228003 Bdr. John Pickup British Army 23 Field Regiment Royal Artillery from:Nelson, Lancs Dad, Bdr Jsck Pickup, had been in the Artillery for 8 years prior to WW2.
They went out to France in Sept 1939 and were stationed near Metz, in North Eastern France. He was a surveyor. They carried out rearguard actions through France and the Somme region to Abbeville. His battery knocked out numerous German tanks using "open sights" at relatively close range. They had become part of The 51st Highland Division.
They were trying to get back to Le Havre. When near to St Valery-En-Caux, the surveying unit was asked to go towards Fecamp to plot future gun positions. When returning the "truck" they were in was targeted by a panzer machine gunner. There was a driver, a captain, Bdr John Pickup and one other person. The only one to be wounded was the captain, whose arm was almost severed by a large calibre round. He had earlier insisted that they return to St Valery, which had almost been surrounded by the Germans before they left. They dropped the captain at an improvised aid post and Dad never knew if the captain had survived his wounds. Dad didnt think he would have.
They were in action around St Valery without infantry in front of them and the 25 pounder guns were worn with all the rounds that they had fired. Within a day or two they surrended to Rommel on 12th of June 1940.
I have researched and found a captain who I think died on the 11th of June 1940, at St Valery and he was in the 23rd Field Regiment and was from Kent, he may have been the captain mentioned above, a brave and dedicated officer!.
Dad spent the next four and three quarter years in POW camps in Poland and Germany (Stalag 20a and 357 at Falinbostal) and nearly being killed by Typhoons on a forced march towards Lubeck at the end of the war.
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