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4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
The 4th Battalion Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was a Territorial unit, which proceeded to France and served alongside the 1st Battalion, Ox and Bucks and the 4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, in 145th Infantry Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Infantry Division.
The German Army launched their invasion of the Low Countries on the 10th of May 1940, after the Dutch Army had surrendered during the Battle of the Netherlands, the BEF were forced to withdraw west towards the Dendre river and then to the Scheldt river by the 19th of May. Having given a good account of themselves in the defence of the Scheldt, the British eventually withdrew into France, moving towards the area around Dunkirk. The evacuation of British forces back to Britain began on the 26th of May. The 4th battalion Ox and Bucks took part in the defence of Cassel, Nord until the 29th of May, but as they withdrew they were encircled by German forces near Watou with most being captured.
The 4th Battalion was reformed in England and remained with the 145th Brigade until the brigade disbanded in November 1943, when they transferred to 144th Infantry (Reserve) Brigade, 48th Division, which was a reserve division responsible for the training of all new Army recruits. On the 24th of July 1944 they transferred to 213th Brigade, later redesignated 140th Brigade, in 47th Infantry (Reserve) Division. The battalion acted in a training capacity, sending drafts of replacements overseas and did not see active service again. By 1943 the battalion had sent 46 officers and 1,524 other ranks as replacements.
26th Jan 1940 A New Brigade 
1st Feb 1940 Thaw
4th Feb 1940 Thaw
10th Feb 1940 Flu
20th Feb 1940 Score Draws
23rd Mar 1940 Field Return of Officers
27th Apr 1940 3 Month Attachment
25th May 1940 On the Move
27th May 1940 Under Attack
27th May 1940 Enemy Attacks
27th May 1940 Advance
28th May 1940 Consolidation
28th May 1940 Under Fire
29th May 1940 Orders to Withdraw
29th May 1940 Withdrawal
29th May 1940 Orders
29th May 1940 Surrounded
April 1944 Reliefs
29th Dec 1944 Orders
3rd January 1945 Landing
3rd Jan 1945 Landings
4th Jan 1945 Advance
13th Jan 1945 In Action
16th Jan 1945 Advance
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Those known to have served with 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Adams Ronald. Pte.
- Belcher Donald Peter. Sgt.
- Bellew John. Pte (d.20th May 1940)
- Dillwyn Colin Lewis. 2nd Lt. (d.30th May 1940)
- Faulkner William Maxwell. Pte. (d.19th May 1940)
- Fleming MID. Michael Valentine Paul. Capt. (d.1st Oct 1940)
- Foreland George Arthur. Pte.
- Gutteridge Dennis William. Pte.
- Handley Geoffrey. Pte. (d.19th May 1940)
- Jackson Ronald Stanley. Pte.
- Jelley Robert Edmund. L/Cpl. (d.10th Jun 1941)
- Johnson Robert Cowe. Pte.
- Lane Sidney George. Pte.
- Nash Raymond Herbert. Pte. (d.Between 25th & 28th May 1940)
- Pither Thomas George. Cpl. (d.4th Mar 1945)
- Saunders Lesley Arthur. Pte. (d.25th May 1940)
- Shearer Langley Robert Ernest. Pte. (d.12th Apr 1945)
- Shearer Langley Robert Ernest. Pte.
- Sherlock George Ernest. Pte.
- Smith Harry. Pte
- Taylor John Henry. Sgt.
- Taylor John Thomas. Pte.
- Webb Cecil. Pte. (d.19th June 1940)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry from other sources.
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Want to know more about 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry? There are:1343 items tagged 4th 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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L/Cpl. Robert Edmund Jelley 4th Btn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.10th Jun 1941) Robert Jelley was an old boy of Godalming Grammar (now Godalming College), he was captured and died a POW. He is buried in Prague War Cemetery.
