18 May 1940

[AlienFTM]

Copyright of Allan Mallinson recognised. From "Light Dragoons The Making of a Regiment"

 

Towards evening on the 17th, 15th/19th [Hussars] had been ordered to take up position in the western suburbs of Brussels with their left flank well forward to maintain contact with the Belgians. Despite extensive patrolling, however, no contact with the Belgians could be made. At 8.45am the regiment were ordered to withdraw to a line north-south through the town of Assche, eight miles to the west. Regimental Headquarters moved back to Assche at once where 2nd Armoured Recce Brigade's commander emphasized to 15th/19th's commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel D.S. Frazer, that the regiment could only withdraw from this position with his express permission - time had to be bought for the infantry on the Dendre to complete their occupation. He could not give the commanding officer any information, however, on the enemy, the Belgians or the promised supporting machine-gun battalion and artillery observers. All the brigadier could do was to confirm that certain roads were exclusive [i.e. the regiment was excluded from them] to the regiment, as agreed with the Belgian staff.

 

The regiment was sceptical about this exclusion, especially the main road Vilvorde-Alost on the northern flank, so a troop was sent along it to make contact with the Belgians. It was badly shot up after running into German armour: the troop leader was killed, and only the troop corporal managed to get back to report what had happened.

 

The squadrons never had a chance to occupy the Assche line. They arrived with the Germans on their tails, but worse, by that time the Germans had got between them and the Dendre by motoring straight down the main road on the open flank. Without the machine-gun battalion's support properly co-ordinated, and the gunners unable to fire because Assche was out of arc, the regiment was in a critical position.

 

C Squadron on the left flank came under heavy pressure immediately they halted, and 2nd Troop Leader was killed almost straight away. Later in the morning, when B Squadron arrived having covered the regiment's withdrawal from Brussels, the depleted C Squadron was sent to secure a withdrawal route to the Dendre and B Squadron took over that flank and forward left. A Squadron was ordered to cover the forward right and flank but immediately ran into trouble as it deployed to do so. The squadron leader, Major C. Cockayne-Frith, was killed as his Mark VI entered Assche; only one troop was to escape from A Squadron's fight.

 

B Squadron had also begun to take casualties. A complete troop was destroyed having been told to rear-recce a route to an intermediate position. Its troop leader was Second-Lieutenant J.S. Livingstone-Learmonth whose father, a 15th Hussar, had been killed in the Great War. B Squadron leader, unaware of the troop's contact, moved down the same road a little later and ran straight into an anti-tank ambush. Severely wounded, he was taken prisoner.

 

The situation was rapidly approaching disaster. No contacts could be made with the Skins [5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards] to the regiment's right (they had in fact withdrawn) and communications with brigade headquarters were poor. At 1.00pm permission was finally given to withdraw east of the Dendre, but by then it was too late. All communication with the squadrons had been lost, in part due to a major jamming effort by the Germans, and it was becoming clear to the commanding officer that total encirclement was imminent. He therefore ordered RHQ to move back to the Dendre by side roads.

 

They only got half a mile. Anti-tank guns and an armoured car destroyed RHQ in minutes, Colonel Frazer being thrown from his Mark VI badly stunned. Less than 24 hours later, all RHQ officers, the RSM, signallers and drivers were 'in the bag'. All, that is, except the Adjutant, Captain A.D. Taylor, who had paused while RHQ was getting moving in order to send written orders to A and B Squadrons by despatch rider. As he set off he came across B Squadron leader who told him that the road down which RHQ had moved was blocked. B Squadron leader then asked him to lead his squadron column down another side road since he was now the lead vehicle. This he did, but the column ran into the enemy, although Taylor soon got the better of them and pursued them through a village. At this point his Mark VI's steering clutch failed. The remainder of B Squadron (now only three tanks) swept past and Taylor and his crew were promptly captured. He escaped a few days later and made his own way back to England in a truly remarkable escapade for which he was awarded the Military Cross.

 

B Squadron's three Mark VIs became bogged soon afterwards and their crews dispersed to make their way back on foot. Major W.R.N. Hinde, who has assumed command of the squadron a few hours earlier, was wounded in the neck and arm but managed to swin the Dendre, whence he was evacuated to England.

Nigel Hamilton sums up the day from the viewpoint of Maj-Gen B.L. Montgomery, GOC 3rd Division, in his book, Monty - The Making of a General 1887-1942:

 

Thus while Bernard's 3rd Division waited intact behind the Dendre for the next phase in the defensive battle on 18 May, it was forced to watch impotently as its vital armoured mobile cavalry screen was thrown away.

After "the biggest disaster in the regiment's history", 15th/19th Hussars had ceased to exist as an independent unit. Edited May 19, 2011 by AlienFTM
typos

[Joris]

 

May 1940 was a sad time for everybody.... (except the Germans)

[AlienFTM]

Bump

 

(must enter five characters)

[Bazz]

However May 1957 was very good. (I was born).:cheesy:

[AlienFTM]

However May 1957 was very good. (I was born).:cheesy:

 

Whippersnapper! ;o)

 

A couple of years ago on our internal forum somebody posted a link to "What was number 1 in the music charts the day you were born?"

 

A colleague posted "Slim Whitman - 'Rose Marie'", which coincidentally was what I had been about to post. A quick discussion meant that thereafter when we pass in the corridor I greet him as "Whippersnapper" and he greets me as "Old Fart."