Description
A Dunkirk, Salerno Landings, Italy Campaign Group of 5 awarded to Acting Sergeant E G Dawson, 2 nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers comprising: 12939-45 Star, Italy Star, 1939-45 Defence Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, Dunkirk Medal, very fine.
With Northumberland Fusiliers certificate of service, release papers, cert of education, Dunkirk
Veteran’s Association membership cert and Northumberland Fusiliers Cap Badge.
At the outbreak of the war, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was stationed in Dover
in Kent, and attached as the machine gun unit to the Colchester based 4 th Infantry Division; It joined
the (BEF) in France in October 1939 and served there until June 1940. Although organized as a divisional machine gun battalion, it was attached to General Headquarters (GHQ) and was assigned
to divisions as required.
It joined Home Forces on its return from Dunkirk and on 11 November 1941 rejoined the 4th Division
as its machine gun battalion until 20 May 1942 when it was posted back to Home Forces. On 3 July
1943, it joined the 46 th Infantry Division in North Africa as a support battalion. The Battalion moved to
Italy with the division taking part in the Salerno Landings, Capture of Naples, Volturno Crossing and
the battle of Monet Camino. On the 10 th March 1944, it left the 46th Division and once again joined the 4th Division. It was reconfigured as a machine gun battalion on the 7 th June 1944 and remained with the division for the rest of the war. It fought at the battle of Monte Cassino II, Trasimene Line, Arezzo, Advance to Florence and the Rimini Line. In December 1944, it moved with the division to Greece
were it remained until the end of the war.
