On 25th May 1940, on the western outskirts of Mouscron, at the little village, at the time, of Risquons-Tout, the 1st Bn. East Surrey Regiment fought a minor defensive battle before continuing the retreat towards Dunkirk.
Of course it wasn’t a minor defensive battle to those involved.
To them it was life and death.
The Universal Carrier, or Bren Gun Carrier, or even just Bren Carrier, if you prefer, was introduced into the Army pre-war, designed to transport men and equipment but also to act as a mobile machine gun platform.
10th Infantry Brigade Intelligence Summary & Appendix covering the twenty four hours between 4.00 pm 24th May & 4.00 pm 25th May 1940 (click to enlarge).
10th Infantry Brigade Intelligence Summary covering the following twenty four hours, between 4.00 pm 25th May & 4.00 pm 26th May 1940.
Risquons-Tout was one of many individual battles fought by British units as they pulled back in the face of the Blitzkrieg,…
…some of which are today long-forgotten, and some, thankfully, still remembered.
Two accounts of the action.
Apparently there’s an earlier memorial (inset) just down the road.
Old soldiers……
I remember riding in a Bren gun carrier when my dad was TA in the 1950s thank you for reminding me of great time.
Nice memory Alan. Thanks. My memories of carriers are mainly from Commando comics in the 60s! Not that I haven’t delved into such stuff on occasions since. Just a kid at heart.
Great to see the old bren gun carrier, not sure that Gerry can is gonna be much use now though :-). I wonder if L/C Pretty got a medal for his actions?
Yes, it was good to see.
Enjoyed* a quick stop here the other week, interesting to imagine these ‘local’ rearguard actions to delay the advancing German forces, semi chaos I imagine trying to establish where the enemy had penetrated. Very much the outskirts of Mouscron now but 75 years ago a small village, hard to imagine battle in these now quiet streets.
* except for the rather grumpy man in the house opposite who tried to tell us you couldn’t go into the fenced area..
I agree. And it wouldn’t be a ‘proper’ Flanders visit without a grumpy old man, surely?