Frederick Hartshorn

In May 1940, the 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment served as part of the 17th Infantry Brigade within the 5th Infantry Division of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in Belgium and France.

On 24 May 1940, the 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment was positioned near Marœuil (historically spelled Manoevil in some British battalion records), a village located about 6 kilometres north-west of Arras in northern France.
The battalion spent the 23rd and 24th of May covering the River Scarpe just south of Vimy Ridge to protect the right flank of the 17th Infantry Brigade.

Battalion Layout at Marœuil

The battalion held a heavily contested line in the chalky soils surrounding the village

• A Company: Disposed on the right flank inside a local wood.
• B Company: Held the centre, covering a high spur and a terrain re-entrant.
• D Company: Positioned directly inside the village of Marœuil.
• C Company: Held in reserve.

What happened on 24 May

The battalion was under extreme pressure from the German 7th Panzer Division (commanded by Erwin Rommel) and the 5th Panzer Division, which were aggressively outflanking British artillery positions in the area.

• Heavy Casualties: The brutal two-day action at Marœuil cost the battalion over 350 casualties. Many of Frederick's comrades who fell during this specific stand are buried right where they fought, in the Marœuil Communal Cemetery.

• The Withdrawal: Faced with the threat of complete encirclement on 24 May, the Brigadier issued a midnight withdrawal command. The battalion had to hastily abandon their weapon pits and begin a fighting retreat north toward Pont-à-Marcq, Lille, and eventually Cassel.
Private Hartshorn was tragically killed during this incredibly chaotic day of intense shellfire, tank advances, and the subsequent night withdrawal.

• Deployment & Movement: Having started the war in Northern Ireland, the battalion moved with the BEF and saw active operational orders and movements across early May as the German blitzkrieg unfolded.

• Arras & Belgium/France Operations: The battalion fought through the fierce defensive actions and withdrawals in Belgium and northern France, including engagements around areas like Arras, Maroeuil, and the retreat toward the coast.

• Ypres-Comines Canal Line: Late in the month (around May 27–28, 1940), the battalion defended positions along the Ypres-Comines Canal and suffered significant casualties—including its commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rule Maxwell Grant Wetherall, who was killed on May 28, 1940.

• Dunkirk Evacuation: Like the rest of the BEF, the battalion was pushed back toward Dunkirk and evacuated to England in June 1940, where it spent the next two years rebuilding, re-equipping, and training on home defence.