大象传媒

This story has never been told - it is fact, not inference or conjecture - it is written by an Englishman about a Frenchman named 'Henri'.

'Henri', in my opinion, was one of the bravest men I have met or heard of. I must add that I have seen action in the Spanish Civil War, the first Battle of Narvik, April 10th - 11th 1940,(the first V.C of the war was awarded to our C.O there). and on Russian and Malta convoys. I disclose these facts, not in a boastful manner but to give credence to this statement.

May 29th - Dunkirk a graveyard of unburied humanity. Sabotaged war equipment of every description, preventing its use by the enemy. Intermingled amongst this thousands of exhausted soldiers, shocked and stunned by the enormity of what was happening, despair written all over their faces. Waiting on the beaches and sand dunes for the arrival of small boats to ferry them to larger ships, whilst being continually bombed, machine gunned and shelled by the ever advancing speed of Hitler's 'Blitzkrieg'.
No time to bury the dead the front line only five miles from the beaches, with the Hun closing the perimeter around Dunkirk by the hour.

The figures published later tell their own story, 68,000 killed, 200,000 wounded, in the Dunkirk area includibg losses from enemy action on ships. Eight destroyers sunk and numerous small craft manned by civilians and R.N personnel these including paddle steamers, pleasure boats, the 'Brighton Belle' and 'Waverley' and many more craft of every description.

An American general, who served in the european campaign said that when he died he knew he was going to heaven, as he had already been to hell. I think that he would have modified his statement had he been to Dunkirk.
They say that the devil only left his domain once, to take a few days holiday. On his arrival, he found his accommodation far to hot and uncomfortable and left in much haste. There will be no prizes for guessing his holiday destination.
The ex-naval steam pinnace 'Minotaur' had been converted to serve as a Sea Scout training vessel, normally moored at Mortlake, ten miles above London Bridge. She was skippered by Mr. Tom Towndrow, sea scout master with A rover sea scout as engineer.
Upon her arrival at Ramsgate,the naval authorities allocated two R.N. ratings to join her. They were armed with two 303 rifles, 600 rounds of ammunition, tin hats and first aid equipment. We took on stores and fuel then made our crossing, which took about six hours. Reaching the beach safely we proceeded to ferry troops to the transports lying some way of shore. The noise of the battle was deafening. The German Stuka dive bombers had spats fitted to their wheels, which contained air activated sirens, producing a terrfying scream, add to this shell fragements and flaming onions that were falling around us, it was enough to send shivers down our spines. Our skipper decided we must move away from this dangerous are, away from the larger ships that were being targeted by the bombers. It was while we were moving into our new position that I saw 'Henri' for the first time,