Forgotten Voices of Dunkirk by Levine Joshua

Author:Levine, Joshua [Levine, Joshua]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Ebury Publishing
Published: 2013-08-23T12:36:14+00:00

Nearing Dunkirk

Hedgehog road blocks in position, ready to obstruct the road from Bergues to Dunkirk

We were so exhausted that if we stood still for a couple of minutes, we went to sleep on our feet.

As significant numbers of British troops approached Dunkirk, the largest harbour on the Channel coast, they benefitted from a stroke of luck. Senior German generals took the decision not to mop them up with their panzer divisions. Instead, the infantry of Army Group B was entrusted to finish the BEF, while the tanks moved south to prepare to attack the French on the Somme–Aisne line. In the days that followed, the Dunkirk perimeter was defended fiercely by British and French troops. Their role in the escape of so many Allied troops has not always received the recognition it deserves.

Sergeant Leonard Howard

210 Field Company, Royal Engineers

It wasn’t until 30 May that we were ordered to make our way to Dunkirk. We abandoned our transport, and the boys and I walked and ran, and we were being shot and mortared. At one stage we had to cross a sunken road, and the enemy had machine guns enfiladed down its length. We were really suffering a terrific amount of casualties, but a good friend of mine – George Parks – stood up and threw a Mills grenade through the loophole of a pillbox which was machine-gunning us. For some reason they didn’t shoot him, and he threw his grenade straight through the loophole. I was flat on the deck and so was anyone else with any sense – but he just said, ‘How’s that for a cricket throw?’ He got the Military Medal for that – and so he should. It was one of the bravest things I ever saw.

Captain (Acting) Humphrey ‘Bala’ Bredin

2nd Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles

We got to our last real position before getting into the crescent around Dunkirk. It was in the middle of water meadows, with a canal in front. We were feeling very tired, and in the middle of the night, my second in command came round to see that we were all right. I woke up – and it took me about a minute to be able to actually stand up. I staggered around as though I was drunk. And then I was reasonably normal again.

Corporal Charles ‘Bert’ Nash

2nd Bulk Petrol Transport Company, Royal Army Service Corps

We approached a crossroads outside of Dunkirk with the aim of passing straight over, but coming from our right was a convoy of vehicles. They were earthy war vehicles, half-tracks and armoured cars, not just a little 30-cwt utility like us. I instructed the driver, ‘You’d better let these buggers go by – they seem to be more at war than we are. We stopped and six or seven of them lumbered across the road – no form of aggressive action at all – and then the penny dropped. On the side of the vehicles was the German army cross. I can only guess there was no engagement because we were too insignificant.

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