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War Diary - Lt. Horace Reginald (Gerry) Sandford and H.Q. Section Detachments
16 May to 6 June 1940

La Motte, nr Flobecq (Belgium) 16-5-40 04:00Arrived with AA lorry from BREEDHOUT ARP
10:30 Reconnoitred ARP with O.C. and Capt. Young. Site in large quarry decides upon. Did not operate owing to movement of unit following morning to BOUVIGNIES (France)

Wannehain(France)18-5-40 21:30 2/Lt. Wright and Lt. Sandford took over ARP hurriedly established by Capt. Reid, DAO For operations at this ARP see Lt Wright鈥檚 narrative.

Genech 21-5-40 15:00 2/Lt. Wright and Lt Sandford established ARP and found control office and billets for leaders.
16:30 Operations at new ARP commence
22-5-40 21:00 2/Lt. Wright left ARP to rejoin Coy. For move to CAMPHIN
24:00 ARP clear. Left with rear party for CAMPHIN
Camphin 23-5-40 04:00 Arrived CAMPHIN and reported .clear to O.C.
18:15 Advance covering party forming up when attacked by German aircraft with bombs and machine guns. Covering party left for ESTAIRES
18:30 Received message from 2/Lt. Wright that bridge at LA BASSEE had been blow up. Detour worked out on map and information passed back to Coy.
22:30 Contact made with 2/Lt. Wright and billeting party on main road one mile south of ESTAIRES.

Nr Laventie 24-5-40 10:00 2/Lt. Wright and Lt Sandford reconnoitred for ARP. No suitable cover available.

Estaires 25-5-40 14:00 Lt. Sandford with Cpl. Monks and batman sent to ESTAIRES for liaison with any H.Q. to be found there or in the vicinity, with a view to obtaining advance news of movement orders.
15:30 Contact established with H.Q. 44A/T/Bty R.A. , H.Q. Mob. Res. Bn and H.Q. 6. 1B. Town still quite and undamaged except by enemy M.G fire.

Estaires 26-5-40 03:00 Woken by heavy shelling directed at H.Q. Mob. Res. Bn. about 100 yards from detachment billet. Minor damage causes. No casualties.
05:00 Air raid. Material damage. No casualties to civilians or military.
09:30 Detachment opened shelter to civilians. Took charge of about 20 women and children.
10:00-11:30 Enquiries made at above H.Q's. No information available.
16:00 Air raid by Henschel 123 Dive Bombers. Objective: bridge over Lys Canal leading to main LA BASSEE Road. Bridge undamaged. Considerable damage caused in centre of town by fragmentation and incendiary bombs. 1 woman killed.
Evening: Intermittent shelling and bombing during evening and night. Part of town near main square ablaze. Danger that fire would spread to billet of detachment. Four lorries hit at entrance to square and set on fire. 1 French soldier killed.

27-5-40 Morning All quiet. No information available. Considerable military traffic (mainly French tanks) moving N. from ESTAIRES towards STRAZEELE. Morale of remaining civilians somewhat disturbed by incessant bombing.
14:00 Heavy air raids by large mixed force of Heinkels and Messerschmidt 109Es . Called out during air raid to tend to two wounded civilians. ( 1 youth 鈥� smashed leg; 1 girl 鈥� cut arm.) Evacuated youth to A.D.S.
14:30 Bombing gave place to shelling, objective being French field batteries east of ESTAIRES-STRAZEELE road, some shells hitting road.
15:30 2/Lt. Wright arrived to collect Detachment to rejoin Coy. At LA VERRIER.
La Verrier 21:40 Left with 2/Lt. Wright for WEST HOEK, 陆 mile above CASTRE with covering party.
Castre 23:00 Warned by sentry at CASTRE that force of German tanks was astride the main CASSEL road at WEST HOEK.
La Frete 23:15 Returned to LA FRETE to await and redirect the Company.
(Diary coincides with 2/Lt. Wright鈥檚 as far as KILLEM)

Killem 28-5-40 00:30 Left with small party of Coy. Vehicles under command of C.R.A.S.C. Accompanied by 2/Lt P.C. Ward, having lost touch with 2/Lt. Wright.

Rexpoede 01:00 Orders received from CRASC to abandon vehicles and walk to Dunkirk, as road was blocked by large numbers of French vehicles apparently deserted in a state of panic. Came to a number of British vehicles abandoned unnecessarily early on the road to Dunkirk owing to a misapprehension of the situation on part of officers in charge, the way ahead being in many cases quite clear鈥� , arriving at 14:30.
Bergues 03:45 2/Lt. Ward and Lt Sandford were picked up by a lorry driven by Sgt. Noyes of 鈥楢鈥� Section.
Dunkirk 05:00 Entered Dunkirk and in spite of lack of organisation, Lt Ward and Lt Sandford succeeded in collecting at least a dozen men of the Coy. and found where to embark.
07:15 2/Lt. Ward and Lt. Sandford embarked on on SS Prague.

Folkestone 10:30 Arrived at Folkstone; entrained for Aldershot.

Aldershot 28-5-40 14:30 Arrived at Reception Camp, Aldershot. Contacted Capt. Nicoll and 2/Lt. Wright.

Okehampton 29-5-40 ? 10:05 Lt Sandford entrained for R.A. camp at Okehampton.

Halifax 6-6-40 09:30 Lt. Sandford reported back to 2 Div. Amm. Coy. Via LEEDS and H.Q. R.A. 2. Div. At Halifax.

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