I've just come across my first ever references to this particular event, involving the Royal Naval Divison in 1914, landed at Antwerp to hold the port, but the Royal Navy "...eventually had to pull out, leaving a large number of their private naval army to be interned in Holland."
The Wiki entry for the 63rd (Naval) Division actually has a BIG blank space with "Defence of Antwerp" at the bottom of it under Unit History!!!
Can anyone point me to a better history of this particular event online?
Defence of Antwerp 1914
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phylo_roadking
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Defence of Antwerp 1914
"Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." - Malcolm Reynolds
hi phylo,
Though I can't point you to a good history on this event I did find something that may be of interest.
On a Dutch site dealing with interned military during the Great War in Holland it is mentioned that 1.600 men of the First Royal Naval Brigade landed at Calais and were directed to Antwerp to help defend it. By the time they couldn't hold on any longer their retreat route had been cut off and they skipped the border to Holland where they were interned in a camp near the city of Groningen known as "Engelse Kamp". They were allowed to leave the country again in december 1918.
It doesn't add much but hey....every little bit helps
Paul
Though I can't point you to a good history on this event I did find something that may be of interest.
On a Dutch site dealing with interned military during the Great War in Holland it is mentioned that 1.600 men of the First Royal Naval Brigade landed at Calais and were directed to Antwerp to help defend it. By the time they couldn't hold on any longer their retreat route had been cut off and they skipped the border to Holland where they were interned in a camp near the city of Groningen known as "Engelse Kamp". They were allowed to leave the country again in december 1918.
It doesn't add much but hey....every little bit helps
Paul
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Richard Hargreaves
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There are a few sites on the 63rd (Naval) Division and a few articles (wot I have written myself) online. The latest is here on page 49 et seq.
http://publishing.yudu.com/A70f1/navyne ... /index.htm
Page 16 was good fun to do as well
but cold and very wet and I put my back out... 
The official history by Douglas Jerrold isn't bad, but it's written from the officers' point of view rather than the men. Leonard Sellars' Hood Battalion is an excellent 'regimental' history with many first-hand accounts, and Joseph Murray gives excellent battle descriptions in Call to Arms.
I never did 90th/100th anniversary features under our old editor but the current editor has given me a much freer rein. The series begins in Feb 06 with the launch of HMS Dreadnought; followed by Jutland; RND on the Somme; Bloody April; Passchendaele; March offensive; and Zeebrugge Raid. All are online either as microsites or digital downloads.
I'm certain there are books on Antwerp. Your best bet is to ask Capt Chris Page, head of the RN Historical Branch in Portsmouth. He's Mr RND.![:[]](./images/smilies/icon_study.gif "Study")
http://publishing.yudu.com/A70f1/navyne ... /index.htm
Page 16 was good fun to do as well
but cold and very wet and I put my back out... The official history by Douglas Jerrold isn't bad, but it's written from the officers' point of view rather than the men. Leonard Sellars' Hood Battalion is an excellent 'regimental' history with many first-hand accounts, and Joseph Murray gives excellent battle descriptions in Call to Arms.
I never did 90th/100th anniversary features under our old editor
but the current editor has given me a much freer rein. The series begins in Feb 06 with the launch of HMS Dreadnought; followed by Jutland; RND on the Somme; Bloody April; Passchendaele; March offensive; and Zeebrugge Raid. All are online either as microsites or digital downloads.I'm certain there are books on Antwerp. Your best bet is to ask Capt Chris Page, head of the RN Historical Branch in Portsmouth. He's Mr RND.
No-one who speaks German could be an evil man
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phylo_roadking
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Re: Defence of Antwerp 1914
a detailed account (with maps) can be found in "Schlachten des Weltkrieges" Vol. 3, "Antwerpen 1914", the "Reichsarchiv series" in german however (gothic script).