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1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
1st Battalion of the Ox and Bucks, were a territorial unit, they went to France as part of 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division with the British Expeditionary Force. In late January, the BEF began integrating the Regular and Territorial units and the 1st Ox and Bucks moved to 143rd Infantry Brigade, 48th Division, putting them alongside the 4th Ox and Bucks. They were in action in the Battle of the Ypres-Comines Canal bewteen the 26th and 28th of May and were rescued from Dunkirk after suffering over 300 casualties. Back in Britain, the Battalion was brought up to strength by army conscripts. They transferred to the 148th Independent Brigade Group and served in Northern Ireland. In June 1942 they moved 71st Infantry Brigade, serving alongside the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment and 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry. In October 1943 the brigade joined 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and began training for the invasion of North-Western Europe. The 1st Ox and Bucks landed in Normandy in June 1944 with the rest of the 53rd (Welsh) Division. On the 25th of June they were in action during the unsuccessful Operation Epsom to take the town of Caen. When the Germans counter-attacked, the battalion moved to positions around the Odon bridgehead suffering casualties from heavy German artillery fire. The Battalion's first major engagement the successful attack to capture the village of Cahier and a nearby mill. They fought in the Second Battle of the Odon and in August took part in the sucessful advance towards Falaise, known as Operation Totalize. The battalion also captured Pierrefitte during the operation to close the Falaise pocket, encircling two German field armies, the Fifth and 7th, the latter of which was effectively destroyed by the Allies. The 1st Battalion, Ox and Bucks then took part in the advance across Eurpoe, entering Belgium in early September. The invasion of the Netherlands began with Operation Market Garden on the 17th of September and the Battalion was involved in in the ground operations in support of the airborne corridor to Arnhem. They led the advance to the Wilhelmina canal where they encountered strong enemy resistance, which delayed the advance to take the bridges. During October and November, they were in action in operations around the Lower Maas, including forcing the enemy from the bridgehead west of Roermond.
On the 16th of December 1944 the Germans launched their last major offensive of the war in the Ardennes forest, The Battle of the Bulge. The 1st Battalion, Ox and Bucks, as part of 53rd (Welsh) Division, was rushed to Belgium to assist in the defence and endured terrible weather conditions. 53rd (Welsh) Division was relieved and returned to Holland to prepare for the invasion of Germany. In February 1945 they were in action in the Allied invasion of the German Rhineland, including Operation Veritable, a five-division assault on the Reichswald Forest, where the battalion was involved in heavy fighting against German paratroopers and armour at the village of Asperberg. The battalion crossed the River Rhine in late March and continued its eastwards advance attached to 7th Armoured Division. They saw action at Ibbenburen in April and met fierce enemy resistance at Gross Hauslingen before continuing the advance through Dauelsen, Gyhum and Wehldorf, reaching the city of Hamburg, which was captured on the 3rd of May 1915 by British forces.
1st Sep 1939 Time to Mobilise
3rd Sep 1939 Reservists
4th Sep 1939 More arrivals
5th Sep 1939 Inoculations
7th Sep 1939 More Men Report
9th Sep 1939 More Reservists
10th Sep 1939 Postings & Promotions
11th Sep 1939 COs Address
12th Sep 1939 Inspection
13th Sep 1939 Billeting parties
14th Sep 1939 Advice
15th Sep 1939 Billeting complete
16th Sep 1939 Training
17th Sep 1939 Leave Ends
20th Sep 1939 Route Marches
21st Sep 1939 Orders
22nd Sep 1939 Warning Order
23rd Sep 1939 Route march
25th Sep 1939 Motor Transport Moves
26th Sep 1939 Orders
27th Sep 1939 Advance Party
28th Sep 1939 On from Cowley Barracks
29th Sep 1939 Entrained for Aldershot
30th Sep 1939 Regiment on Parade
2nd Oct 1939 Close Calls & Rocky Seas
3rd Oct 1939 Bully and biscuits 
4th Oct 1939 Lost and Found
5th Oct 1939 On the Move
6th Oct 1939 Orders Issued
7th Oct 1939 Advance Party
8th Oct 1939 M.T. arrives
10th Oct 1939 The Coal Mine Baths
13th Oct 1939 Recce
14th Oct 1939 Recce Sketches
15th Oct 1939 Positions Mapped
16th Oct 1939 CO's Recce
17th Oct 1939 Digging In
18th Oct 1939 Sirens
19th Oct 1939 Constant Rain
20th Oct 1939 Digging in
27th Oct 1939 Tank Traps
29th Oct 1939 Orders
30th Oct 1939 On the Move
31st Oct 1939 Tank Obstacle
1st Nov 1939 A very hospitable man
2nd Nov 1939 Dog Fight
3rd Nov 1939 Time for a Recce
4th Nov 1939 Digging clay
5th Nov 1939 Tour of the front
6th Nov 1939 Air Raid Warning
9th Nov 1939 Signal Exercise
10th Nov 1939 Near miss
11th Nov 1939 Armistice Day at Tourcoing
12th Nov 1939 Frontier tension
13th Nov 1939 Be ready
14th Nov 1939 A Royal Visit
15th Nov 1939 Promotions
16th Nov 1939 Digging in the rain
17th Nov 1939 Hidden Shells
19th Nov 1939 Sports
19th Nov 1939 Nearing Completion
21st Nov 1939 Almost Done
22nd Nov 1939 Completed!
