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23rd May 1940On this day:
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Arnold Edward John . Pte. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Baker Francis. Gnr. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Baylise Ernest May. Rifleman (d.23rd May 1940)
- Bridges Gordon Bryce. Lt. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Cable Robert Charles. L/Cpl. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Cotterill James Patrick. Pte. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Ellison Haydn O. Rflmn. (d.23-28th May 1940)
- Heyes George. Fus. (d.23rd May 1940)
- North John Robert. Sgt. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Roberts Sydney Thomas. Rflmn. (d.23rd May 1940)
- Strachan Alexander Ferguson. L/Cpl (d.23rd May 1940)
- Young James Fredrick. Cpl. (d.23rd May 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
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Want to know more about the 23rd of May 1940? There are:68 items tagged 23rd of May 1940 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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Stories from 23rd May 1940
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Fus. George Heyes. British Army, 2nd Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers. (d.23rd May 1940) My Uncle, George Heyes, was killed while covering the evacuation of Dunkirk, he was part of a machine gun post that was ordered to hold off the advancing German forces for as long as possible while the remainder of the British forces were evacuated from the beaches. His brother, Frank was captured and spent most of the war in a POW camp.
Duncan Heyes
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Gnr. Francis "Walter" Baker. Royal Artillery, 4th Bty. 2nd Searchlight Regiment. (d.23rd May 1940) A tragic story like so many others during wartime. Doreen Yarlett Thayer married Gunner Walter Baker on 7th January 1940 in Pill, Somerset. Her father, who had just turned 61 on the day before, was a ship's carpenter, and he died ten days after the wedding on 17 January in Garston Hospital, Wavertree, Liverpool of acute broncho-pneumonia. It may be he did or could not attend his daughter's wedding as he must have been very ill.
The 4th Bty, 2nd Searchlight Regiment, RA joined the line of battle north of Calais on 23 May 1940 as foot soldiers - something they were not trained for. Walter with many of his comrades was killed in action on 23rd of May 1940. The valiant action from those fighting in Calais gave time for the evacuation Dunkirk. Anthony John Robinson
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Cpl. James Fredrick Young. British Army, 2nd Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. (d.23rd May 1940) James Young of the 2nd King's Royal Rifle Corps, was killed in France during the evacuation at Dunkirk. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial. His date of death is given as between 23rd and 26th May 1940.Garry Young
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Sgt. John Robert North. British Army, 1/6th Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers. (d.23rd May 1940) John North is mentioned in the memoirs of Harry Wroe. He is buried at Tournai. Paul North
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L/Cpl Alexander Ferguson Strachan. British Army, 4th Battalion Green Howards. (d.23rd May 1940) Alexander Strachan is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. Stewart Bailey
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Pte. Edward John Arnold. British Army , 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment. (d.23rd May 1940) Edward Arnold died on 23rd May 1940. He was my grandfather. He is buried in Hollain Churchyard, Hainaut, Belgium. I am going to visit his grave for the first time.Gail Langford
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Rflmn. Sydney Thomas Roberts. Brtitish Army, 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps. (d.23rd May 1940) Remembered with honour.
Sydney Thomas Roberts was buried at Calais Cemetery age 29 years.
He wrote home to his sister that this will be the last letter from him as he was ordered to stay behind at the evacuation of Dunkirk. Nigel Chambers
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L/Cpl. Robert Charles "Nobby" Cable. British Army, 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps. (d.23rd May 1940) My father, Robert Cable, was at the Battle of Calais in May 1940 with the 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. He had been a regular soldier with the 1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps from 1931 to 1939 in India and Burma where he had passed exams for Veterinary First Aid and Animal Hygiene.He was on reserve when he met my mother and at the outbreak of war they married in November 1939. My mother, Lucy, was two months pregnant with me when he was reported missing in June 1940 and she didn't find out that he had died until two years later in March 1942.
My mother did not remarry until 1966. I have the last postcard that my father wrote to my mother from Calais on 22nd of May which was full of love for her, "hope to see a second Lucy at Christmas" (me), and telling her not to worry "the devil looks after his own".Janet Wolfe
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