大象传媒

My dad Joe Henderson enlisted in the Royal Engineers on March 2nd. 1940 and quickly found himself with the B.E.F. building airfields in N.France.

At the end of May his unit found itself with the rest of the B.E.F.in the area around Dunkirk. The situation as you might expect was totally confused and his fellow sappers had little idea of what was happening.

Eventually they were ordered to take up positions on some roads leading into the town and told to keep all access to the port and beaches open for the retreat of the rearguard.

This involved stopping all transport,which was mainly military vehicles,and driving it into the neighbouring fields where it was to be set on fire to prevent it falling into enemy hands.
The process started off alright,Dad and his mates even managing to 'loot' some fleece-lined flying jackets and boots from retreating RAF supply trucks.

In a very short time the situation deteriorated to the point where it was only just possible to clear the traffic from the road such was the volume of retreating vehicles. There was not even time to set them on fire and consequently much equipment fell into German hands.

In the event of troops being reluctant to leave their vehicles Dad's unit was instructed to enforce the orders at gunpoint if necessary and anyone disobeying was to be shot.

Happily things did not quite reach this pitch but came very close at one point. An officer who had apparently commandeered a civilian car was determined to drive into Dunkirk until the NCO. in charge of the RE. clearance platoon ordered him from the car and threatened to shoot him. The officer realised this was no idle threat and reluctantly complied.

With the way clear the REs. were ordered to the town for evacuation. By this stage the situation had worsened and Dad was taken to the beach at De Penne just over the Belgian border a few miles to the east of Dunkirk. From here he made it back to England minus of course the much prized flying jacket and boots.

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