- Contributed byÌý
- ysgolsychdyn
- People in story:Ìý
- William Evans
- Location of story:Ìý
- Dunkirk
- Background to story:Ìý
- Army
- Article ID:Ìý
- A2476217
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 30 March 2004
Conversation with a soldier from world war two
William Evans was my great grandfather and although he isn’t with us anymore the following is an account of what he has told his children.
My name is William Evans and before the outbreak of war I lived with my wife Eva and two sons John and Peter in Mill Lane, Buckley.
I first enlisted into the Royal Army Service Corps on the 3rd November 1928 and I was given the army number T/44867.
I was trained as a driver and a cook and my length of service was six years.
I was called up for duty again for the outbreak of war two in 1939 and did some training at Aldershot again as a driver and cook.
In 1939 I was part of the British Expeditionary Force that set sail for Belgium. In May 1940 we were cut off by the German advance and were pushed back towards Calais and Dunkirk. My scariest moment was during this time.
I became separated from my unit in all the confusion. The Luftwaffe where bombing our retreat and I had to cross several rivers. The problem being was I couldn’t swim, but I was more scared of being captured by the Germans than of the cold deep water.
Eventually I made my way back to the beach at Dunkirk and met up with some others from my unit. I was one of 340,000 troops on the beaches being bombed and shot at by the German Luftwaffe.
A flotilla of Royal Navy ships sailed from the south coast of England and rescued all of the stranded soldiers including myself.
In May 1943 my unit was sent to Italy in an effort to push out the Germans. When we arrived the Germans had already retreated north leaving behind starving civilians including small children, this upset me very much.
When the news broke that WW2 was over I was still in Europe. Hitler was dead and the German war machine had been defeated. We all felt happy and relieved that it was all over.
I was demobbed on the 3rd January 1946 having served a total of 12 years 194 days in the kings Army.
When all the soldiers and other service personnel returned to Buckley they where given a certificate thanking them for their services on behalf of a gratgrateful town and nation
Written by William Higginson
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