- Contributed by听
- bonnywarbaby
- People in story:听
- John Shankland(Jack)
- Location of story:听
- Dunkirk
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A2425583
- Contributed on:听
- 15 March 2004
In 1940 I was stationed in France in the Bethum area. In May the Germans came through Belgium and we were sent to try and stop them. We got to Brussels and from there we were in retreat. Someway back we were told to destroy all are transport,run them into the ditches, put holes in the petrol tanks and take the distributor arm and throw them into the water (that was in the middle of the night). We then marched the rest of the night and ended up on some hill. When daylight came the Officer came round and told us to make for Dunkirk which was about 40 miles away, he then said "Good luck and every man for himself".
I took off and walked for miles, you could not get lost as everyone was going the same way. I finished up in a place called LE PANN-north of Dunkirk. Everything was in such a state, Officers did not know what was going on so I just sat about in the sand hills. To walk on the shore was too dangerous as 'Jerry' was bombing and machine gunning the beaches. As night was falling I jumped in the back of a truck and went to sleep. Next morning when I woke I found that I was sleeping next to a chap who I joined up with on October 16th 1939, we were from the 3rd Training Camp, Gosport and we both went into the 8th Middlesex Rgt. he went into 'B' Company and I went into 'C' Company. THAT IS A TRUE STORY! His name was BILL JEFFRIES,later that day he said he would try and get a boat.
He made it back to England because after the war I saw him driving a bus in the village of Easington were my Mother and Father lived.
As by reading this you will know I made it back as well. It was getting near the end of the rescue and the sun was going down when an Officer on a motorbike said "Get to the MOLE,there is a Naval ship in", that was two miles away. Arrived back in England - got on a train, there was plenty of tea, sandwiches and cigs. I ended up in Borington Tank Corp.camp, and now the rest is history.
J. SHANKLAND - 6210365
DRIVER,9 PLATOON.
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