Thread: Civilian NZ Casualty 1940

Originally Posted by Kyt

Name: LAWSON, ALBERT JEAN
Initials: A J
Nationality: New Zealand
Rank: Civilian
Regiment/Service: New Zealand Civilian
Age: 24
Date of Death: 23/05/1940
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 2.
Cemetery: RECQUES-SUR-HEM CHURCHYARD

Lawson is the only civilian New Zealander listed on the CWGC for WW2. At first I thought he may have been a casualty of Dunkirk but his death predates that by a few days. Being buried near the last stages of the fighting implies he was in the direct vicinity, but who was he and how did he die?

Not an answer to your question yet K but there are only 3 CWGC graves in that churchyard 1 WW1 and 2 WW2 ....... this is the soldier from WW1 ( one of my regiments !! ) .... I've put out an APB on the other two .... !!

Recques-on-Hem is a small village about 18 km north-west of St.Omer on the D 217, east of the N 43.
The single UK burial of the First World War is on the churchyard of Private CJ Rump.
There are also 2 burials of the Second World War.

RUMP CHARLES JOHN
United Kingdom Private The King's (Liverpool Regiment) "C" Coy 20th Bn. Age: 37 Date of Death: 12/07/1917 Service No: 235326

RUMP
Charles John
Private 235326. "C Coy 20th Bn., The King's (Liverpool Regiment). Formerly 5283 Yorkshire Regiment. Died Thursday 12 July 1917. Age 37. Born and lived Aylsham. Enlisted Cromer. Only son of Joseph and Harriet Rump, of Aylsham; husband of Mabel Rump, of Aylsham, Norfolk. Buried: RECQUES-SUR-HEM CHURCHYARD, Pas de Calais, France. South of church.

Name: RUMP, CHARLES JOHN
Initials: C J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Unit Text: "C" Coy 20th Bn.
Age: 37
Date of Death: 12/07/1917
Service No: 235326
Additional information: Only son of Joseph and Harriet Rump, of Aylsham; husband of Mabel Rump, of Aylsham, Norfolk.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: South of church. 3.
Cemetery: RECQUES-SUR-HEM CHURCHYARD

I wondered if the other soldier was maybe a casualty on the same day as your Albert but although close ... the answer is no but unusual dating ! interesting .... have you been researching Albert K ..... ?

Name: JOHNSON, WILLIAM
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 3 bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt.
Age: 31
Date of Death: between 18/05/1940 and 22/05/1940
Service No: 1071399
Additional information: Son of Charles Edward and Ellen Johnson, of Birmingham; husband of Dorothy Lilian Johnson, of Selly Park, Birmingham.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 1.
Cemetery: RECQUES-SUR-HEM CHURCHYARD

Here's another from the unit with no exct date

BECK Alexander

Gunner 3184334, 12 Bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery who died age 32 between 31 May 1940 and 2 Jun 1940. Son of Mrs M. Beck of Penpont. Remembered with honour DUNKIRK MEMORIAL.

Originally Posted by Kyt

Here's another from the unit with no exct date

BECK Alexander

Gunner 3184334, 12 Bty., 6 H.A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery who died age 32 between 31 May 1940 and 2 Jun 1940. Son of Mrs M. Beck of Penpont. Remembered with honour DUNKIRK MEMORIAL.

I found this .... is this any good ??

ROYAL ARTILLERY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

As was normal with searchlight units they were dispersed on remote sites all around northern France. Caught out by the sudden onslaught of the Germans Blitzkrieg, they soon found themselves reverting to an infantry role for which most had not been trained. The bulk of 1 SL Regt and half 2 SL Regt were forced into defensive positions around Boulogne and Calais. The heroic part played by 1 SL Regt, along with two officers and 230 men from 2 SL Regt in the defence of Calais is well documented in Airey Neave’s book “The Flames of Calais”. He was the first British officer to escape from Colditz and had been a troop commander in 1 SL Regt when he was captured. The battle for Calais was a bloody and hard fought one, with troops fighting from house to house, but in the end the pressure was too much and by the end of May Calais fell. 1 SL Regt lost most of its 52 officers and 1600 men with only one officer and 57 men managing to get back to England.

Another group from 2 SL Regt – one officer and 80 men – found themselves attached to K Battery, Royal Horse Artillery with orders to help hold the small village of Hondeghem which was on the Germans main axis of advance. The troops fought a valiant action then, running short of ammunition, they charged the German positions and broke through, giving them a route out towards Dunkirk. For this action K Battery was awarded the honor title of Hondeghem, one of only five awarded during the Second World War. Unlike the other searchlight regiments, 2 SL Regt were more widely spread which resulted in its batteries having mixed fortunes. By the 25 May 1940, 5 Bty was completely missing, 6 Bty had over 50 per cent missing and 8 Bty was missing just under a quarter. By the end of May the Regiment had lost over 50 men killed and approximately half the Regiment captured.

www.army.mod.uk/documents/ general/rasearchlightstextfinal.doc

Originally Posted by liverpool annie

I found this .... is this any good ??

ROYAL ARTILLERY HISTORICAL SOCIETY



www.army.mod.uk/documents/ general/rasearchlightstextfinal.doc

My Kiwi friend has been to the NZ archives once with no luck but said he will go again next week ... as now he's curious too ..... I've found out Albert Jeans date of birth was 24 November 1915 but I don't know where !!

There was a lot of fighting in the area around the time in question - look at this map from wikipedia ...... ( not that they are always 100% correct !! )

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-Fall_Gelb.jpg

See where the red arrows split between Calais and Gravelines - the village in question is in there !

It's an education for me looking for WW2 ... !!!!!!!

Annie

Originally Posted by liverpool annie

My Kiwi friend has been to the NZ archives once with no luck but said he will go again next week ... as now he's curious too ..... I've found out Albert Jeans date of birth was 24 November 1915 but I don't know where !!

There was a lot of fighting in the area around the time in question - look at this map from wikipedia ...... ( not that they are always 100% correct !! )

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-Fall_Gelb.jpg

See where the red arrows split between Calais and Gravelines - the village in question is in there !

It's an education for me looking for WW2 ... I'm much more comfortable with WW1 ... so if anybody can give me a shove in the right direction it would be appreciated !

Annie

I meant to add this .....

DUNKIRK

Thank you for looking around Annie. I was hoping that teh NZ Official WW2 history may have something but can't find anything. From the map you posted it does look like he was caught up in the fightig, but I am still intrigued what a NZ civilian was doing there.

Originally Posted by Kyt

Thank you for looking around Annie. I was hoping that teh NZ Official WW2 history may have something but can't find anything. From the map you posted it does look like he was caught up in the fightig, but I am still intrigued what a NZ civilian was doing there.

I got this message this morning ..... it's been a while - but I hope you enjoy them Kyt !

The weather was splendid on Saturday afternoon, cold but very sunny, it was lovely to be there for you.
I got a name of an inhabitant of the village, who is a kind of local historian.
Unfortunately, he was not at home but I have his address and his phone number and I will try to be in touch with him to learn some more about the graves.