Dunkirk Experience

We reached the coast at De Panne a few miles east of Dunkirk. One morning i was stratled by the sound of shells screaming overhead.Out to sea were several warships,and for about twenty minutes they fired salvos of shells towards German concentrations around the town.Although brief, this retaliation was heartening but when it ceased i realised that a move had to be made to the beaches. When the company set off i rode with our cook on the pillion seat but as he approached one of the bridges crossing the canal behind the town German shells started to fall directly ahead, so i turned off at the bridge and soon arrived at the seafront about half a mile rom the docks.

The raod along the seafront teemed with troops and in the forecourt of a commandeered hotel i glimpsed members of a Guard unit cleaning their equipment preparing, i wondered wryly, for inspection?

Several vessels lay offshore and from a number stretched lines to which men had waded out and clung on in a vain hope that this would be a means of rescue.discarding my machine the cook and i went down to the beach and soon i spotted a small boat,power driven.A young naval officer and some French soldiers were aboard,most befuddled with drink and asleep.

we decided to take our chance, so waited until the tide was well in na dthe boat afloat.

It was a long wait made more unplaesant by the bombing but by late aftrenoon the craft lifted and we started to nose out to sea.- slowlet passing sunmerged wrecks, their masts exposed. But then when we seemed to be clearing the danger area, the boat musthave hit a sunken vessel. the engine stalled and the craft was immobilised,drifting in the swell.Powerless to do anything i sat among the French soldiers, all hope of rescue fast dwindling until i sped another launch approaching.

to be continued

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.