大象传媒

Introduction

This is the first of two articles about a few of the experiences of some fellows of the 15th / 19th King鈥檚 Royal Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps during World War Two. For this article, I concentrate on the circumstances how they were destined to 鈥榤eet their Waterloo鈥� on 18 May 1940. The second article concentrates on the experiences of these fellows while they were POWs. Information for this article is primarily based on information provided by Mr Ray Devlin, of Whitehaven, Cumbria whose brother George was serving with the unit at that time.

Ray, who is a well-known researcher and published author on many aspects of Cumbrian mining and military history, gives a number of talks on local history. After the war Ray served with the Paratroops and at the time of writing this article Ray is the Secretary of his local Branch of the Parachute Regiment Association. Therefore, I am indebted to Ray for allowing me to look though his photographs, some personal letters and Ray鈥檚 own research notes to write about George and his comrades.

As a result of the German advance through Belgium and northern France, they took many prisoners, including George and several of his comrades with the 15th / 19th King鈥檚 Royal Hussars. In 1943, George鈥檚 parents, Matt and Mary Hannah Devlin were informed that George had died while he was a Prisoner of War. At that time, the family home was at Fell View Avenue, Woodhouse, Whitehaven. For many years, George鈥檚 family and friends in his hometown knew very few details about George鈥檚 time as a POW or the circumstances of his death on 10 June 1943.

Then, in 1997, Ray met a gentleman by the name of Norman Williams who had served with George in the war, and they were also POWs at the same prison camp. As a result of this meeting, Norman told Ray the details of their capture and about their time as POWs. I have therefore been able to draw on Norman鈥檚 personal written testimony, which I have been able to read. Although Norman is now deceased, it was his wish was that George鈥檚 story should be known. Ray and the author understand the terms of the 大象传媒 "People's War" website.

The best of friends

Trooper Norman Williams came from York and he always remembered the first he met the fellow from Whitehaven, Cumberland (now Cumbria) who would become his best and closest pal: Trooper George Knowles Devlin. This was right at the beginning of George鈥檚 time with the 15th / 19th King鈥檚 Royal Hussars. Straight away, George joined the Regimental Band and quickly became very popular, making friends with everyone who knew him.

According to Norman, George had a fantastic sense of humour and he was able to keep everyone going in high spirits, even during the time they were POWs. Nobody ever knew George to be downhearted. Even when everyone else was in low spirits, George could 鈥榬aise a laugh鈥�, which was important given all the hardships they had to face together.

Years after the war, at Regimental reunions and Annual Regimental Dinners, all of George鈥檚 old comrades would bring up how much they had valued his friendship and good humour. More than 50 years after the end of the war, Norman paid this tribute to George, describing him as: 鈥溾�� the best friend and Comrade-in-Arms any man could wish for鈥�.

Liasing with the French Army

In May 1940, George, Norman and Trooper Goodman, another fellow from their unit, were assigned to a French Liaison Officer. Their role was to maintain contact between the French and British Forces. In particular, these three had to pass messages between their own unit, 15th / 19th King鈥檚 Royal Hussars, the 4th French Dragoons and the HQ of the 3rd Division.

Being part of a motorised armoured unit, to undertake this liaison role, George drove a 鈥楥ombination Motorcycle鈥�, while the other two each had a solo Motorcycle. Coming under attack from the Germans, George鈥檚 vehicle sustained some damage but remained usable. They then received instructions to rejoin their Regiment near Louvain (Belgium).

George left the damaged bike for a nearby REME detachment (Light Aid). He then went to Louvain as a pillion passenger on Norman鈥檚 bike. It was at times like these, with the shared experience of a common danger, that the already strong friendship between them developed. During this hazardous journey Norman realised George could manage to raise a laugh no matter how difficult or serious the situation they were in.

Meeting their Waterloo

Upon rejoining their Regiment, the 15th / 19th King鈥檚 Royal Hussars were given the task of holding the bridge at Louvain so that the British 3rd Division to pass over. After this, the Royal Engineers destroyed the bridge. The next position for the 15th / 19th was to cover an area near Ashe, Alost and Brussels.

Waterloo, where the French Emperor Napoleon I gave his final surrender, is a short distance to the south of Brussels. Given that it was not so far away that the 15th / 19th ultimately had to surrender to the Germans in May 1940, it was Trooper Norman Williams who in 1997 referred to this as the place where they had 鈥榤et their Waterloo鈥�. They were stationed with their backs to the River Dendre.

It turned out the Germans had better tanks with greater firepower. The line the British troops were trying to defend from the evening of 17 May had many places that were open to infiltration by the fast moving and greater numbers of German armoured vehicles. Early on 18 May 1940 the Germans attacked in strength. George and Norman were still acting in the role of despatch riders, George having been given another Combination Motorcycle. During a Stuka attack George鈥檚 鈥楥omby鈥� was destroyed but George survived the attack and was taken prisoner.

With the battle going badly for the 15th / 19th, Norman had been ordered to deliver orders to the Regimental Transport that they had to jettison surplus fuel and relocate to a new position. Unfortunately, the Germans had already overrun this position and Norman had then tried to avoid capture by hiding under a stationary tank. This proved to be a futile venture. Norman鈥檚 left leg became firmly wedged, and trapped, in the gap between the tank and the road. It took half a dozen Germans to free Norman. He was lucky to come out virtually unscathed, but unlucky in that he was then taken prisoner.

Interrogation and becoming a POW

After being captured separately, George and Norman did not see each other until later that evening. Later on they swapped stories as to what had happened to them during the battle. Norman was the first to be interviewed. By a strange coincidence, this German Interrogation Officer had been a Bank Manager in Norman鈥檚 hometown of York before the war! According to Norman, this Interrogation Officer seemed to know more about the 15th / 19th King鈥檚 Royal Hussars than he did. Later, on that same evening of 18 May, George was interrogated by the same officer.

George and Norman then became Prisoners of War, and shared many hardships and adventures until George鈥檚 sad demise on 10 June 1943. The prison camp they were sent to was Stalag XXB, which is near Marienburg, East Prussia, in what was then known as 鈥楾he Polish Corridor鈥�. After the war, it became Malbork and inside the redrawn borders of Poland.

Stalag XXB was the main POW camp, held many thousands of prisoners of various nationalities, and was situated about 2 kilometres from the town of Marienburg. Beside the site of Stalag XXB is the River Nogat that runs into the River Vistula. While they were POWs, George and Norman made three unsuccessful attempts to escape. George eventually lost his life at the age of 23 while saving the life of a German farmer. He was granted a Military Funeral by the German authorities and is interred in what is now Malbork Commonwealth War Cemetery.

Conclusion

In 1997, more than 50 years after the end of the war, thanks to the assistance of Norman and some others, those of George鈥檚 family and friends still living were finally able to learn what had happened. In the second article I have written about George there are more details about his time as a POW, his escape attempts and how he eventually gave his own life while saving the life of a German civilian farmer.

I would like to dedicate this article to George鈥檚 memory. Because I was born some years after the war, I never had the privilege of being able to meet George and get to know him personally. However, having been able to learn about George from his relatives and read how highly his comrades regarded him, I know that he was a very brave fellow and well liked by all that knew him.

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