid was last seen to be alive at 17.00 hrs but was missing. So I assume he was in fact killed at West Cappell. Major Ashton (in command of B Company) says that 7 Pln were at Wylder - by deduction 9 Pln were therefore at Ledringhem. But I agree could be the other way around

Oxley's account has some obvious errors and is a bit amazing. I think he was on the main battlefield at various times but certainly not all the time. Curiously he says he knew where the RAP was because he had been there earlier in the day (the boys in the trenches had no idea where the Centre was never mind the RAP). Still can't understand why Kissack asked for a report from him unless it was the potential war crime aspect.

Also surprised that the 14 Pln and Sgt Farrier were under such hot pressure given their position on East side of town but must show that the Germans just overwelmed the whole area.

 

Pte Joseph Humphreys

I came across this report in the Cheshire Ever Glorious publication.

In January 1990 Pte Joseph Humpreys got in contact with the Regiment and told his story to an Officer of the Cheshires.

This soldier had been in th Manchester Regiment but had been transferred to the Cheshires (quite a few Manchester's were) in Nov 1939.

He was present at Wormhout, in 13th Platoon (ie the one in the South West in A Company Warwicks area). Lt Glaspool divided his platoon in two. Humpreys was commanded by Sgt Weston. They had been told to dig their trench beside a hedge looking toward the direction in which the Enemy was thought to be coming. However at the suggestion of an old Regular, Pte Stubbs, they moved the position of the gun pit to a better situation. In the morning of the 28th May they were visited by Lt Glasspool. Presumably then Glasspool went to visit his second section because they never saw him again.

They came under heavy mortar fire and fired at Germans in the distance. Sgt Weston decided that they were surrounded and ordered destruction of the guns and a with-drawl.

The group worked their way up a ditch and soon became mixed up with other British troops who were retreating. They came under heavy fire and were surrounded and forced to surrender. Initially they were marched to the edge of Wormhoudt and lead to a brick cow shed.

They were then marched a short distance across fields to the notorious wood cow shed and Humpreys describes the scene and events that are now familiar.

He lay for some time buried underneath dead and dying British soldiers in the hut and could hear his friend Tug Wilson from the same section dying near to him.

He found he had been injured in the left leg but otherwise was OK. Two other soldiers both Londoners joined him in crawling out of the hut and into a ditch full of water. They crawled for about 300 yards down this ditch and saw a farm house. The Londoners decided to go to the farm house for help but Humpreys did not agree and remained in the ditch. The other soldiers had not gone far before they were cut down by fire from two German soldiers. These Germans checked the ditch but Humpreys managed to bury himself in deep water.

By now dusk was falling and he crawled along the ditch over a road and field toward a lighted town which proved to be Cassel. The next day he saw a tank on the outskirts of the town. So he avoided this and skirted around the town and on the other side found some Cheshires. Having reported to the Cheshire Commander, he was sent to see the Brigadier - Who told him "you are very lucky but I'm sorry we're moving out at midnight.

He left Cassel together with about 8 Cheshires and in the confusion they hid in a small hut. A Frenchman came into the hut and promised to bring them some food. However, they did not trust him and moved off straight away only to be surrounded by a squad of motorcycle Germans and forced to surrender.

Humpreys spent most of the war as a prisoner in Stalag 8 Lamsdorf.

 

Glasspool is buried in Ledringhem Churchyard. Most of the casualties there are 5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.

GLASSPOOL, BASIL THOMAS ROBERTSON
Initials: B T R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Cheshire Regiment
Unit Text: 4th Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 28/05/1940
Service No: 66433
Additional information: Son of Reginald Thomas Booth Glasspool and Frances Louisa Glasspool, of Street, Somerset.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Row A. Grave 6.
Cemetery: LEDRINGHEM CHURCHYARD

 

Thanks for posting that. Thats is some effort to get into Cassel from Wormhout.

Heaven knowns how Glasspool got through to Ledringhem on that day - The Glosters were having their own house to house fight on that day with most of the village set on fire by the Germans to burn the Glosters out.

 

Just checked the Ledringham RoH and Glasspool was not alone.

Pvt Braithwaite, L Cpl Kirkby, Pvt Moffat and Pvt Mulch were all 13 Platoon commanded by Glasspool - seems this group was killed in or near Ledringham.

 

Just re-read some old stuff and realised I missed the following.

