  Norfolk Section The Britannia and Castle |
Norfolk Section The Britannia and Castle |
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| MARTIN CHRISTENSEN
5770839 PTE 2 ROYAL NORFOLK KIA 27 MAY 1940 Sue Christensen asked about her uncle Martin Christensen and wonders if he was among the 97 murdered at Le Paradis as not all of the bodies were identified. The Commonwealth War Graves site at www.cwgc.org.uk/detailed.asp?casualty=2771065 lists him as named on the Dunkirk Memorial, Nord, France, on Column 43 Martin Christensen Private 5770839 2nd Bn Royal Norfolk Regiment who died on Monday 27 May 1940. Age 27. Webmaster comment: The date of 27 May 1940 as the day Martin died does indeed point to Le Paradis, where a namesake, Pte JW Raybould was murdered. It was suggested Sue write to Bill Holden MBE who has made a personal study involving photographing the graves of all 372 Royal Norfolk Regiment soldiers buried in the 32 War Cemeteries in North West Europe. He has a list of all the Le Paradis victims. The Dunkirk Memorial stands at the entrance to the Commonwealth War Graves section of Dunkirk Town Cemetery. It commemorates more than 4,500 casualties of the British Expeditionary Force who died in the campaign of 1939-40 and who have no known grave. See Le Paradis photographs and Bill Holden's reply, below. If you can help Sue further, write to her via the Norfolk Section Editor. B&C 99 |
| BILL
HOLDEN MBE REPLIES TO SUE ABOUT MARTIN CHRISTENSEN Bill thinks it unlikely that Uncle Martin was one of the men killed at Le Paradis as his name appears on the Dunkirk War Memorial, so he was probably one of the men killed by artillery fire and, like many, could not be identified. Sue added: 13 Jun 02: I think I've cleared the street of all the neighbours by singing along to Rule Britannia - if only I had a voice to go with the music! Responding to the B&C Webmaster’s assertion on his e-mail: ‘Checked by Rentokil, this message should be free from vermin and trojans (3 wheeler type bubble car) when sent!’' Sue responded: 'By the way, what was a bubble-like three wheeler car doing jumping out of my PC, driving across the floor and out of the cat flap?' 18 Jun 02: 'I notice that the neighbours are creeping back in so I'll be off to give them another rendition of Rule Britannia!' B&C 99 |
 COLIN
COOTETony Rogers, 1 Suffolk, sent: Colin Coote, Royal Norfolk (1948 -1950 Germany) is an honorary member and Standard Bearer of the Hemel Hempstead branch of The Dunkirk Veterans Association. This picture was taken this year on their annual pilgrimage which always visits Le Paradis. B&C 99 |
| PAUL BOXALL OUT OF HOSPITAL JUN 2002 After his 5 weeks in hospital and a few operations Paul telephoned the webmaster from home. He was in good heart and voice but will wait a few days before he goes out in his car! B&C 99 |
| TOM GAYNOR Tom Gaynor wrote: Bloody marvellous! I have never met any of the characters described in your pages, but every regiment has their own special versions! A truly amusing and fascinating website - hugely enjoyable. I am an ex-regular Green Howard officer and once upon a time TA OCdt in 3 PWO. Father was a long time Green Howard and then Yorkshire Volunteer. I can recall any number of like-minded people and stories to yours, but we have never provided a website such as this. Thanks for an enjoyable hour of surfing. (Ex-subaltern-stupid-Labrador for the kicking) B&C 99 |
| WRITING A correspondent, who saw: 'One of the few officers who could read and write' on the B&C site, remarked: ‘As an OR, I always thought that one couldn't read officers’ writing as this disguised spelling mistakes. But I knew they could read and write because they had to complete an application form to get to Sandhurst.’ Ben had better remain anonymous. Oops! See B&C 100 Jun 03 ABC for officers. B&C 99 |
| PTE RAYMOND PERFECT 1 R NORFOLK Belinda Jeffries wrote: ‘I have been browsing with great interest on your site, seeing many archive articles and features about 1 Royal Norfolk’s service in Korea in the early 1950's. Although too young to have personal recollection of the war itself, I have lived for many years with my family's sadness surrounding the loss of my mother's brother, Pte Raymond Perfect during the Battle for Hill 118 in July 1952. My Grandparents and my mother have passed away and I am now the only direct relative left of Raymond and as such I am proud to say that I have kept the family's records of the circumstances surrounding his loss. Included in these records is a copy of Issue 40 of 'Britannia', Nov 1952, in which, on page 10, reference is made to the disappearance of Ray during a Battle on 24 Jul 1952. My Grandparents kept all the letters received from the War Office, Ray's Commanding Officer, Capt McBride and others, including Lt Rich, and, especially, a letter from Ray describing his 21st Birthday on 4 Jul 1952, just three weeks before he was last seen. The story is not, I am sure, unique, but of course every statistic from war represents a personal tragedy for an innocent family. My Grandparents and mother lived