7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment
1939-1940
Suggested Addition to War Diary

Royal Sussex Regiment Crest
7th Battalion

Unit: 7th Ban. The Royal Sussex Regt.
Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. R. GETHEN M.C.

SUGGESTED ADDITION TO WAR DIARY 7th R. S.

In the spring of 1942 I was in Oflag IX A/H Spangenburg, Germany, as also was my Commanding officer, Lt. Col. R. Gethen, M.C. One morning a new German officer took the parade and Colonel Gethen remarked to me that he recognised him.

Permission was obtained from Brigadier Eden for us to have an interview with this officer who is Oberleutenant Richter. At the interview this German officer stated that he was with General Rommel’s Panzer Division in France and he very clearly remembered meeting with the opposition which this Division encountered from a small force of British troops at Amiens on 20th May 1940. He told us that this Panzer Division had travelled 70 kilometres since dawn on that day and that this was the first serious opposition they had met. He spoke highly of the Gallantry shewn by this small force and said that, in consequence of this action, his Division was unable to proceed until daylight on 21st May. General Rommel was personally present in command of the operation. Colonel Gethen was in fact handed over to this officer on being taken prisoner.

G.H. Cook. Capt.
7th R.S.R.