大象传媒

Jim Renton was aged 17 in 1931 and became a gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery.
He mainly served in India and was a member of the battery football team.
In 1934 he sailed aboard the HMT Lancashire for his posting to India.
He was based in the Peshwar Valley and also to the Khyber Pass.

He continued his service till 1937 when he decided to return to Britain and went to work for the GPO in Sunderland.

Jim married Rachel Reynolds of 18 Thomas Street, Sunderland on the 28th November 1938,

He was recalled to Army service just before the outbreak of World War 2 and was posted to the British Expeditionary Force, presently being mobilised for France and Belgium.

The RHA and Royal Artillery were involved in a large number of actions against the German offensive of 1940 and fought a number of rearguard actions when the B.E.F began its retreat to the beaches at Dunkirk.

During the retreat some 18,000 artillery guns , including a large number of modernised WW1 guns mounted on modern chassis were destroyed, rather than be allowed to fall into enemy hands.

Jim ended up among the troops on the beaches sometime between very late May and June 3rd 1940.
He like many other soldiers was forced to sleep on the beaches and wade out into the waters awaiting rescue by the Navy and small boats during Operation Dynamo, whilst under constant German artillery and air attack.

They were exhausted by the time they were hauled up onto the decks of the rescuing ships. The sailors looked after the troops by supplying them with food and clothing.

At this moment we are not sure by which ship he was brought back to England but Jimmy arrived back in England via the port of Dover and from there was issued a rail warrant to go home on leave and await further orders.
He arrived at his brother John鈥檚 address in Hudson Road, Hendon, Sunderland.

His nephew recently described to me how Jim鈥檚 arrival was a shocking one for the family.

He turned up at the front door in his underwear, a greatcoat and a pair of ammo boots that had gone green due to being immersed in seawater for so long, and was described as exhausted.

Jimmy remained with his family for about five days before receiving orders to go to Grimsby where his unit 531 Coastal Regiment Royal artillery were reforming and re equipping.

His wife Rachel later joined him and took lodgings near the camp.

sadly his experience had taken its toll on his health.
The family in Sunderland were alerted to Jims failing health by Rachel when she wrote to her brother in law John explaining that Jimmy was in Hospital.

Jim died at Westlands, Grimsby on November 2nd 1940 from 4 listed problems according to his death certificate.

Jimmy鈥檚 older brother, John went to Grimsby to help Rachel make the arrangements for shipping Jim鈥檚 body back home to Sunderland.
The body was escorted back by a detail of six men, 5 gunners and a sergeant, all of whom stayed with the family at their home until the funeral.
Jim was buried in the Grangetown Cemetery, Sunderland with military honours.

Sometime after Jims death, his widow Rachel gave birth to their first child, a daughter.

Later Rachel married Jims cousin Charles Welch who had served with the Green Howard鈥檚 at their depot in Richmond before the war.

Its sad to think that Jimmy had survived the ordeal only to die months later.

Its with a great sense of gratitude and pride that I have decided to tell this otherwise forgotten story

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