1/9 battalion war diarys

[diverden]

help please , has any one got a copy of the 1/9 battalions war diary's  from the 13th June to the 28th June 1940, I have search this site but not found any for these dates.

[Robert Bonner]

Diverden.
It's quite possible, due  to the general confusion when only part of the battalion returned to England on 1st June, that no diary was kept during the period you are looking for. The Ninth was then to locate in a number of locations including Lancaster, Ashton, Inverurie and Devon before moving to LLandudno on 15 June. Then back  to Devon.

Have you a specific question which a member of the Forum might be able to help with?

[diverden]

hi Robert ,thanks for the reply iam trying to trace the movements of my farther Sidney Wilson up to his capture .I have two dates of him missing in action 20 and 21/ 5/1940,two  dates of wounded 22 and 23 5/1940 and three places of his capture, arras ,lens and avesnes . I know it must have been a very confusing  and  fluid time and probably there is no diary for the dates but any information would be of great help.

[Robert Bonner]

Diverden.
This extract from Volunteer Infantry of Ashton-under-Lyne is probably the best information you can get:

After constant attack by machine-gunning and bombing from the air, the Ninth were ordered to retire to Camphin but no sooner had they arrived on the evening of the 20th than they were ordered to move to Mericourt on the following day.  'B' Company was now placed under command of 13th Infantry Brigade and 'C' under command of 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment.

The Ninth fought in the rearguard actions which followed the German 'blitzkrieg' and by 23 May had returned through Tournai to take part in the defence of Arras.  'A' & 'B' Companies in support of 5th Division on Vimy Ridge, 'C' & 'D' in support of 50th Division along the River Scarpe.  On the evening of the 25th the decision was taken  by the British Command to retreat to the sea at Dunkirk. The German panzer forces had already arrived two days earlier within ten miles of the port.

[diverden]

thank you very much Robert ,the extract you have posted is brilliant it has answer a lot of questions for me.