- Contributed by
- grace_mitchell
- People in story:
- Albert Mitchell
- Location of story:
- Dunkirk
- Background to story:
- Army
- Article ID:
- A2330740
- Contributed on:
- 22 February 2004
Albert Mitchell (Bert) drove an army ambulance for the 4th Field Ambulance (part of the 2nd Division) in France. He named his ambulance "Grace Darling".
He was "somewhere in Belgium" carrying a full load of wounded and walking wounded soldiers, when an officer told him to "leave the ambulance and the wounded, and make your way to the beaches". He refused to leave the wounded, but instead drove them to Dunkirk, where they were offloaded on to HMS Worcester.
Within minutes of emptying the ambulance, a bomb destroyed it. All Albert had left was the keys.
Apparently, this tale appeared in the Daily Herald, but his family did not know it was about Albert until he returned home.
He was recommended for a medal, but heard nothing more.
Eventually, the 2nd Division went to Burma, where Driver Mitchell's ambulance was a Jeep with stretchers fixed to the sides.
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