I remember Dunkirk

13/07/2010

It’s 70 years after the great evacuation of a quarter of a million troops from the beaches of Dunkirk and other nearby beaches by the ‘little ships’. Although a long time has passed, the memories of those of us who experienced this action will never be entirely erased.

 

On landing at Dover, we were fed, watered and kitted out. We were then told all would be given 48 hours B.E.F leave – as it was termed in those days. After Dover we were taken to the West Country, around Hereford and Ross on Wye. Ostensibly this was where the regiment would be reformed and equipped accordingly.

 

After a couple of days a draft of about 200 or so were called on parade. We were informed we will be going to Northampton, where we would get our 48 hour post Dunkirk leave. Instead we went to Southampton, straight to the docks, where a boat awaited us! We were then hit with the news our destination was France - bearing in mind this was only a couple of days after Dunkirk. One military policeman said if we would like to scribble a few lines to our family and write the address to whom it should be sent, he promised he would see to it. I must say he was as good as his word. My parents did receive those few scribbled lines – our parents knew we had gone over again.

 

That boat took us to Cherbourg. There were probably eight or nine hundred troops on board, made up of French, Belgians and Brits. On arrival in Cherbourg we were unloaded. We were not specialist troops and the only arms we had were our rifles.

 

Nobody in charge seemed to know what the hell we were supposed to do after landing. We were not wanted in any active capacity. We were then told the best thing we could do was get out if we can.

 

Information filtered through the best place to head for would be St Nazare  - approximately 240 miles away, we did eventually get there after a lot of footslogging plus a lift in a cattle truck. There was comfort for you!

On reaching the docks area the whole place was in chaos. Offshore were the masts of a sunken ship sticking out of the water.  The name of that ship, we were told, was the Lancastria. It had been bombed the day before we arrived. On board were a reputed 4,000 people, 2,000 of whom were killed or drowned.

 

That day was 17th June 1940. In dock was the 28,000-ton ship named the Georgic, possibly an ex-cruise liner. We eventually left St Nazare on 19th June 1940 and ended up in Greenock in Scotland the next day.

Just one more thing before I finish. On demob, six years later, the Army Records Office said they had no record of this event happening. I wonder if anyone reading this remembers being on this escapade. By the way, we were among the last out of France. My regiment was 197/61 LAA.

 

A. Cole, Dartford

 

 

HAVE YOUR SAY

 

Well readers, we would love any memories that you have of those fateful few days, 70 years ago

 

email editorial@maturetimes.co.uk

 

 

While recently clearing out some cupboards at the in-laws house we came across a book that belonged to my father in law. I gave the book to my father who had been reading the article about the evacuation of Dunkirk and has asked me to send you this reply.

 

Harry Swift (my father in law) was a Sargent in the 7th Manchester regiment and the book is titled Mountain and Flood- history of the 52nd (lowland) division by George Blake. Inside the book is a large map detailing the route taken into Germany from Ostend Oct 1944 to Bremen 27 April 1945.

 

Inset on this map is another map ( see Attachment ) that shows they were sent from Southampton on the 11 June 1940 and evacuated from Cherboug on the 17 June 1940.

 

Is this the same escapade that Mr Cole is referring to in the article?

 

Derek Evans