saint venant 1940-------farm boulet

**Verrieres** · 03-08-2012, 22:33

Cwgc reply from my enquiry regarding regimental headstones to unkmown casualties

Thank you for your e-mail of 30th July 2012.<O:P></O:P>
I have checked our headstone schedules for Haverskerque British Military cemetery, Row EE and have found that there are two unknowns of the Royal Welch Fusiliers buried in Graves 14 & 15.<O:P></O:P>
I hope that this information is helpful to you.<O:P></O:P>

Yours sincerely<O:P></O:P>

<O:P></O:P>

Julie Williams (Mrs)<O:P></O:P>

Enquiries Administrator<O:P></O:P>

Best

Jim

**Verrieres** · 04-08-2012, 14:41

I have been looking into the possibility of the existance of more war crimes files as I find it hard to believe that out of 60 (Alledged) reports only 6 were listed and only four ever investigated.Enquiries at the National Archives have revealed there are several `other` files listed.The bad news is they are only viewable at the NA in London (or you can have them copied at your expense).The files found to date are;-
search results

War Office: Judge Advocate General's Office, Reference WO 309/2220
Alleged atrocities against British soldiers at St Venant and Calonne-sur-la-Lys, France, 1940 . Alleged atrocities against British soldiers at St Venant and Calonne-sur-la-Lys, France, 1940 War Office: Judge Advocate General's Office, British Army of
Date: 1946
War Office: Directorate of Military Operations Ref WO 208/4648
St Venant, Pas de Calais, France: shooting of allied POWs . St Venant, Pas de Calais, France: shooting of allied POWs Interrogation of enemy POWs by London District Cage personnel PRISONERS OF WAR SECTION War Office: Directorate of Military Operations
Date: 1945 - 1947
War Office: Supreme Headquarters Allied Expedition Ref WO 219/5063
Vicinity of St. Venant, Pas de Calais, France in May 1940 . Vicinity of St. Venant, Pas de Calais, France in May 1940 ADJUTANT GENERAL'S RECORD BRANCH Reports of SHAEF Courts of Enquiry on shooting/atrocities of Allied prisoners of war by German Armed
Date: 1945
Judge Advocate General's Office, Military Deputy's Ref WO 311/97
St Venant, Par de Calais, France: shooting of British POWs . St Venant, Par de Calais, France: shooting of British POWs Judge Advocate General's Office, Military Deputy's Department, and War Office, Directorates of Army Legal Services and Personal Services:
Date: 1945 - 1947

Best
Jim

**Baconwallah** · 04-08-2012, 16:04

I wouldn't be surprised if they all basically concerned the same cases.

John

**ivor43** · 04-08-2012, 17:16

Jim.
Interesting. On the face of it the first file would look to be favourite as the others specifically refer to POW’S.
Unless, An interesting question. Would Anthony, because he was found behind enemy lines be automatically classed as a POW?
Now memory is bugging me again, I seem to recall that somewhere either you or Tony said that you had found reference to another Corkhill in POW records. But I am not sure of the initial. I vaguely think it was H, if it was, could we be looking at another possible transcription error. Anthony’s Memory loss is an added complication, but how bad was it?

Question, if a POW required treatment and medication would they have received it, and if so where would the record have been kept?

ivor

**Verrieres** · 04-08-2012, 18:04

Originally Posted by vori101

Jim.
Interesting. On the face of it the first file would look to be favourite as the others specifically refer to POW’S.
Unless, An interesting question. Would Anthony, because he was found behind enemy lines be automatically classed as a POW?
Now memory is bugging me again, I seem to recall that somewhere either you or Tony said that you had found reference to another Corkhill in POW records. But I am not sure of the initial. I vaguely think it was H, if it was, could we be looking at another possible transcription error. Anthony’s Memory loss is an added complication, but how bad was it?

Question, if a POW required treatment and medication would they have received it, and if so where would the record have been kept?

ivor

Hello Ivor,
There was another Corkhill but it was established this was not Anthony.You are correct with the Initial though it was a `H`.This Corkhill was also with the DLI but survived the war.This could have been the `Corkhill` that the DLI soldier wrote to the Corkhill family about (stomach wound/loss of memory) The riddle of how this soldier knew the Corkhills family address is easily explained ...he didnt..the correspondence would have been forwarded by Infantry Records Office at York.it was more than likely that it was the records office who mistook the `H`for an `A`
In relation to the treatment would summise that some record would be kept by whatever establishment treated him
Best
Jim

teecee1941 · 04-08-2012, 22:19

I reckon you could be absolutely right, John. I don't mind paying for the information but I'm sure that when it came, it would be the same four cases that were featured in the War Crimes file.

Tony

**Verrieres** · 05-08-2012, 14:41

No I dont believe they do what they may encompass is other years and locations.They may include additional information but unless you can spend a couple of days reading and copying the parts relevant to your quest then the `official` cost would be prohibitive anyone requiring copied files would be better off seeking the help of a part-time researcher I`ve used them and they are usually Good value for your money.Just to point out in certain files you will find sections which are still not open to the public....WO 311/92/1 is one such Closed extract...what does it contain? In this instance nothing which will aid in Tonys search for Anthony as this deals with Chateau D'Audriew, Normandy, France: shooting of Canadian and British POWs in 1944...but I wonder if theres similar closed files for st Venant 1940?

Best
Jim

**Baconwallah** · 05-08-2012, 14:55

Originally Posted by vori101

Question, if a POW required treatment and medication would they have received it, and if so where would the record have been kept?

That's what I hope to hear from my contacts in the Volksbund and the Bundeswehr Museum.

John

**ivor43** · 05-08-2012, 16:20

Good morning all.
Thanks for the info Jim, it would appear that we can ignore the memory loss thing, good, we have enough complications as it is.
I emailed I.W.M. on Friday, outlining the reasons for our investigation and asking if they might have any info that could assist. So like you john we will have to wait and see.

Ivor.

**Verrieres** · 05-08-2012, 22:28

I was recommended a book titled `Retreat to Victory` by Major General Julian Thompson a couple of months ago in relation to the operations leading up to the evacuation.In this last hour or so I have reached the events of May 27th 1940 and wish to share with you the following paragraph from that book;-

A few of the RWF got back over the Lys Canal to some cottages that afforded them a modicum of cover The CO Lt Col Harrison was last over the pontoon bridge ,carrying a wounded officer.He shouted that the bridge should be blown ,but there was no one to carry out the order.a German tank approached and lurched over the bridge-which had been erected by the British .The Germans haddemolished the main bridge two days earlier after withdrawing from a foray across the canal .The pontoon bridge designed to carry a 15 CWT truck should have collapsed under the tank but unfortunately held together

If true then this poses some questions ...

What if this was a Pontoon? Then in the small sketch from the PoW that bridge is certainly not a pontoon so where exactly was that bridge??

If it were a pontoon then are both the canal banks now within reach of anyone lucky enough to cross?

Would the pontoon,if indeed it was a pontoon be erected over the destroyed structure or further along the bank?

Where would Major General Thompson find such information? Although I think I might be able to guess that one...from one of the Royal Engineers War Diaries?

It would also answer the question of why the lead tank hesitated at the Bridge...did he expect it to collapse under him? Over to you chaps.
Best

Jim