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

**dcdl12976** · 11-05-2013, 18:23

"I have been trying to find the !st Btn Berkshies war diary for the time, i believe i may have found it. What has happened is that for some reason it is not in the search criteria on the Wadrobes site, however on going to the war diaries purchase page there is one advertised as the 1/4th Btn however when you look at the picture it states 1st AND 4th Btn".

I was quite correct in this because i recceived the book today and it covers the war diary from 22nd August 1939 to 29th April 1940 and a summary of events from 10th May 1940 to 30th June 1940. Much is the same as in the other book however there is a little more info not in that one nothing to help us with Anthony sadly so sorry folks i guess i didnt really expect there to be anything.

Cheers

Dave

teecee1941 · 11-05-2013, 23:00

Dave, thank you for your effort. Like you say, it is maybe not relevant to the case of Anthony but interesting all the same. I am always pleased to read anything that concerns Saint Venant. It is only by investigating as much as possible about the events of May 1940 that one day, a breakthrough will be staring us in the face. I never get tired of saying thank you to anyone who is good enough to spend any effort towards bringing a successful conclusion to the mystery of my uncle's disappearance. Thanks again. Tony

**dcdl12976** · 12-05-2013, 06:18

Tony, thanks for that, always nice to be appreciated.
As soon as i can i will post the aditional information from the war diary that is not in the other book.

Cheers

Dave

**dcdl12976** · 12-05-2013, 13:14

He He He just spoke to dad and he wants me to research a Major REW who was O/C of A company (dads company) believe it or not he only had one arm yet was a champion pistol shot !!!!!, im hoping to speak face to face in a couple of days so i may get some more snippets. Dad believes he ended up a Brigadier.

Dave

**ivor43** · 12-05-2013, 15:01

dave.
the following may be of some help, if you dont already know of it.

http://www.unithistories.com/officers/Army_officers_W02.html

ivor

**dcdl12976** · 12-05-2013, 15:31

Thanks Ivor i shall get down to researching the name for him as soon as i can.

**dcdl12976** · 13-05-2013, 19:15

Folks, here is a few additions from the war diary that either are not in the other books account or differ from that account.

May 25^th
The information given to the battalion about the Germans suggested that they were only parachute troops and motor cycle troops and the battalion was really engaged on a mopping up operation that should not prove difficult.
There was one 25mm anti tank gun in support of C Company to the north of Haverskerque and to the right in the Foret De Nieppe was a weak pioneer battalion of the York’s and Lancs.

26^th May
A quiet day with little shelling. Our own artillery could do little in reply as their CP,s were unable to get through by WT.

27^th May
Battalion HQ attacked at dawn from the left flank, Brigade Commander ordered C company forward to make a bridgehead at the Haverskerque footbridge make touch with battalion HQ and give the battalion O/C verbal orders to withdraw over the canal. The attack subsided with the arrival of C company and withdrawal began with the aid of two machine guns from the Masnchesters, C company covered the withdrawal and was then withdrawn in turn.

That’s about it folks. Except for a map of the route took through the area between 24^th and 28^th May.

Cheers

Dave

**Verrieres** · 13-05-2013, 23:25

Originally Posted by dcdl12976

He He He just spoke to dad and he wants me to research a Major REW who was O/C of A company (dads company) believe it or not he only had one arm yet was a champion pistol shot !!!!!, im hoping to speak face to face in a couple of days so i may get some more snippets. Dad believes he ended up a Brigadier.

Dave

Hello Dave,
Thank you very much for posting the information it is of interest and helps set the scene remembering there were three battalions plus support troops helps too at St Venant. In regard to your enquiry re Major Rew heres a couple of snippets hope they help Major Horace Edward Rew, The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of
Wales's) was awarded a DSO for operations with the BEF in 1940 London Gazette Issue 34893 published on the 9 July 1940THE LONDON GAZETTE, 1 FEBRUARY, 1929 publishes an announcement that Flying Officer Horace Edward REW (Lt.,

R. Berks Regt.) relinquishes his temporary commission on return to his Army duty dated 27th Jan. 1929
The London Gazette dated 11th September 1918 gives the appointment of the following Lieutenants into the
R. Berks. R.
—Frederick William Paines.
Horace Edward Rew.
Ivor Thomas Clement.
Herbert Walter Gabbett Arthy.
His DSO citation is at the National Archives Ref WO 373/15/84,he served in India in 1932 so will be on the medal roll for the India General Service Medal as well.

Jim

**dcdl12976** · 14-05-2013, 06:51

Thanks a lot JIm, i havent got round to checking the Major out yet because im busy with another enquiry with reference to my grandfather in WW2.

Cheers

Dave

**dcdl12976** · 14-05-2013, 08:36

A little strange some of the movements of the battalion on the 24^th May “After 2 hours at La Posse information was received that the enemy was in the vicinity of Merville and the battalion was ordered to move by MT with carrier protection and seize the bridges over the Lys (AIRE ?) Canal in the neibourhood of Guarbeque. The move was carried out as far as the other side of Merville whence the advance guard of carriers was held up and the battalion spent the night”

A couple of questions here.
1. Why did the battalion move NNW to Merville from La Fosse instead of moving almost directly West to Guarbeque past Robecq?. The war diary states there were only three maps available for the area at the time. Have a look at the map and you will see what I mean. Surely logic would have said keep south of the Lys to move to Guarbeque. Mind we do know the brigadier had ordered the brigade south of the Lys when they should have stayed to the north so maybe the Berks were just obeying the proper order and ignoring Furlongs later order.
Guarbeque is on the South of the AIRE canal NOT the Lys, wrongly transcribed I think because the other book places the town correctly south of the Aire canal.
2. Obviously dad is a day out with his incident since the Battalion spent the night at Merville and did not cross the bridge at St Venant to move on to Bas Hamel until after midday on the 25^th May. This seems confirmed in the book History of the Royal Berkshire Regiment 1920 to 1947 wherein the role of honour states “ 5127016 Lance Corporal Joynson P. 25^th May 1940”.
This once again shows just how little faith we can place in the dates from the CWGC, I can understand dad being a day out since he is 95 and memory of over 70 years ago will be a little hazy.

Cheers

Dave