Courage Under Fire: The 2/5th Queen’s Royal Regiment, BEF – May 1940 – by Nigel Shearsmith

Join amateur historian Nigel Shearman for the dramatic story of how a territorial battalion from Guildford faced the might of Nazi Germany’s invasion of France. Poorly armed and minimal training, these citizen-soldiers defended Abbeville against overwhelming odds.

Through rare photographs and personal accounts, witness their desperate fighting withdrawal across the Somme. Despite catastrophic losses, their spirit endured.

A powerful testament to courage and survival during the darkest days of May 1940

Nigel is a retired telecommunications engineer with a lifelong passion for military history. While studying engineering at Liverpool University, he joined the Officer Training Corps affiliated with the 5/8th Kings Regiment, learning basic infantry skills. His career took him across Europe, China, India, and North America, where he spent his spare time exploring local military museums.

The growth of online resources reignited his passion through family history research. Focusing particularly on the Second World War, his continuing studies challenge 1970s myths that British troops and equipment were inferior—always questioning: “if we weren’t that good, how did we win?” He now re-enacts as a WW2 infantryman, using his extensive small arms knowledge to demonstrate how period weapons functioned.  He is also a volunteer for Shoreham Fort.