- Contributed by听
- Joy Milsom
- People in story:听
- Leonard Milsom
- Location of story:听
- Dunkirk
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A2454860
- Contributed on:听
- 23 March 2004
My Grandad's name is Leonard Milsom. He fought in the Second World War.
He lived in a village in Somerset called Radstock and was called up to fight in the army. His 21st Birthday was his first night in the army ( 1 Nov 1939).
His first job was in France unloading supplies, mainly wood, from cargo ships in Pornichet near St- Nazaire.
He was then sent as reinforcements to northern France (Amiens) to man some big guns. He was then sent to find a different army group fighting the Germans in Belgium but he never found them before there was a call to retreat to Dunkirk.
He had to walk all the way as the roads were blocked be refugees. Eventually he came across a bicycle factory that had lots of abandoned bikes. So he nicked one and cycled to Dunkirk on a stolen bike!
At Dunkirk the beaches were crowded with British soldiers trying to get onto the boats. Grandad walked along the beach and met two men struggling with a punt. He told them he could punt (he lied) and got on the punt and somehow they managed to get out to a ship and back to England.
After Dunkirk he went on to fight in Northern Africa near Tobruk and then up the leg of Italy.
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo