大象传媒

I've written an account of my war experiences for my grandchildren and what I'm about to write is taken from this. I was inspired to share these experiences having just watched this week the 大象传媒's drama documentary on Dunkirk and also Dunkirk: the Soldier's story.

We were situated between Oudenaarde and Eyne. We were very tired after four day's heavy labour and two day's fighting. There was little time for sleep as we were in close contact with the enemy. On 22.5.40 the German armoured spearheads had reached the sea beyond Abbeville and had turned the right flank of the BEF. General Lord Gort had no alternative but to withdraw. However, by some mischance the orders did not reach A Company of the 5th Battalion. Captain Coombe realised that his company was practically surrounded by Germans digging in for the night. He took a compass bearing on the only gap he could find and extricated his men by marching on this bearing. By that time the only route open was northwards and so we became separated from the brigade and battalion.
I heard the German tanks and saw some movement. Platoon Sergeant Major told me to go back to Company HQ to get information and orders to pass back to him. When I got there the company had gone. So I went back to the platoon and found that they had gone as well. I was all alone. Now dark but a starlight sky (we had been told always to follow the North Star) I waded through very wet corn and maize fields, soaking wet because I had to cross rivers where the bridge had been blown up.
Somehow I joined up with the Royal West Kent's at Foret de Nieppe. From here we moved off to the coast. Hunger forced us to steal some eggs and chickens as we hadn't eaten for some time. During the night we heard the German tanks moving up to the eastern bank of the canal in the Foret de Nieppe. I awoke the next morning completely blind. The mosquitos must have had a bean-feast on me, all around my eyes was swollen and I couldn't move around without help. By about 11.00am the swelling was going down and my vision was slowly being restored. A company was lost and I had been lost and all alone. I had no idea whether I had bumped into B,C or D Company.
On 27.5.40 our position in the Foret de Nieppe was untenable. It was decided that we withdraw.
On 28.5.40 we experienced torrential rain and our withdrawal continued towards Caudescure.
The Queen's Own Brigade had now been engaged with the enemy or on the move for nine days. This period included three day's fighting at Oudenaarde, three days of battle in the Foret de Nieppe and only one night in which we had been able to sleep. For much of this time the issue of hot meals had been difficult, in fact many of the companies had lived on dry rations. The men had been wet through by heavy rain and boots and socks were sodden. We were faced with a retreat of 50 miles to Dunkirk.
We formed up at Strazeele Station and set off to Dunkirk. The marching column remained intact until we reached Poperinghe on 29.5.40 when we were told to jump onto any passing vehicles because the congestion of vehicles, animals and pedestrians became too dense.
We arrived at Dunkirk on 29.5.40. I never realised that it was the whole of the British Army being evacuated, I thought it was only a battalion or a brigade.
On the long beaches round Dunkirk the officers collected what men of the Queen's Own they could find and organised them into parties for embarkation. Many of the men were so tired that they could barely stand on their feet but their behaviour and discipline were perfect. We were quite bewildered by the whirl of events over the last ten days. Nevertheless we still had time to share jokes as we munched into a tin of "bully" or sardines.
I went onto the beaches and was told to embark on a coal boat which had scramble nets on the side, of which I took advantage and scrambled onto the boat. I was asked if I had a rifle. I was unarmed so I was told to disembark and get a rifle! By the time I had scrambled down the nets, waded to the beach and picked up a rifle, the tide was going out and the boat had beached itself. We were straffed on the beaches and now on the coal boat. We were beached for about four to six hours as we waited for the tide to turn. We were ordered off the boat again and told to help push the boat off and as were doing this the Germans starffed us with Stukas from one side of the boat and we moved round to the other side.
We eventually arrived at Dover at dawn still unaware of the gravity of the situation. We were given an apple and a Cadbury milk bar. We moved upwards towards Tonbridge with people waving Union Jacks along the way not knowing where we were going. We arrived at King's NOrton Barracks, Worcester where were given a large meal of bacon,eggs etc as we hadn't eaten for a long time. I was really looking forward to a good night's sleep. Unfortunately this was not to be as I was sick all night as I had eaten too much on an empty stomach. I was dead beat.
About three days later on 2/3.6.40 I decided to ring mother and father to tell them of my arrival back in England. Were they relieved! My mother never forgot my first words to her "I'm lousy"! What words from her youngest son on his return from battle!
Private GF Harding

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