Royal Signals - France May/June 1940

[tamarclaire]

My father (born 1899) served in the Royal Corps of Signals during WW2.  Initially he joined the Supplementary Reserve of Officers of the RCS as a Second Lieutenant in 1924, was promoted to Lieutenant in 1927 and in 1936 was transferred to the Regular Reserve of Officers. 

At the beginning of the war he was attached to 1st Operators Training Battalion based at Catterick where he remained until June 1941 except that his records also show that during that period he was posted from ‘1st S.T.C’ to the BEF on 14 May 1940 and that he returned to the UK from the BEF on 24 June 1940.

My father never mentioned being in France during WW2 and I had always understood that he was too old to be posted abroad.  The only other clue was that my father once told my brother that he had set up communications for Winston Churchill at some point during the WW2 (was this at the time of Churchill’s visit to France on 31 May or his two visits around 11- 13th June 1940?).

I am wondering if anyone can suggest what section of the RCS my father might have been attached to when he was in France as I would like to find out more about what he was doing.  It appears he was in France for almost 3 weeks after the Dunkirk evacuations and I appreciate that this period of history is not so well documented but I would be grateful for any insights or suggestions.

[englandphil]

Tamara, you might want to add the same Q here, as one of the 1940 experts is also ex Royal Corps of Signals, and has a lot of the War diaries, so as your relative was an officer, he may well me mentioned.

www.ww2talk.com

P

[tamarclaire]

englandphil

Thanks very much for your reply.  I have registered on the site you suggested and once I have discovered exactly how the forum works I will post my question!

tamarclaire

[BushInn1746]

If you view the War Diary of 1st S.T.C. just prior to his posting with the BEF it may show what they were training for.

There is a "Royal Corps of Signals: 1 Signal Training Centre ." War Diary at The National, Archives, Kew in Cat. Ref. WO 166/4813 covering August 1939 to August 1940.

and

"Headquarters Lines of Communication: 1 Signals" covering March to June 1940 in Cat. Ref. WO 167/63

I am aware from Cabinet records in the CAB 63 class, that I have been looking at for June 1940, that the British Government were attempting to establish / maintain communications with France and the French Colonies for the sending of messages. Regards Mark

[tamarclaire]

Mark

Thanks very much for your helpful reply to my query.  I am hoping that either my son or my sister will be able to visit TNA to look at the War Diaries which you mentioned so hopefully some more information will come to light!

Since my post last October I have applied and now received my father's WW2 medals which he had never claimed, and in recognition of his 41 days with the BEF he was awarded the 1939-45 Star, so I was really pleased that his time in France during that very difficult time had been recognised.

[BushInn1746]

Tamarclaire

If you are struggling, you ought to join and post on 12 O'clock High Forum under the "Allied and Soviet" forum at:-

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/

Also "RAF Comands Forum" (Main Category) of Ross's forum at:-

www.rafcommands.com/forum/index.php

Many are serious researchers and will certainly help with suggestions, as to finding records.

Regards Mark