5186159 Private Gerald BARNFIELD was the son of Lilian Jane Cole BARNFIELD of 38 Wymans Road, Cheltenham. Nothing is known of his early life but it is certain that he was a regular soldier of the 2nd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. As part of the 3rd Division, British Expeditionary Force (BEF) they went to France on 2nd October 1939, landing at Cherbourg. Initially stationed in the "Gort Line", east of Lille and two miles from the border with Belgium, they later moved to the Saar region. Here they served in the Maginot Line near Metz, but in February 1940, one regular battalion was transferred to each of the Territorial brigades in the 48th (South Midland) Division. The 2nd Glosters joined the 4th Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 145 Brigade. This move brought them alongside the 5th (Territorial) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment who were serving in 144 Brigade. When the German attack on Belgium and Holland took place, the 2nd Glosters moved forward to Heidenbroek and later to Mont Saint-Jean, within a mile of the old battlefield of Waterloo. As a result of the German break-through in the Ardennes, the Glosters were given the order to withdraw, marching through Terlinden and Ath and the river Escaut acting as rearguard to the 48th Division. From there they moved to Nomain. For four days and nights no man of the battalion had any sleep and very little food. At Coquiane, the 2nd Glosters stopped, prepared defensive positions and stood-to for eight hours. They were then ordered to retire again, joining the 5th Battalion on the western side of the river Escaut. Totally exhausted they were put into trucks for the continued withdrawal through Belgium. The scene was later described by the Adjutant, Captain A.E. Wilkinson...
"It was just getting light when we arrived on the outskirts of Tournai. Here there was a terrible congestion of traffic, which reminded one of the traffic one sees going to an important race meeting. Cars were four abreast and mixed up with numbers of refugees. I saw nine bombers at low level coming over our position, and had just decided they were enemy aeroplanes and ordered the A.A.Bren in the truck behind me to fire, when the bombs started dropping. This was followed by machine-gun fire. An ammunition truck went up near me and bombs seemed to explode on part of "A" Company who were just behind me. About 70 of "A" Company and HQ Company were killed, wounded or missing in the raid".
In fact, 194 men of the Battalion were killed or missing in that raid. Private Gerald BARNFIELD was never seen alive again. He is commemorated on the Dunlirk Memorial and the Cheltenham Borough Cenotaph.
L'est we forget
