大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Lin Freeman of Radio Derby CSV on behalf of Mrs Jennifer Bayley and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Dunkirk evacuation was in full swing. The panic of the day was very much catching up with my father. The nearer to the shore he got, the more terrifying his situation was becoming. He could see all around him the struggle to get to the boats. They used anything that would float to help them get out to sea.

The words of encouragement being shouted from the boats urged the men on. Swimming for their lives. My father鈥檚 friend made it to a boat. He was looking everywhere for my father. But he couldn鈥檛 see him. He turned looking back to shore. There standing at the water鈥檚 edge was my father looking out to sea. His friend called him for all he was worth. But my father didn鈥檛 move. Not able to go back. Not able to go forward. He couldn鈥檛 swim.
My father鈥檚 friend swam back to shore to help him. They struggled out to the boat. So that they both made it home.

My father showed me the ship he and his friend had been taken to, in one of the war books he had. My father鈥檚 face showed the relief he felt. As I鈥檓 sure all the other soldiers did as well.

My father never did learn to swim. But he made sure all his family did. God Bless him.

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