The Wartime Memories Project

- 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) during the Second World War -


Allied Forces Index
skip to content


This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies.


If you enjoy this site

please consider making a donation.




    Site Home

    WW2 Home

    Add Stories

    WW2 Search

    Library

    Help & FAQs


 WW2 Features

    Airfields

    Allied Army

    Allied Air Forces

    Allied Navy

    Axis Forces

    Home Front

    Battles

    Prisoners of War

    Allied Ships

    Women at War

    Those Who Served

    Day-by-Day

    Library

    The Great War

 Submissions

    Add Stories

    Time Capsule



    Childrens Bookshop

 FAQ's

    Help & FAQs

    Glossary

    Volunteering

    Contact us

    News

    Bookshop

    About


Advertisements











World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)



   At the start of WW2, the 4th Battalion, Green Howards was part of the 150th Infantry Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. The Division saw action with the British Expeditionery Force and escaping from advancing German forces at the Scarpe River the 4th Btn. was evacuated at Dunkirk. The reformed Division was sent to the Middle East and in June 1942 the 150th Brigade with ammunition spent was overrun by Rommel's Forces at the Gazala Line. Many were captured and most finished up at POW camps in Italy before eventually going to Stalag 8B.

 

13th of May 1940 Louvain  location map


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Adams Harry.
  • Adams Harry. Cpl.
  • Brooks Fred Victor. Pte.
  • Doran Francis William. Pte (d.2nd Jun 1940)
  • Hakin William. Pte. (d.30th May 1940)
  • Hannan Ernest. Pte. (d.24th Sep 1940)
  • Hymer Roger Lee. Pte
  • Marshall Maurice. Pte.
  • Peirson Alan. Cpl.
  • Puzey Sidney William. Pte.
  • Richardson Ronald. Pte.
  • Roberts Benjamin. Pte. (d.10th May 1940)
  • Scaife George Alfred. Pte.
  • Sore William Henry. Pte. (d.25th December 1943)
  • Spence James William. Pte. (d.27th May 1940 )
  • Spence James William. Pte. (d.27th May 1940)
  • Strachan Alexander Ferguson. L/Cpl (d.23rd May 1940)
  • Sutton Thomas Ernest. Pte.
  • Sutton Thomas Ernest. Pte.
  • Twidle Harry. Pte.
  • Twidle Harry. Pte.
  • Ward Henry Johnson. Pte (d.1st June 1942)
  • Wilberforce William Wilfred. Pte.
  • Wilding Ivor. Pte.
  • Young Albert. Pte
  • Young Albert. Pte.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) from other sources.



The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

Announcements



    25th Annversary

  • 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
  • The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 25 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web.
  • 19th Nov 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 264989 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
  • Looking for help with Family History Research?   Please read our Family History FAQs
  • The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
    If you enjoy this site

    please consider making a donation.


Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text.




Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home.

If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion
Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.



Want to know more about 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)?


There are:1319 items tagged 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


Pte. Thomas Ernest Sutton 4th Battalion Green Howards

My dad. Tommy Sutton, never spoke of the War so not much known other than he was taken POW. He managed to escape and reach Switzerland. He was repatriated to the UK.

Geoff Sutton



Pte. Thomas Ernest Sutton 4th Btn. Green Howards

My Dad, Thomas Sutton was taken as a P.O.W. to Italy. At some point, he escaped and walked over the Alps into Switzerland from where he was returned to the UK.

Geoff Sutton



Pte Roger Lee Hymer 4th Btn. Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)

4th Green Howards at Moreton in Marsh 1939.

4th Green Howards

In training

My father, Roger Hymer served with 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards). Recruits were trained at Bourton on the Hill, Moreton in Marsh, Cotswold. Roger served in the 150th Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division at Arras, fighting for the BEF in France. Later to withdraw to Dunkirk after heavy fighting. The unit was then sent to North Africa where the 150th Brigade, located at the Caldron became depleted of ammunition and were captured. The prisoners were taken to PG 66 Capua and PG 53 Sforzacosta Macerata in Italy then finally to Stalag XVII B in Austria.

