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This story was submitted to the People`s War site by Alan Magson of Age Concern Bradford and District on behalf of Mary Duffty and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site`s terms and conditions.

My husband, George Duffty was born at 6 Hammond Street, Leeds, in a small 'back to back' house. Later the family moved to a new estate. He had two younger brothers, and stepbrothers, and stepsisters, who were also cousins - not all living at home. Despite the smallness of the house, they had a piano. George went to Ellerby Lane School and he and his two brothers enjoyed camping and cycling and, most of all, visiting their aunt who had gone into service near Dublin and had married. On leaving school he went into advertising and passed the Preliminary and Intermediate exams of the Advertising Association.
My husband was a quiet, gentle man with a dry sense of humour -typically Yorkshire - i.e. the ability to say something outrageous with a straight face, often fooling his gullible "yellow belly" (Lincs) wife!
He was called up on the 15th January 1940. Later, his brother Lawrence went into the army and his other brother, Stanley the Merchant Navy. They all survived.
It was snowing when he was called up and went to barracks in York.
I knew my husband had been at Dunkirk, but he would never speak about his experiences. Imagine my surprise when I was looking through some old letters etc. and there, among the papers were some pages torn out of a diary, the pencil carefully inked over. It proved to be about Dunkirk, a plain and poignant story written in his small, neat writing.
He was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers and rose to be a Sergeant. A friend told that when he was told to drive a lorry, he said that he didn't know how to. 'Get in, you can now,' said the Sergeant.
My friend and her husband-to-be met George in late 1943 at Sussex Gardens, London. 21st Army Group GHQ 2nd Echelon, Royal Engineers. The unit moved to Oxford in 1944 and to Belgium in February 1945. George was demobbed on June 2nd 1946 and went into the Civil Service, to eventually become a Higher Executive Officer on retirement.

George Duffty's Diary Extracts

1940 (A.A. = Ack Ack)

May 16th. Thursday.

Went to Rouen today to eye testing. Air Raid Alarm and A.A. gun in action. This afternoon saw a continuous stream of refugees. Pitiful sight. Grand to be in a town again and feel the life. Nice place.

May 17th. Friday
Trench digging this morning and slacking this afternoon. Tonight, went to hear the 6 'o clock news. Arrived back in tent and found 60 MT drivers req'd. Parade at 7.45 pm and squashed on lorries and then to Rouen. Horrible big beetles. For Belgium border?

May 18th Saturday

At 5.0 am. Spent night in marquee. Very cold. Then back past base we left last night and a long ride to Flascelles (Amiens?). Collected lorries and then driving all afternoon. What a drive. Huge convoy, bad roads, packed with refugees etc. Expect to sleep tonight in lorry. Perfect from Waslem etc. Do not know where we are going.

May 19th Sunday

Wakened very early and went to Flascelles again. No breakfast. Got nice car to bring back and it broke down. Waiting about. Bombing. Parachutists. Finally tonight got ambulance. Nightmare trip. Bad gears. Bumped lorry in front and had to be towed. Finally lorry in front conked out. Stranded. Slept in cab all night. Waiting this morning for lorry to turn up for towing. Had best coffee ever at farm. Finally borrowed bike and sent out for the ? Met convoy and breakdown lorry. What a journey with two in tow. Roads packed with refugees etc. Found Bob etc working in cookhouse.

May 21st Tuesday

Standby about 4.30 am. Nothing happened. Air activity. German bomber came over very low. This afternoon, reports of German breakthrough and was proposed to make a stand. Little ammunition and food. Luckily, they did not turn up. Made a dash for it tonight. Left kit etc. Terrible journey - bombed, crowded. Passed through a burning bombed village. Bob did not turn up. Nearly met Jerry.

Moved off again “ Pretty hot spot “ unclear. Saw a big air battle. Another miserable journey tonight. Crowded and uncomfortable. Reports we are going to the front. Stopped after a few miles.

May 23rd Thursday

Germans on us again. Set off in a truck preparing for worst. Stop after a few miles and set off to walk. Lorries go off. Arrive in town near Dunkerque. On guard tonight on town gate preparing for Germans. Heavy rain and more lost kit. Heavy air activity. Slept best we could under the bus? Brady, Grant, Johnson.

May 24th Friday

A worrying day. Seem to be stopping here. Lots of air activity with seemingly only A.A. opposition. On guard again, heaps of traffic. Saw dead driver which other lorry brought in. Felt for them? Good night's sleep.

May 25th Saturday

Nearly constant A.A. fire. Able to write one letter tonight. More stragglers joining us and some more. Another scare this afternoon and preparation but no Nasties turned up. Terrible on guard tonight. Heavy raid, various explosions. Bursts of firing. Nightjar sang through it all. No news. Lost kit. Rumour that General Gamelin? Traitor and beheaded. Appearance of retreat. Lost Legion?

May 26th Sunday

Left for Dunkerque. Air raid just as we got in. Poor civilians living in cellars and chanting prayers. Place in a real mess. Left D. Attacked again on way out. Stopping nearby. Tonight left in lorries - stopped - marched - stopped -went back. Will be a nervous wreck soon. How I wish it was over.

May 27th Monday

Continuous Air raids now over Dunkirk area. Officer a swab and seems to depend on revolver threat. Tonight report we are to go collecting lorries and then perhaps home. Went to bed. Suddenly paraded to Dunkirk? Terrible night. Fires, explosions?

May 28th Tuesday

A terrible day on the beach. Waiting - moving - going back. Seemingly no system. Heavy rain. No grub. Air raids, etc. Feeling that I will get through this.

May 29th Wednesday

Day of queuing. Seems to be no system. Weather fine and hosts of bombers take advantage, Beach finally cleared by purposefully fierce attack. Ships sail. Back to where we started. Desperate. Cheese and biscuits. Tonight marched down to Dunkirk Nearby. Continuous raids. Town a horrible mess. Bad night on the beach, moving and sleeping. Very cold.

May 30th Thursday

Felt desperate first thing this morning but finally some system seems to emerge. Board H.M.S. Ebu and get away after waiting in suspense. 3 bombers over very low give us a shock, otherwise, waiting? But uneventful. Arrived in Dover. Stream of vessels both ways. On train, kindnesses in food etc. at various stations.

May 31st. Friday

Arrived in Alverston? (George crossed out this section but it is somewhere near Bristol) for rest. Lovely grub, country and peace. Best side of the army. Papers full of exploits in Dunkirk. Seems we are in heaven. Went to pictures tonight. News shots of war made me very depressed.

Medals
France and Germany Star 1939-45 Star Defence Medal

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