大象传媒

Dunkirk Memories

I joined the TA in 1938 at the age of eighteen as a member of the 4th East Yorkshire Regiment, which was part of 150 Brigade of 50th Northumbrian division. We went on our first camp in July 1939 and I was promoted L/CPL in charge of admin for B Company. On return I became part of the 鈥淜ey Party鈥� who were mobilised 3 to 4 weeks before the declaration of war in order to deal with the total mobilisation of the battalion.
After mobilisation we moved to the Cotswolds in the area around Stow in the Wold to start intensive training. In January 1940 we became part of the BEF and prior to going to France we were visited by King George VI 鈥� we lined the roads in the area and cheered him as he slowly drove by.
On arrival in France we were moved around and finally finished in a small village called Annoeullin in the area between Arras and Lille.
When the German assault started we moved to form a defensive line north of Arras on the banks of a river. In the following action we lost our CSM and one officer due to mortar fire.
We then started a staged withdrawal leapfrogging other units up towards the Belgian frontier. We crossed into Belgium in the area around Roubaix but before we had been deployed the Belgium government surrendered and we had to change our line of withdrawal. I can still see all the white flags hanging out of house windows as we were left stranded.
Our withdrawal continued through Menin on the road to Dunkirk. The division was forming part of the Eastern defensive lines along with a Guards Division and the leapfrogging retreat continued.
We eventually arrived and formed the Eastern perimeter of the defence around Dunkirk.
On the first of June we were told that if the Guards held the perimeter we could withdraw and we arrived on the beaches at Bray Dunes. As daylight broke we could see the deserted beach with the lines of vehicles that had been driven into the sea to form improvised jetties.
We slowly moved down the beach to Dunkirk taking cover when German aircraft appeared to strafe the area.
I and several other companions gradually drew nearer to the Eastern mole of Dunkirk harbour helping to bring dead bodies out of the sea as they were being washed up.
We arrived at the mole in the early morning of the 2nd June and started to walk along it in the 鈥渉ope鈥� we might find a boat. We were amazed to suddenly hear a voice shouting out 鈥淚 am not stopping-if you can get aboard jump!鈥� We looked over the mole and saw a small paddle steamer 6 to 8 feet below slowly reversing out of the harbour. We leapt aboard 鈥� in all about I think about25/30 of us got aboard.
When we spoke to the captain he said that he had come over with himself and the chief engineer and no crew as they were all shattered by their previous visits and would not come again at that time.
We arrived in Dover and were relieved of our weapons and put aboard a train after being given drinks and food by the civilian helpers together with the postcard to address to our family to inform them of our safety.
We arrived at Aldershot into a tented camp where we were issued with the standard necessities. After two to three days we were visited by Anthony Eden who gave us a speech about what had happened and the future. We went on leave and on our return we formed into small sections to put up tented camps in parts of the south to accommodate the reforming units of the BEF.
I eventually rejoined my battalion in the area around Yeovil. After a few weeks I was asked if I wanted to go to a posting at divisional HQ which I accepted. On arrival I found I was part of a small section of people from all arms of the service who were then sent to Devonport to HMS Raleigh where we joined the 101st RM Brigade. Our small section was formed into a code and cipher unit to assist the RM Brigade. Thus started a whole new career in the army which took me all over the world until demobilisation.

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