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Pte. Lesley Arthur Saunders 4th Btn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.25th May 1940) Arthur Saunders was the uncle of my husband whom due to circumstances he never met. We always assumed his name was Arthur but recently found a photograph of him as a young boy, with a transcript of the back stating his name as Lesley Arthur. Due to this, we have just found his records on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He is buried at Oye-Plage Communal Cemetery in France.
I also noted the following: Service No 5387367. L/Cpl. W. Caswell died 28th of May 1940 from the same regiment, who is also buried at Oye-Plage communal Cemetery. I hope someone finds this information of use in their search.
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Pte. William Maxwell Faulkner 4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.19th May 1940) William Faulkner is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial.
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Pte. Cecil Webb 4th Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.19th June 1940) Cecil Webb was the only brother out of three that didn't return. He was a Bren Gunner. I rode my motorbike to Ypres to find out where and when he died and to find where his stone is. Cecil died at Dunkirk in 1940. He is entered as being 19.
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Pte. Robert Cowe Johnson 4th Btn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Robert Johnson is my grandfather's brother. I would really love to know about his POW experience in the POW camp Stalag VIIIB. If you could help with this I would be extremely grateful.
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Pte. George Arthur Foreland 7th Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry My father, George Arthur Foreland, saw active service during the Italian Offensive in 1944 and 1945. He was posted to the 4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry in February 1944 aged 18. At the beginning of September 1944 he was transferred to the 7th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.
As a Lance Corporal he transferred to the 2/7th (Southwark) Battalion of the Queen's Royal Regiment, part of the 169th Brigade, 56th Division.
In June 1945 he transferred to the 5th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment. He was discharged in October 1947 with the rank of sergeant.
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Pte. Ronald Stanley "Ron" Jackson 4th Btn., B Coy. Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry My Grandfather Ron Jackson was captured at Cassel, France with his unit B Coy, 4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 30th of May 1940 while providing rear guard duty to slow the Germans while the evacuation was taking place at Dunkirk.
He spent the rest of the war in POW camps, until he escaped on the 24th of January 1945. His escape would have occurred during the time Germans were evacuating POW's as the Red Army pushed down through Poland and into Germany. The Death Marches occurred during this time - so by choosing to escape he avoided those marches to other camps.
He avoided capture until 11th of March 1945 when he and 2 other POW's, Roland Easton and George Moyes were picked up by Russian Troops.
After being away since his last leave of 5 May 1940, he finally returned home on the 5th of May 1945.
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Capt. Michael Valentine Paul Fleming MID. 4th Btn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.1st Oct 1940) Michael Fleming was the younger brother of James Bond author Ian Fleming. Michael died in France in October 1940 he had been serving with the 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Michael is buried in Lille Southern Cemetery, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.
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Pte Harry Smith 4th Battalion Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry My Dad, Harry Smith was captured in Belgium in late May by the Albert Canal in 1940
He was a prisoner of war for 5 years until "the long walk" and a lift home. I have a letter he sent to his Mother in 1946 saying he was in hospital to be fattened up then he would be home. He gave his address as Mid Glamorgan Hospital but no records can be found?
I have found records that suggest he was in Stalag XX-A but another records suggests it was Stalag XX-B so perhaps he was moved around.
Dad, like many other brave men who endured this horror never spoke about it to anyone other than to remark when asked once about friends, "I lost my friends in 1940".
I am slowly gathering snippets of information but if anyone thinks they can fill some of the gaps?
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Pte. Geoffrey Handley 4th Btn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.19th May 1940) My great uncle Geoffrey Handley, was born in March 1919, at Tipton, Dudley, Staffordshire, West Midlands, England. He was the loving son of Annie Kinsey-Handley.
During World War 2 Geoffrey served in the 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
He was part of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). His regiment had been surrounded by Germans and they made it to the Dunkirk beaches, during the evacuation of British and French soldiers off the beaches of Dunkirk.
Geoffrey died aged 21, on Sunday 19th May 1940 and he was buried at sea on Sunday 19th May 1940, aged 21.
His memorial is at Dunkirk town cemetery, Dunkirk, France.
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