23rd Nov 1939 White Frost
24th Nov 1939 Another Wet Day
25th Nov 1939 All Quiet
26th Nov 1939 Football
28th Nov 1939 All Change
29th Nov 1939 Bit of a Muddle
30th Nov 1939 Cleaning Up
1st Dec 1939 New Billets
3rd Dec 1939 Football Match
4th Dec 1939 New Posts
5th Dec 1939 Concert Party
6th Dec 1939 His Majesty Arrives
7th Dec 1939 Still Wet
8th Dec 1939 Inspections
9th Dec 1939 Conference
10th Dec 1939 Draw
11th Dec 1939 Delays
13th Dec 1939 Defensive Wire
14th Dec 1939 Defences
15th Dec 1939 Much Wire
16th Dec 1939 The Prime Minister Arrives
17th Dec 1939 Frozen Fuel
18th Dec 1939 Frontier Patrols
19th Dec 1939 Entertainment
20th Dec 1939 Gangsters at Lille
21st Dec 1939 Caught Crossing the Frontier
22nd Dec 1939 Time to Train
23rd Dec 1939 Work Continues
24th Dec 1939 Christmas Carols
25th Dec 1939 A Good Dinner
26th Dec 1939 Back To Work
27th Dec 1939 Reconnaissance
28th Dec 1939 Preparations
30th Dec 1939 Defences
31st Dec 1939 Children's Party
1st Jan 1940 Working Parties
2nd Jan 1940 Training Recce
3rd Jan 1940 Wrong Station
4th Jan 1940 Reciprocal Schemes
5th Jan 1940 Canal Crossing Exercise
6th Jan 1940 Smoke Screen
7th Jan 1940 Thick Fog
7th Jan 1940 Return
9th Jan 1940 A Cold Exercise
10th Jan 1940 Quiet Day at Hellemes
11th Jan 1940 Map Reading
12th Jan 1940 Exercise
13th Jan 1940 New Scheme
14th Jan 1940 Notice to Move
15th Jan 1940 Kit Inspections
16th Jan 1940 Absentees
17th Jan 1940 Leave Reopened
18th Jan 1940 Experience Tells
20th Jan 1940 A Set Piece At Hellemes
21st Jan 1940 Orders Issued
22nd Jan 1940 Old Rivals
23rd Jan 1940 Convenient Mess
24th Jan 1940 A Curious Line
25th Jan 1940 On Leave
26th Jan 1940 A New Brigade
27th Jan 1940 Change of Brigade
28th Jan 1940 Last Church Parade
28th Jan 1940 Field Return of Officers
29th Jan 1940 Icy Roads
30th Jan 1940 No More Luxury
31st Jan 1940 Sector Reconnaissance
1st Feb 1940 Thaw
2nd Feb 1940 Storms
4th Feb 1940 Thaw
4th Feb 1940 Field Return of Officers
5th Feb 1940 Back from Leave
6th Feb 1940 Indoor Training
10th Feb 1940 Flu
11th Feb 1940 Mine Ahoy
12th Feb 1940 Ricochets
12th Feb 1940 Field Return of Officers
13th Feb 1940 Three schemes
20th Feb 1940 Score Draws
24th Feb 1940 Regimental Knock-Out Week
29th Feb 1940 Appendix II(C)
2nd Mar 1940 Married Quarters
3rd Mar 1940 Fetes and Football
4th Mar 1940 Route March
7th Mar 1940 Officers Compete
12th Mar 1940 Patrol Training
13th Mar 1940 Beaten by the Sergeants
17th Mar 1940 Field Return of Officers
19th Mar 1940 Skeleton Exercise
21st Mar 1940 Night Manning Exercise
23rd Mar 1940 Field Return of Officers
25th Mar 1940 Adjutant Change
27th Mar 1940 Withdrawal Exercise
31st Mar 1940
31st Mar 1940 Field Return of Officers
1st Apr 1940 Manning Exercise
7th Apr 1940 Field Return of Officers
8th Apr 1940 Divisional Cup Semi's
10th Apr 1940 Plan "D"
14th Apr 1940 Field Return of Other Ranks
16th Apr 1940 Cadres
21st April 1940 Field Return of Other Other Ranks
24th Apr 1940 Leave Reopened
