| |
Defence
of Arras |
19th
- 24th May 1940 |
Unit
awarded the Battle honour |
Subsequent
designation |
2nd Bn Wiltshire Regiment |
Merged with
1st Bn 1948 |
|
1st
Bn D.E.R.R. |
|
Now 1st Bn
R.G.B.W. |
BACKGROUND |
When world
war two broke out the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment
was part of the 13th Infantry Brigade in the 5th
Division. In the same brigade were the 2nd Bn the Cameronians
and the 2nd Bn The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers,.
After being
the first formation to cross to France the Brigade found itself on the 15th
May 1940, moving North – East through Belgium to meet the advancing
Germans. Contact was made at Hal, some 10 miles South – West of Brussels
and shortly afterwards a general withdrawal was ordered, 13th
Brigade pulling back into France and concentrating on the 19th
May in the Area of Seclin,
near Lille.
A serious
situation had developed to the South where the German spearheads had had
pierced the Peronne – Cambrai gap and were threatening Boulogne and
Calais, cutting the B.E.F.s lines of Communication and se0perating it from
the main French Armies.
A plan by
General Weygand to close this gap included ‘FRANKFORCE’ consisting of
the 5th and 50th Divisions and the 1st
Army Tank Brigade. The 5th Division was to hold the line of the
river Scarpe to the East of Arras, while the other two formations attacked
to the South of that city. |
OCCUPYING THE
RIVER SCARPE LINE |
During the
night of 20/21st May the 2nd Bn (Part of the 13th
Brigade under Brigadier DEMPSEY, Late 1st Bn Royal Berkshire
Regiment ) marched South from the Lens Area, to hold the river Scarpe
between Fampoux and the Quarry east of Roeux. To the South rises the high
ground around Monchy, which overlooked the whole Battalion Area, and was
occupied by the Germans. The Battalion frontage was some 3,500 yards and
the C.O. (Lt Col E.E.J. MOORE) found it necessary to have all four
companies up with the carrier platoon as mobile reserve On the right
‘D’ Company (Capt C.F.G. BOND) held the Fampoux bridge area, and in
the centre ‘B’ Company (Capt C.F. READ) held the Roeux bridge area.
‘A’ Company (Capt J.L.R. HUELIN) occupied the gap between these two
companies.. On the left ‘C’ Company (The Lord Arundell) held the
quarry area joining with the Inniskilling Fusiliers on the Wiltshire’s
left. After a quiet morning, enemy shelling and air bombing commenced and
it was obvious that the Germans had pinpointed a number of the Battalions
positions. |
The Ground |
 |
THE ATTACK BY
‘FRANKFORCE’ |
During the
afternoon of 21st May, the attack by the 50th
Division and the 1st Tank Brigade was seen progressing South
from Arras. This was to be the only large scale attack mounted by the
B.E.F. during the campaign. A Company of the Cameronions with carriers
from the reserve Battalion crossed the river by a pontoon bridge near the
demolished Roeux bridge, to take advantage of the main attack, they were
later withdrawn due to failure by the French to advance. That even the
whole battalion area was subject to heavy shelling and an enemy attack
seemed imminent Owing to the temporary nature of the operation, the small
amount of telephone wire held by the Battalion had not been laid, and the
information from the forward companies was very sketchy
No attack materialized that night. |
22nd
MAY 1940 |
The enemy
shelling of the company positions and of Battalion HQ and the railway
station of Roeux continued during the night. Next morning there was
increased air activity and ‘B’ Company reported the enemy were
preparing bridges to cross the river, and a strong Artillery concentration
was put down by the 91st Field Regiment, and the one remaining
Battalion 3” mortar. The remainder of the day was quiet apart from the
odd shell on Bn HQ. That night a Wiltshire patrol crossed the river and
could find no sign of the enemy. Back by reports from refugees, there was
every indication that the Germans had left. |
‘B’ Company
attack 23rd May 1940 |
As it
appeared the Germans had retired, the Brigade Commander decided early in
the morning to form a small bridgehead over the river with a view to
passing the Cameronions through to occupy the dominating feature. A party
of Signallers and pioneers under Capt H.N. HOARE, repaired the pontoon
bridge, and at 08.00 hours ‘B’ Company started to cross.
When two
platoons had crossed the river and moved to their objectives unhindered
and the third platoon had just crossed heavy machinegun fire was opened up
on them from the flanks from well concealed positions. Those who were not
casualties were pinned to the ground. Eventually under Artillery a Mortar
covering fire, about 30 men managed to get back, but a large gap was left
in the defences, which later in the day was partially filled by the
carrier platoon and ‘C’ Company’ |
THE ENEMY
ATTACK |
During the afternoon enemy
aircraft carried out low bombing attacks on the Battalion area, and at
16.10 hours a violent artillery bombardment began which necessitated the
withdrawal of all transport including, unfortunally the rear link to
Brigade HQ. The enemy attack came in two hours later, and by 21.00 hours
he had forced a crossing and had infiltrated around both the Battalion
flanks, and between companies. Line had now been laid to ‘A’ Company
and it was obvious that the situation had become very serious. At 21.20
hours written orders were received to withdraw to Gavrelle during the
night. |
THE WITHDRAWAL,
NIGHT 23/24 MAY 1940 |
The
Commanding Officer realized that unless the Battalion was extricated at
once, the companies would be cut off and so issued the orders to withdraw,
going himself to the more dangerous right flank. The withdrawal was
executed with great difficulty. All Companies had to fight their way out.
About half of ‘C’ Company got back to Bn HQ, the Company Commander,
the Bn 2i/c (Major L.H. BEARNE) and the three platoon commanders being
wounded or captured. With the few survivors of ‘B’ Company, and with
Bn HQ this party marched back to Gavrelle, from where the guns had been
withdrawn, it marched on to Fresnes. ‘D’ Company, on the right,
managed to withdraw with few casualties, but ‘A’ company was cut off
by the enemy in Fampoux, losing the Company Commander. These two companies
with the Commanding Officer, made their way across country to Gavrelle,
which was now surrounded on three sides.. Just after midnight the two
parties of the Battalion collected at Fresnes covered by the carrier
platoon. The Brigade Commander ordered the further withdrawal of the
Battalion to Raches, six miles North of Douai, and it marched off about
250 strong. At Vitry nine Battalion trucks were waiting, which with the
carrier platoon ferried the Battalion through burning Douai to concentrate
on the morning of the 24th May at Ennetieres near Seclin.
Thus ended
the engagement at Arras…Next stop, Dunkirk. |
OTHER
UNITS ENTITLED TO BATTLE HONOUR |
12th Lancers |
Black Watch |
Welsh Guards |
Northamptonshire
Regiment |
Bedfordshire
Regiment |
Manchester
Regiment |
Inniskilling
Fusiliers |
Royal Scots Fusiliers |
|