The 1st September 1939 marked the day of mobilization and for a while training. But a move was soon made to the concentration area at Marlborough, where the 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment settled down for 3 months of concentrated training.

In January 1940, Cpl. Gilbert William Wheeler was with 'C' Company travelled with the rest of the 8th Battalion to Southampton. On the 15th January the men boarded a ship and at midday the following day they slipped out of harbour and crossed the channel with an escort of 3 destroyers and one battleship. At around 10 p.m. that evening they arrived at Le Havre, but were ordered to stay on board until 7 a.m. the next morning. The Battalion then moved up to a concentration area at Tourville before moving on again to Moncheaux, near the Belgian frontier, which was reached three days later. The 8th Battalion was part of 144th Brigade.

During February and early March nothing much happened other than field training exercises. Once a week the men visited a local colliery at Le Forest where they were able to take a bath.

On the 22nd March 1940, the 8th Battalion moved south to Lorry-le-Metz. 'C' Company were located at Monneren, a small village which appeared to be deserted. The task in this area was to patrol a section in front of the Maginot Line. In spite of the fact that German patrols were from time to time encountered, there were no casualties.

After about 10 days 'C' Company was relieved and moved to a rest area at Kédange, some 15 miles behind the Maginot Line, for a two day rest. After which they were back patrolling some 10 miles in front of the Maginot Line. This type of activity continued through April with rest breaks at Kédange.

On 24th April, the Battalion moved back to Moncheaux with Brigade H.Q. near by at Le Forest. It was to spend another month digging anti-tank defensive positions in the area and carrying out reconnaissances up to the Belgian frontier.

But the war of mud and static defence abruptly ended when Germany invaded the Low Countries, and by 14th May the Battalion was way up at Dan Hoek on the outskirts of Brussels.

On the 16th May, 'C' Company took up a position in a wood south of Brussels at Bois de Soignes. The following day orders were received to commence a complete withdrawal. During the move they were attacked by German dive bombers. A despatch rider reported that the German troops were closing in so a move was made towards Ninove and after a long march transport arrived. After travelling through the night they arrived at Tournai and then moved on to Wez Velvain on the 19th May.

Cpl. G. W. Wheeler and wife Bessie (December 1939)
Taken while on Embarkation leave.
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter)

8th Battalion Guard, Marlborough, 1939 (Cpl. G. W. Wheeler back row far left.)
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter of Cpl. G. W. Wheeler)

The next move was across the Belgian-French boarder. On 24th May the 8th Battalion arrived at Avelin. They had covered some 200 miles in the last ten days, fighting all the way.

On 26th May, 144th Brigade was concentrated in and around Wormhoudt with The 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment in position in Wormhoudt village, while the 5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment were at Ledringhem, and were surrounded. The 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment were near the River Yser between Wylder and Bambecque.

On the 27th May, orders were received for the village of Wormhoudt to held until midnight of the 28th May.

On the 28th May, 'C' Company move towards Herzele, whilst 'A' and 'D' Companies were around Wylder, and 'B' Company were just south of Wormhoudt. Later that day 'C' Company move to Bambecque, Lieut. R. E. Cleverley, 14 Platoon commander of 'C' Company, and his men came under attack from German tanks and infantry and were overrun, he was wounded and later taken prisoner.

Lieut. R. E. Cleverley had been shot in the leg and back. He was captured and carried to a German field dressing station, which was in a farmhouse. Eventually he was taken by a German field Ambulance to Camiers, near Le Touquet, where a field hospital had been setup in a children's home. He finally ended up in an officers P.O.W. Camp at Laufen but was later move to other camps including a period in Colditz.

Positions of 144th Brigade on the 27th and 28th May 1940
(showing movements of 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment companies)

Lieut. R. E. Cleverley
(14 Platoon)

29th May 1940 positions of 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment company locations

Enemy tanks had broken into the village from the East. “C” Company was almost wiped out after a desperate resistance by platoons. Lieut. J. H. Nicolls, 15 Platoon, position was overrun, he and many of his men were captured and taken prisoner.

Captain Macdonald had been killed by mortar shells, but when they looked for him there was no trace of his body.

Lieut. J. H. Nicholls
(15 Platoon)

Cpl. G. W. Wheeler
Wrongly reported as killed in action

In the days after many confused reports came back and many of the missing were presumed killed in action.

Corporal G. W. Wheeler's wife Bessie was informed her husband had been killed in action and there was a report in the local newspaper. However, he was still very much alive and had been taken prisoner.

Extract below from the local Newspaper:

Local War Casualties
Killed in action

Cpl. G. Wheeler
Mrs Wheeler, Yew Tree House, Gibb Lane, Catshill, has been notified that her husband, Cpl. Gilbert Wheeler, Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action on May 29th. Hw was nineteen years of age and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Wheeler, 29 Cobnall Road, Catshill. His father served with the Worcesters in the last war, and has been prominent in the British Legion movement at Catshill. Cpl. Wheeler worked at Austin's, was a keen sportsman. He played football for Bell Swifts, Northfield, and was a P.T. instructor in Bromsgrove Territorials. He leaves a widow, formerly Miss Bessie Kimberley, Kidderminster Road, Bromsgrove, and an 18 month old son.

Corporal Wheelers uncle Private William Leonard Alfred Wheeler was also serving with the 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. He had been killed a few days earlier on the 21st May 1940.

He was initially reported missing, but was much later confirmed killed in action. His body was never found and he is remembered with others on the Dunkirk Memorial (Column 58).