25th Apr 1940 Close Encounter With A Truck
27th Apr 1940 3 Month Attachment
28th Apr 1940 A Very Fine Obstacle
30th Apr 1940 A Month of Training
1st May 1940 R.E. Exercise
2nd May 1940 Back in Billets
3rd May 1940 Visiting the 6th
4th May 1940 Tea and Races
5th May 1940 Field Return of Other Ranks
6th May 1940 Revisiting Old Ground
10th May 1940 Execute Plan "D"
11th May 1940 The Dyle Line
16th May 1940 Breakfast and Dog Fights
17th May 1940 A Long March
18th May 1940 Another Long Trek
19th May 1940 Defense of the West Bank
20th May 1940 Exodus from St. Maur
21st May 1940 Counter Attack
22nd May 1940 A Methodical Bombardment
23rd May 1940 Withdrawn from the Escaut
24th May 1940 Gather the Butchers
25th May 1940 Parachute Flares
26th May 1940 Escape corridor
26th May 1940 Position Modifications
27th May 1940 Enemy Attacks
27th May 1940 Attacks and Counter Attacks
28th May 1940 In Action
28th May 1940 Congested Withdrawal
28th May 1940 Adjusting Dispositions
29th May 1940 Confusion
30th May 1940 Slit Trenches
31st May 1940 Embarkation
1st Jul 1944 Recce
2nd Jul 1944 Reliefs
7th Jul 1944 Band Plays
8th Jul 1944 Orders
9th Jul 1944 Reliefs
10th Jul 1944 Recce
10th Jul 1944 Bombing
11th Jul 1944 Heavy Shelling
19th Jul 1944 Reliefs
20th Jul 1944 Reliefs Completed
23rd Jul 1944 Raid
24th Jul 1944 Reliefs
31st Jul 1944 Guard
13th Aug 1944 Advance
18th Aug 1944 Reliefs
19th Aug 1944 Advance
19th Aug 1944 Orders
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry? There are:1532 items tagged 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Private James Albert Meadowcroft 1st Bucks. Battalion Oxford & Bucks. Light Infantry My father was in the BEF defending Hazebrouk in France as part of the Dunkirk retreat. He was captured and sent to Stalag XXI B and at the end of the war walked across Germany, returning home by USAF transport plane. I was born in 1940 and did not see my father until his return home in 1944. He lived until 1990 but hardly ever spoke of his wartime experiences. I have photos etc. similar to those on your site and have also been to Hazebrouk.
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Private Albert Jobson 1st Bucks, Company D, 13 Platoon Royal Norfolk Regiment My father, Pte. Albert Jobson, crossed to Arromanches beach on D Day +1 June 8th 1944 with the Royal Norfolks and was transferred to the Ox and Bucks in Sept. 1944.
I have photographs of him in Hannover in May 1945 and Bremnen. He is also pictured as a member of 1st Bucks Coy.D 13 Platoon with the other members (names recorded on back of photo) with a captured German tank at Alterhunden. Glad to share with anyone interested.
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Donald Brownsey 1st Battalion Ox and Bucks West Yorkshire Regiment I am trying to find out about my father, Don Brownsey. He served in 1st Batt Ox and Bucks and later in the West Yorkshire Regiment from which he was discharged in June 1946. If anyone can help I will be very grateful.
