- Contributed by听
- Arthurharry
- People in story:听
- My father - the late Major A. Middleton, M.C. and his widow, my mother.
- Location of story:听
- Dunkirk, Sussex.
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A2325241
- Contributed on:听
- 21 February 2004
Ladies and gentlemen:
I am Arthur Middleton. My parents married hastily two days after the Declaration of War in September 1939, and five days after that my father, then a Lieutenant, left with his Gunner Regiment for France, as part of the B.E.F.
His bride had originally worked at the London Zoo, but as the Zoo closed for the War and the animals dispersed (some had to be put down, leaving their Keepers in tears), Sheila went to work on a farm close to the coast of East Sussex. The situation in France went from bad to worse. As the B.E.F. retreated towards Dunkirk, those on the farm could easily hear the thud and rumble of the guns on the other side of the Channel. One Sunday morning the farmer's wife said "Sheila...listen": they did, and realised that there was just silence: the fighting had stopped, and her husband was either dead, wounded or a prisoner. (There had been no word from him for weeks).
Father's Regiment became part of the defence force holding the outer, then the inner ring round Dunkirk, and hence they were among the last to leave. He was by then a Battery Captain. He recalled:"Finally the order came to blow up our guns (25 pounders) and make our way down to the beaches. On the way we passed a General and his Staff. I marched the Battery past him and gave a smart "eyes right", which brought a salute and a "well done". The General was protected by a double line of Guardsmen with fixed bayonets pointing outwards - apparently there had been some trouble with some of the infantry Regiments, who hurled insults at the General as they passed, blaming him for the shambles".
He was one of the last men to be taken off on the last day, by HMS Prince of Wales. He arrived at the farm carrying nothing but a clean pair of socks and his service revolver.
And that was where I came in. I am now 63, and was born nine months after Dunkirk. It was always my fathers proud boast that "..I was the winner of the Regimental Dunkirk Stakes".
Thank you, Sir. And thank you, gentle readers.
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo