hi all hope ok to post this here? my father was taken prisoner in may 1940 at a place called zuytpeene france, he was with the 2nd glosters, as i cant read or speak french was wondering if there was anyone out there who lives in or near the place who might no abit about what my dad went though, he did write me an account, an said out of hundred an 64 men that went to zuytpeene only 38 were taken prisoner, hope someone out there may be able to help ? if you need more info let me know , many thanks.
Post edited by the moderators. Please do not post your personal details on the message boards.
The first information that falls easily to hand is a war game scenario as below :
www.toofatlardies.co.uk/SoMarchive/Gloucesters.pdf
It might be worth having a look at the
http://www.glosters.org/research.htm
The reference is as the foot of page 187
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-12.html
The French site on Zuytpeene are silent on the Second World War but are worth a look .
http://www.zuytpeene.com/photos.html
May I suggest you join and post on Roots Chat ? http://www.rootschat.com/
They have a special Armed Forces section, and sub sections for WW1&WW2 - there are some helpful and knowledgeable people there too.
Hi Homepride,
Just saw your thread on this subject. I have visited quite a lot of the little villages around Zuytpeene, and many of them have chilling stories to tell about the events of May 1940 when Allied soldiers were trying to make their way to Dunkirk as best they could, fleeing the rapid German advance. Some units - including I think the Glosters - were told to fight to the last man to keep the "corridor" open that would allow as many of the British Expeditionary Force as possible to escape to Dunkirk.
Zuytpeene is very near the hilltop town of Cassel, where I think a lot of Glosters are buried in the town cemetery. I found this with a Google search http://members.tripod.com/~Glosters/cassel.htm which might give you a lot of background information about the action in which your father was taken prisoner.
He was lucky. In at least two other places in the vicinity, SS soldiers took no prisoners. There is a hugely poignant site of a massacre of members of the the Warwickshires and other regiments, near Esquelbecq; and another massacre (of the Norfolks) commemorated in the churchyard of Le Paradis, south of Merville.
If you manage to get over there, do not miss the fascinating museum in Dunkerque called the Memorial du Souvenir, all about Operation Dynamo - the hastily-planned evacuation from the town's beaches.
Angela
www.northernfrance-within90minutesofcalais.co.uk
homepride62 wrote:hi all hope ok to post this here? my father was taken prisoner in may 1940 at a place called zuytpeene france, he was with the 2nd glosters, as i cant read or speak french was wondering if there was anyone out there who lives in or near the place who might no abit about what my dad went though, he did write me an account, an said out of hundred an 64 men that went to zuytpeene only 38 were taken prisoner, hope someone out there may be able to help ? if you need more info let me know , many thanks.Post edited by the moderators. Please do not post your personal details on the message boards.
Please note that any unsolicited advertising will be removed