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Sgt. Edward Denis Hull Royal Berkshire Regiment My Grandfather Edward Hull recently passed away but I have uncovered his service records. He served with G.S.C 15.10.42 to 24.11.42, then the
Suffolk Regiment 25.11.42 to 17.3.43, the
Royal Norfolk Regiment 18.3.43 to 6.9.44,
Royal Berkshire Regiment 7.9.44 to 14.11.45 and 1st Battalion,
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire - 15.11.45 to 18.7.47. He was a Signal Sergeant.
We know he arrived in France soon after the D-Day landings and made his way across France, Netherlands and into Germany. We don't really know what he did during that time.
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Pte. Robert Fredrick Winter 1st Btn. Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.9th August 1944) Robert Winter, born 16th of January 1923, served with the 1st Battalion Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in WW2. He suffered stomach wounds during the battle for Caen, returned to the Welsh Hospital but died from these wounds in Wales aged 21, on 9th of August 1944.
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Pte. James Albert Clifford D Coy., 1st Btn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry My Dad, James Clifford was conscripted into the Army at 18 years of age in June 1944. He completed training and joined his unit in October 1944. Fought in France, Belgium and Holland. He fought in the Battle for Roermond and took part in Operation Veritable in the Reichswald Forest. He was injured in late February 1945 during a mortar attack. He returned to the UK and did not leave hospital until October 1947. He was discharged from the Army in November 1947.
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Pte. Alfred Gregory Wyles 1st Battalion, Anti-Tank Platoon Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry   My paternal grandfather, Alfred Wyles served with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
he served in an Anti-Tank Platoon of the 1st Battalion. His record states that he carried-out his Basic Training in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment of the Territorial Army, before being permanently posted in the 1st Ox & Bucks Light Infantry of the Regular Army on 16th of May 1940.
He was sent to France with the 1st Ox & Bucks to reinforce the Gordon Highlanders, according to a ˜Discharge Memorandum. He officially enlisted on the 16th of May 1940 for the ˜Duration of Emergency. This note appears which suggests a period or rest after intense combat and frontline duties
Posted No.1 Rest Camp, Gordon Highlanders 10th of October 1944. He was discharged (A1) from service on the 12th of June 1945, being placed in the Army Reserve. He transferred to D Company, 1st Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and was eventually posted to Colchester at the Goojerat Barracks.
A Memorandum dated the 1st of March 1946 is entitled ˜Release Character, written by a Captain J Flemming and describes my grandfather as being "sober, honest and smart in his appearance, as well as being of ˜good character". By that time, he had been at that barracks for 2 months.
He was awarded the Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-1945. An added note states ˜Stars & Clasps, 23rd of November 1948. This War Record omits any direct mention of war activities, presumably for security reasons.
However, my grandfather saw action and once recalled the death of his friend (who was shot in the head) whilst his body continued to ˜run for a short distance.
I am assuming that my grandfather was sent with the 1st Ox & Bucks to reinforce the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders after the latter landed on D-Day. The 1st Ox and Bucks landed in Normandy on the 24th of June 1944, and I suspect my grandfather entered France (and combat) through that deployment. Whatever the case, his record suggests that he ended-up in Germany by the end of the war.
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2Lt. Paul Cooke 1st Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.28th May 1940) Like so many who lost treasured sons in service my grandparents, and indeed his sisters (one of which my mother), never spoke of the loss of Paul Cooke in the Battle of the Ypres-Comines Canal.
He died on 28th of May 1940 and it is only now that I have read about the significance of this event in the Dunkirk evacuation story. On the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site, there is this statement on his page, 'Following the path of duty he passed beyond the sight of man'. I do not know how this statement came about. (This is the inscription on his grave stone chosen by his parents, editor)
Paul was 24, an Oxford graduate who represented Oxford and England in rugby. He played alongside Obolensky who became famous for enabling a rare win against New Zealand. Before the war Paul travelled to South America on rugby tours and seems to have been a bit of a debs delight on board ship.
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Cpl. Charles Harry Croucher 1st Battalion Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry My father, Charles Croucher, served in the 1st Battalion, Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (43rd Foot) from 1939 until 6 months before the end of the war. The reason being that he lost his right eye in a mortar bomb attack and for the rest of his life wore a glass eye.
He was awarded the 1939-45 medal, the Defence medal, the France and Germany Star and the 1939-45 Star all of which I have.
He died in 1999.
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Pte . Edward Ernest West 1st Btn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Edward West was wounded in the leg on the 9th of February 1944.
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