in hope that Ray had been taken prisoner for two years before the War Office finally accepted that he was to be presumed dead and a Death Certificate issued. The anguish and despair felt by my relatives remained for many years and although I was not born until 1961 I was always made aware of the story and their pain. Where exactly is Hill 118 in Korea? Are there others who recollect the event in question? At the time there was much speculation that Ray had been heard being led away by enemy troops. This led to the horrific fear that Ray had suffered at enemy hands some time after his disappearance. As a family we always hoped that this was not so. I feel that it is my duty to keep this small piece of history intact and to keep adding any further bits of the jigsaw which may come to light. If any of your contacts can add to my knowledge of this sad episode, I would be grateful for any information.’ Ray was in 5 Pl, B Coy, 1st Bn.  I discovered George
Gray's photograph
on your website of this platoon bound for Korea on the
Empire Orwell. Is Raymond
Perfect pictured? I do not have any
details about when he was sent to Korea. I only have two
photos of him in uniform and cannot tell if he is one of
those pictured.If you can help, contact the Norfolk Section Editor who will forward any information to Belinda. B&C 99 |
| YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO GET
CONNECTED! Our regular correspondent Frank Thomas Browne, 84 next March, sent an e-mail: ‘Greetings from a 1937 recruit. A miracle!’ Well done Frank! Write to Frank via the Norfolk Section Editor. B&C 99 |
ARTHUR
RICHARD JOHNSON 5 R NORFOLK KIA 27 APR 1942 If you can help, write to him direct, copied to the Norfolk Section Editor. This appeal is repeated on
the 'Did
You Know These of the Ninth' page. |
| 1ST BN THE ROYAL ANGLIAN REGT From Ben Palmer, Corps of Drums: Just like to let you know how much I enjoy your site being ex 1st Bn R Anglian Regt 1968-1973. I’m Asst Manager for http://groups.msn.com/1stBattalionTheRoyalAnglianRegiment A Vikings site for ex-comrades and serving members of our County Regt, it was set up by Del Edwards, not to be mistaken for www.royalanglian.com B&C 99 |
| 70th BN SHOULDER
FLASH Tom Bates, Berkeley, California Tom.Bates@attbi.com phone/fax: 510-655-6685 asks if the young 'raw recruits' in the 70th Bn The Royal Norfolk Regt wore a distinguishing shoulder flash to indicate that they were Young Soldiers? Or did they wear the Royal Norfolk Regiment shoulder flash? Please inform Tom direct and copy it to the Norfolk Section Editor. B&C 99 |
| CAPTAIN TURNBULL SAYS 'WHAT A SPLENDID MAGAZINE' 264836 Capt Ian Turnbull 2 Indian HAA Regt, RA, who gave the funeral address for Maj Freddie Crocker from the pulpit of St Peter Mancroft in Apr 2002: ‘He was a wonderful friend to many, and I was honoured to give the address. Maj Derek Burdett, with me in Norwich Rotary Club, knew of my friendship with Freddie and gave me a copy of your July Newsletter. What a splendid magazine!’. B&C 99 |
| PTE ALFRED MASSEY 1 R NORFOLK Mr KV Moore, wrote for the 5th Kings No 2 Force OCA concerning 6024082 Pte Alfred Frederick Massey, 1 R Norfolk, KIA 6 Apr 1945, aged 32. The local committee in Oldenzall, Netherlands, where he is buried, seek his NOK. Alfred was married to Winnie of Chippenham. Please write via the Norfolk Section Editor. Click here for a sequel in B&C 100, Jun 03. B&C 99 |
| WILLIAM THOMAS BURRELL Tony Murray MBE asks if anyone has any information or remembers his uncle, still alive and living in Kings Lynn but now blind, 5774946 William Thomas Burrell. He sailed to France 13 Jan 40, was captured at St Valery in 1940 and spent the rest of war in POW camps, released by US troops in 1945. Please write via the Norfolk Section Editor. B&C 99 |
| BRIAN FELGATE 22579422 Brian Felgate wrote from Framlingham to say he knew the Late Sir David Thorne. Brian was a R Norfolk 1951-3 and served in Korea. |
| WORMHOULT Lisa Birch wrote: I am currently serving in The Fusiliers and on a Battlefield tour to Belgium went to Wormhoult, where Mohnke, a German SS officer, massacred 60-70 Royal Warwicks in a barn in 1940. We visited that restored barn, but I would like to get a lot more information on what happened. Countless searches on the internet have produced nothing. Is there a site that holds any information? Click here for what we have on the Le Paradis Massacre of 27 May 1940. Please write via the Norfolk Section Editor. B&C 99 |
| JOHNNY COWAN 1 R NORFOLK Denis Davidson is the son-in-law of the late Pte Johnny Cowan who was blinded in action at Brinkum near Bremen on 21 Apr 1945. Can anyone advise me how I find out the actual date when he joined the action, which by his MOD service records would seem to indicate it was some days or weeks after D-Day. He was transferred from the Warwicks to the Norfolks. Please write via the Norfolk Section Editor. B&C 99 |
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Site edited and maintained by Major
John L Raybould TD |
Editor, Norfolk Section, The Britannia and
Castle
B&C Norfolk Editor