大象传媒

This the story of my father's experiences in France. His name Leonard Arthur Branch and he wasin the Royal Corp of Signals. I was told this story by my late Mother so I can't guarantee that it is all correct.
He was caught up in the retreat to Dunkirk and waited three days to be taken off the beach. He told of the shortage of arms and how they had one rifle between three men. He eventually got away on a paddle steamer called the Royal Daffodil. On return to U.K he was sent to a village outside of Sheffield called Elsicarr.
Some how my mother got up to Yorkshire in time to see them being inspected by the late Queen Mary who,said my Mother, was dressed from head to toe in White. My father had lost his teeth and of cour was unshaved, wet and filthy.
He was with a crowd of Scotsmen.
Unfortunatly thir marrige broke up in the course of the war and my mother destroyed the photographs she had of the rag,tag and bobtail crowd but I do remember seeing them.
After watching the B.B.C's great series Dunkirk
and the traumatic events that occured I can perhaps begin to understand what could of changed my father and why I lost him and never really knew him.
I can remember staying in Elsicar, where communications where somewhat difficult as the local people had difficulty understanding my Mum's Devon accent and her trouble in understanding them.
Well I hope this story is of some interest to youor anybody outthere. Inccidently Leonard would have been 96 next week on the 1st of March.

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