The meeting between Brigadier Hamilton and Col Danson CO of 4th Battalion Cheshire took place at 144 Bgde HQ at Wormhoudt prior to the battle.

I have always assumed this was the same as Warwicks HQ.

BUT maybe it was not. 14 platoon Cheshire was said to be near Brigade HQ, which was half a mile down the Wylder Road out of Wormhoudt.

Kissack says he placed 14 platoon 300 yards east of Wormhout Centre - which more or less agrees.

Amazingly I just noticed "Chât." on a modern map at exactly the spot I would have expected - I have marked this in blue blue on the map attached.

Were there two châteaux?

Is there any corroborating information on the whereabouts of the 144 Bgde HQ on 26, 27 and 28th May?

 

Châteaux are ten-a-penny. We normally think 'castle' and assume there would only be one. It's more realistic to think of it as a 'mansion' - just a big house.

I wonder if Andy has the 144 Bde war diary - that may well record its location.

 

Sorry, I've not got the Bde diary. As Andy say's Chateau's were quite common, some are just big houses. There was a few Chateau's in Wormhout. I can think of at least two in Guy R's book (both destroyed now) and possibly another two that I've seen walking round the town that I can think of off the top of my head. One where the RAP was and another in or near an advanced SS HQ.

 

Just been having a look through Cap of Honour re: 5 Glosters to see if it mentioned a location for Bde HQ. Of relevance to the Glasspool story, they record that after the battalion was cut off, the only contact with brigade was by despatch rider - Pte A W Joines getting an MM for five round trips, four under fire! Also, two C Coy runners got into Ledringham from Brigade with the withdrawal order: L/Cpls Barnfield and Mayo, both of whom got MMs. No mention of the Cheshires, though, not that there were many there (if at all).

Also C Coy 5 Glosters was detached to 144 Brigade, so that's another possible source for a location?

 

Thanks for that. My idea of a château was indeed nearer to a Castle but inhabited by the local Noble, as in the French Revolution.

I am convinced that 144 Bgde was not the same château as 2nd Warwicks HQ. I have read Capt Harward 8th Worcs account on the Worcs Website and he was close to the Brigadier most of the time.

Hayward makes no mention of 144 Bgde Château being destroyed - indeed on the day of the Battle, he talks about bringing out documents to be destroyed and making a complete mess of it by throwing them into the swans pond being unable to sink the container and ending up with the papers floating on the surface.

With regard to the 5th Glosters at Ledringhem. There is plenty of evidence that a platoon under Lt Woodhouse B Battalion Cheshires was at Ledringhem (either 7 or 9 platoon). Woodhouse was wounded and captured at Ledringhem and there are some Cheshire names in the graveyard which are not Glasspool's lot

In fact I did find a report by a 5th Gloster Officer that confirms a TA platoon of Cheshires was present (sadly did not take a copy). I think there is also a possibility that one gun of the Cheshire platoon was with the C Coy platoon of 5th Glosters at Rietveld.

Anyway it does not surprise me at all that supporting troops such as the Cheshires are not mentioned in 5th Gloster report of the action at Ledringhem. In my research over the past four months I have been saddened and amazed at how often the Infantry get the publicity and limelight and how grudging is the admittance of any other unit on the battlefield.

For example at Wormhoudt which is my interest - my calculation is that Cheshires and RA made up about one third of the soldiers on the battlefield (and a hell a lot of the firepower) but you never get that idea from reading the histories. In fact, 8th Worcesters get more mention and they were mostly withdrawn and contributed little to the battle (although they performed brilliantly and suffered terribly the next day).

 

Just found the 5th Gloster report - attached

Talks of a platoon of Cheshires at Reitveld with a platoon of C Coy 5th Glosters.

It then talks of one MG platoon joining late in the action - this was Woodhouse's platoon. Says this platoon was added to C Coy South of Church which failed to receive the order to withdraw and was surrounded and captured. So presumably the Cheshire platoon was captured at the same time

The Cheshire platoon at Rietveld was number 8 platoon which was withdrawn and used used at Wormhout on 28th.

 

Just noticed P55 of Aitken book the following took place on 27th May:

"CO and Capt Tomes visited Brigade HQ on the Herzeele Road. "

Herzeele or Wylder, its the same direction - so further confirmation that Bgd HQ was on East side of Wormhout.