Other Newspaper reports of 8th Battalion men:

L/Cpl. Leslie Harold Wright (5247568) was also initially reported incorrectly as killed in action. His family were later notified he had been captured and was in a P.O.W. camp.

Below are extracts from the local newspaper:

ONE OF SIX BROTHERS SERVING
One of six brothers who were serving with the Colours at the outbreak of war, L-Cpl. Leslie Harold Wright, Worcestershire Regiment of Barley Mow Lane, Catshill is reported killed in action on May 29th ............., and married to Miss Winifred Hughes, Catshill, seven years ago. There is one daughter age 2½ years. He was employed at Austin Works as a metal sawyer, and was particularly in the days of peace on the game of darts. He played in the Royal Oak (Catshill) League team. L-Cpl. Wright was home on leave on May 15th, and was last heard of on May 24th. Two of his brothers, Cpl. Stanley Wright and Pte. Archie Wright, who are also in the Worcesters, were evacuated from Dunkirk. Stanley saw him near the Belgian coast. The other brothers, sons of Mrs. Peplow, 231 Broad Street, Sidemoor, who are on active service are Pte. Cliff Wright, Worcestershire Regiment, 1st Class Stoker Cyril Wright, Royal Navy; and orderly Seaman Dennis Wright, Royal Navy. The youngest son, Horace Wright, has registered for Military duty and expects to be called up.

* * * * *

On the same day as Private William L. A. Wheeler was killed, Company Sergeant-Major Alfred Alexander Bott (5243761), also with the 8th battalion, was also killed they both died from German mortar shelling at the small village of Bruyelles during during the withdrawal towards Dunkirk.

At the time the following reference was printed in the local newspaper:

SGT.-MAJOR A. A. BOTT
Official notification has been received of the death in action of Sergeant-Major Alfred Alexander Bott, Worcestershire Regiment. Before the war Sergeant-Major Bott was sergeant instructor at Redditch.

His body was also never found and he is remembered with others on the Dunkirk Memorial (Column 57). He was age 34.

Private William L. A. Wheeler (5252100)
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin)

POW'S at Oppeln. Cement Factory (1941) - Arbeitskommandos - E17
Cpl. G. W. Wheeler back row (full row) second from the left.
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter of Cpl. G. W. Wheeler)

Stalag VIIIB (Lamsdorf) was a large, German prisoner of war camp, which was later renumbered Stalag 344. It was located in Poland near the small town of Lamsdorf (now called Lambinowice) in an area what was then known as Upper Silesia. The nearest city is Opole. The camp initially occupied barracks built to house British and French prisoners in the First World War.

In 1943, the Lamsdorf P.O.W. camp was split up, and many of the prisoners (and Arbeitskommandos) were transferred to two new base camps Stalag VIII-C Sagan and Stalag VIII-D Teschen. The base camp at Lamsdorf was re-numbered Stalag 344.

The majority of men held in Stalag VIIIB were not in the main camp but in smaller working camps known as arbeitskommandos. These where numbered and prefixed with the letter "E" which stands for English, but POW's from many Commonwealth countries worked in these camps to.

Front cover of letter sent by Corporal Gerald William Wheeler from Stalag VIIIB
(24th May 1942)
Note the reference to Arbeitskommandos E17
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter of Cpl. G. W. Wheeler)

Letter from Cpl. G. W. Wheeler to wife Bessie (1942)
(submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter)

Cpl. G. W. Wheeler, Cpl. S. Outhwaite and
Pte. L. R. Breskal
(photo mentioned in the letter above)
(submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter)

Location of Stalag VIIIB (Lamsdorf)

A few miles west of Lamsdorf is the town of Opole (Oppeln - in German) on the river Oder. It was at Opole (Oppeln) that Cpl. G. W. Wheeler worked at the Cement Factory.
The town of Radibor can be seen about 40 mile south of Stalag VIIIB near the Czech Republic border. It was here that Cpl. G. W. Wheeler worked at Sugar Mill in 1944. This region of Poland is known as Upper Silesia.

1942 (Cpl. G. W. Wheeler first row, second from right)
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter of Cpl. G. W. Wheeler)

Oppeln. 1942 - Cpl. G. W. Wheeler far right
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter)

50th Year reunion of 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, 'C' Company
held at D.D.S. & S. Club, Stourbridge Road, Bromsgrove (Friday 1st September 1989)
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter of Cpl. G. W. Wheeler)

EARLIER PHOTOS (1936-38)

'C' Company Athletic Team, Weymouth 1936
Cpl. G. W. Wheeler sitting front left
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter)

On the 2nd August 1936 the 8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment departed for Annual Training at Weymouth. The camp was on high ground near Preston and about 3¼ miles from Weymouth. The Battalion marched to Camp along the sea front, where the salute was taken by the Brigade Commander Colonel A. L. W. Newth, D.S.O.

On the 12th August 1936, the 8th Battalion marched to Portland Docks, a distance of 9 miles to embark on H.M.S. Walpole and H.M.S. Vanquisher for a combined exercise with the Royal Navy. As soon as embarkation was completed the ships steamed out of harbour and across the bay along the Dorset coast eventually arriving at Ringstead Bay and then the men came ashore in 4 small vessels and assembled on high ground above the beach.

During Camp, on the 6th August 1936, 'C' Company Athletic Team won the Battalion Sports Cup by a large margin. On the 15th August the Brigade Sports were held and the 8th Battalion won the Sports Trophy for the second year in succession.

The Battalion broke Camp on the 16th August 1936.

Cpl. G. W. Wheeler at Porthcawl Camp (August 1938)
(photo submitted by Suzanne Macklin, daughter)