Michael Hymer



Pte. Albert Young 4th Btn. Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)

Albert Young was part of the Expeditionary Force. He was captured in 1940 during the Dunkirk retreat and held at Stalag 344 at Lamsdorf until 1945.

Geoff Young



Pte Henry Johnson Ward 4th Btn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment) (d.1st June 1942)

Medal and Photo

from CWGC, buried at Knightsbridge War Cemetery Acroma
  • Private Ward, Henry Johnson
  • Service Number 4391218
  • Died 01/06/1942
  • Aged 31
  • 4th Bn. Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment)
  • Son of Harry and Grace Ward, of South Bank, Yorkshire; husband of Doris Frances Ward, of South Bank.
  • Monday, June 1, 1942
  • Age 31 KNIGHTSBRIDGE WAR CEMETERY, ACROMA 12. F. 5.

Kind regards

Ken Chapman



L/Cpl Alexander Ferguson Strachan 4th Battalion Green Howards (d.23rd May 1940)

Alex Strachan on left

Alexander Strachan is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial.

Stewart Bailey



Pte. Maurice Marshall 4th Battalion Green Howards

My father Maurice Marshall was at Dunkirk, and then sent to Southern England to regroup before being sent to North Africa. I believe that the 4th Battalion, Green Howards, of which he was a part, was in conflict with the enemy at a place called Gazala, after which I am in the dark, any information would be appreciated.

Kenneth Marshall



Pte. Fred Victor Brooks 4th Btn. Green Howards

Fred Brooks joined the 4th Battalion, Green Howards in 1941. He went with the 50th Division, first to Egypt and then to Cyprus.

After this 50th Division went to Palestine before being transferred to the Western Desert in February 1942. The Division took up a position in the Gazala line ready to face Rommel and his Afrika Corps. The Division was in a box area and lacked any kind of mutual support. Fred and his comrades faced the might of Rommel's troops after they attacked following their avoidance of the Gazala line and eventually locating the Brigade. Rommel launched his assault with 3 German and 2 Italian Divisions. After using up all of their munitions the Brigade was overrun on 1st June 1942 and most, including Fred, were taken prisoner.

Rommel and his Afrika Corps then moved on to capture Tobruk. Fred Brooks was transported to Italy as a P.O.W. and was incarcerated in P.O.W. Campo No. 65 Cressina (Bari) (also listed as Gravina, Altamura). To the War Office he was initially listed as missing on casualty list 869 on the 4th June 1942. This was then communicated to his family who had two and a half months of anxiety regarding his fate until the War Office received news on 24th August 1942 that he was officially a P.O.W. (Casualty list no. 910). Fred was still at Cressina in 1943 (P.O.W. no. 253414) and remained there until the British invaded Italy in 1944.

With the British advancing the Italian P.O.W's were moved north and in to Germany, many went to Stalag 8B, but Fred went to Stalag 4F located at Hartmansdorf Chemnitz. The camp was liberated by the Americans in March 1945 and Fred was repatriated home later that year.

Elizabeth Hill



Pte. James William Spence 4th Btn. Yorkshire Regiment (d.27th May 1940)

I don't know much about my uncle James Spence. I know he died in the Second World War but unfortunately my father (his brother) would not talk about the war to us. I am trying to find out about my uncle Jimmy.

Margaret Frazer-Cann



Pte. James William Spence 4th Battalion Green Howards (d.27th May 1940 )

James Spence was my uncle. I never knew him, he was only 20 when he died.

Margaret Frazer-Cann









Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.







Links


















    The free section of the Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers. We have been helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items.

    The website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions.

    If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.



    Hosted by:

    The Wartime Memories Project Website

    is archived for preservation by the British Library





    Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXIV
    - All Rights Reserved

    We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites.