- Contributed by
- ChrisBarltrop
- People in story:
- Harold Jones
- Location of story:
- Le Pan (?), near Dunkirk
- Background to story:
- Army
- Article ID:
- A2447714
- Contributed on:
- 21 March 2004
I was in the RASC, dealing with transport. We managed to reach Le Pan, about 3 miles from Dunkirk. We dug holes in the sand on the beach to shelter from the divebombers and from the fighters. There were plenty of wrecked lorries, so we used the lorry bonnets to make a shiled over the top of our sand-holes. We were on the beach 3 days and 3 nights. We had no food or drink. We were all terrified.
After the third day, we were saved by holding on the side of a big rowing boat -- it was full up but another man and myself clung on to get towed out to the ship waiting to help us. And that ship was HMS Worcester -- extra special for me, as I was born and brought up in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire, and stil live there now.
(these details were given by Harold Jones over the phone on 24. 02.04 to the Action Desk at BBC Hereford & Worcester, who have entered them onto the website on his behalf. Mr Jones hopes to be able to return to Le Pan for the Anniversary -- he has visited Dunkirk since the War, but never Le Pan itself).
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