chrisgrove Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 I t can't be batus there's to many trees in the picture Quite apart from the trees, BATUS didn't open till 1972 - I was a safety officer on the first two battle groups. And they had Chieftains! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Not sure that link worked as expected so I copied & pasted.........15/19 The Kings Royal Hussars On May 18 this officer was with a squadron of his Regiment which was returning to cross the River DENDRE near ALOST in Belgium. Enemy Anti-tank guns opened fire on the column and knocked out the leading tank at close range. Capt. Taylor was ordered to lead the column to another bridge. This he was in the act of doing when he met three enemy armoured cars. Capt. Taylor immediately opened fire, operating the machine guns himself, and forced the enemy to retire. He at once took up the pursuit, keeping up a heavy fire while the enemy dropped smoke generators in their efforts to escape. On rounding a corner the steering mechanism of Capt Taylor's tank failed, causing the vehicle to run off the road, breaking a track. He signalled the following vehicles to continue the pursuit. Unknown to Capt. Taylor the greater part of the column had received orders to halt a few minutes earlier. On account of this he was not picked up and was subsequently captured by the enemy. During this action Capt Taylor exhibited first class leadership, initiative and courage and, by his immediate and successful action, facilitated the retirement of the rest of the column. Capt Taylor was a prisoner for eight days and escaped from his guards a few miles East of ST. TROND on May 26. He made his way on foot through Belgium and was recaptured near ELLEZELLES on May 30. He escaped again the same day. This officer continued his march and crossed the frontier with France at TOUFFLERS the same day. He reached LILLE, where fighting was in progress, and proceeded via LA BASSEE-BETHUNE-ST. POL- and AUX LE CHATEAU to ABBEVILLE. He attempted to cross the R. SOMME where fighting was going on but was again taken prisoner on June 2nd. Capt Taylor escaped for the third time on June 4. Making for the coast he reached LE TOUQUET on June 5. Here he spent one day preparing a boat in which to cross the Channel. He set sail at midnight on June 6 and was picked up by sailors of H.M. Navy off the coast of France that night. Captain Taylor took twelve days to effect his escape during which time he had little food or sleep and walked up to 45 miles a day, covering a distance of 220 miles from point to point. He displayed the highest qualities of nerve and resource. His performance is a magnificent example of what can be done through physical fitness and an unflinching determination to win through under circumstances fraught with constant danger. Captain Taylor brought back highly important information and has rendered a full account of his escape to M.I.7.B. at the War Office. [recommended for] D.S.O. M.C. [awarded] Captain Taylor was Adjutant that day. For those who hadn't clicked (from my previous "This Day in History" posts), 18 May 40 found 15/19H as the left-most regiment in 2 Reconnaissance Brigade on the outskirts of Brussels. From the official history: Our orders were to hold our present positions just west of Brussels until at least 0800 hours 18 May, so that 10 Infantry Brigade, the 4 Division rear guard, would have time to get within easy distance of the Dendre, fifteen miles to the west. Secondly, that our Brigade would hold another very extended position east of Assche, from which there would be no withdrawal without the sanction of Brigade HQ 2 Recce Bde was a temporary formation with no dedicated assets or staff. This led to the direst consequences for 15/19H. This was to be the blackest day in the history of 15/19H, its forebears and successors. A book I reviewed a couple of weeks ago put losses at 80%. The Osprey history of The Light Dragoons posits that the regiment lost 1/3 of all its Second World War casualties on that one day. The well-respected author and historian Allan Mallinson describes in Light Dragoons: The Making of a Regiment how the regiment ceased to exist as an independent recce regiment. Captain Taylor went on to be Commanding Officer and subsequently Colonel of the Regiment (the CO is a Lieutenant Colonel, from the French taking the place of the Colonel). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) Forgot to add. Captain Taylor's escape is worthy of a separate appendix in the official history: http://www.lightdragoons.org.uk/downloads.html?aa=468cae32f7c387d1c593f491b7761afc&cc=History_of_15th-19th_The_Kings_Hussars_1939-1945.pdf&dd=19'>http://www.lightdragoons.org.uk/downloads.html?aa=468cae32f7c387d1c593f491b7761afc&cc=History_of_15th-19th_The_Kings_Hussars_1939-1945.pdf&dd=19'>http://www.lightdragoons.org.uk/downloads.html?aa=468cae32f7c387d1c593f491b7761afc&cc=History_of_15th-19th_The_Kings_Hussars_1939-1945.pdf&dd=19 If that link doesn't work, select it on this page: http://www.lightdragoons.org.uk/downloads.html It's in PDF format, so you can load it onto your Kindle. Highly recommended. Edited August 31, 2012 by AlienFTM Oops wrong link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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