In 1939, 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment served in France with the B.E.F. taking part in the famous evacuation from Dunkirk in May and June 1940.
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Private William John Woodfield of Co. Down served in 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment as part of the British Expeditionary Force's time in France.
Royal Artillery
30th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, formed part of the B.E.F. in France in 1939-1940 before going on to fight in North Africa and the Italian campaign on 1944
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Serjeant James MacDonald of Armagh, Co. Armagh died on 1st June 1940 while serving with 30th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery in the British Expeditionary Force.
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Driver Samuel Webb of Portadown, Co. Armagh served in the Royal Army Service Corps and saw action with the B.E.F. during the Dunkirk Evacuation of 1940.
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Bombardier John Turbitt of Portadown, Co. Armagh died during the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940, last seen on the beach with others of 3rd Searchlight Regiment.
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The body of Rifleman Alexander Wright of Portadown, Co. Armagh washed ashore at St. Nazaire. Records suggest he may have died in the sinking of S.S. Lancastria.
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Rifleman George McNeill of Belfast died on 28th May 1940 serving in the rear guard with 2nd Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles as the B.E.F. withdrew to Dunkirk.
Royal Navy
H.M.S. Afridi was a Royal Navy Tribal-class destroyer during the Second World War. It came under heavy Luftwaffe attack on 3rd May 1940 in a Norwegian port.
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Signalman Vincent Cyril Price of Ballycastle, Co. Antrim died on 3rd May 1940 when the Royal Navy destroyer H.M.S. Afridi came under attack in a Norwegian port.
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Rifleman John Campbell Lackey of Wilton Street, Belfast died on 3rd May 1940 while serving with the Royal Ulster Rifles. His grave is in Belfast City Cemetery.
At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers was in Derry~Londonderry where they had been based since 1936.