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8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
21st May 1940 Shelling
12th Jun 1940 Massacre
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 8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment? There are:1319 items tagged 8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 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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Pte. Francis Maude Wedgbury 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment My father, Frank Wedgbury was captured near Dunkirk on the morning of 2nd June 1940, which was his 21st birthday. I believe he was one of the few survivors of B Company, 8th Worcesters, who fought the rearguard at Bambecque. He spent the remainder of the war in Stalag 344 (previously VIIIB)in Poland, and was liberated in May 1945
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Pte. William Homer Harrison 8th Btn. Royal Worcestershire Regiment This is my dad William Harrison's story in his own words. He wrote this as he was 'under spotlight' in an edition of Firm & Forrester.
Joined up in September 1949. Worked on The Gort line winter early 1940, French/Belgium boarder. March 1940 maginotline. Forward outposts soar basin. Moved into Belgium 13/5/1940 took up positions in Waterloo. Fighting retreat back to Wormnoute. Where we made our last stand rear guard action Dunkirk, where a panzer division tore us to pieces. Myself and 6 others taken prisoner 31/5/1940 after hiding in a bull shed with 3 rounds of ammo between us. Very hungry and tired as not eaten or slept for at least 6 days. The following 3 weeks or so very hazy in mind, being march daily.
We came to a halt at Charleville and put to work unloading barges of sugar, cheese, jam etc from Holland. Sometime in August we were loaded into cattle trucks (60 to a truck). Did not get off until we arrived in Poland, which was days later. I was that weak and tired, I had to fall out onto the train track. The next for and a half years was put to work in various places and jobs from farming to mining.
I did make 2 escapes. First one I was recaptured within a couple of days. The second time I went on the run for five weeks and spent a few days with the Polish under-ground movement. I was caught again and put into heavy punishment camp for 6 weeks. There I could not speak, if you did, it was a boot or rifle butt. (Dad did have a very deep hollow in his shoulder from a rifle butt). Hard labour by day, solitary confinement by night.
In January 1945 thousands of us were taken to Marienburge as the Russians advanced. We were put on the march which lasted until April 29th when we were released by general Pattons army, close to the river Elbe, after marching around 1,200 kilometres mostly through snow and temperature around -30.
I did have some good times during the 5 years as p.o.w. as well as bad times. I always elected myself as 'confidence' man on working commandos demanding our rights under the Geneva Convention. One of the German control officers was about 6' 4" tall I called him Long Tom. We had many battles but gained mutual respect for each other. It was during the long march that I gave way and dropped exhausted into the snow wanting to die. The next thing I knew was a pain in my side and a German voice shouting 'Harrison, again! What. Get up you bloody dog! ' I could not get up so Long Tom picked me up and put me onto a German farm cart, as the civilians were being evacuated. They cared for me as best they could for a few days until I was strong enough to join the p.o.w. column again. I think of Long Tom often for he did save my life.
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Frederick Leonard Richardson 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment My father, Frederick Leonard Richardson was taken prisoner while serving with the 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment BEF forces outside Dunkirk on May 29th 1940. Stalag 8b was one of the camps my father was in I think he was moved to others. He worked in forestry and Polish coalmines. He was a keen footballer and played for some teams. He was a POW from May 29th 1940 till April 24th 1945 and was on the long march until released by the Americans.
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Pte. Fredric Leonard Richardson 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment Fredric Leonard Richardson was taken prisoner while serving with the 8th Battalion Worcestershire, Regiment. He was part of the B.E.F. company forces outside Dunkirk on may 29th 1940. I have found out through a photo that he was in a POW camp Stalag V111B (camp 344). I don't know if he was in any other camps yet. I have also been informed he worked in forestry & Polish coalmines.
He also was a keen football player. He was a POW from 29/may/1940 till 24/march/1945. He was also on the long march until released by the Americans. I have also been informed that he was known as Fritz in the camp because if you wanted anything he could get it. I have a photo of my Grandfather in the camp with another person called R D Brockenbrow, POW no 11090, army no 4128928 from Seacombe, Cheshire.
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Sgt. Thomas Partridge 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment My grandfather, Sgt Thomas Partridge, was at Stalag 8A and 8b. He died when I was 14 and I have very little information about his wartime experiences. I found his POW release and a couple of other documents. I know he was captured nr Dunkirk on 29/5/1940 and was released on 1/5/1945 and I think spent most of the war at Stalag 8b. If any one has any information, photos or documents it would be greatly appreciated.
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