- Contributed by
- jackie dodd
- People in story:
- Sergeant John Hamlet
- Location of story:
- Dunkirk
- Background to story:
- Army
- Article ID:
- A2292464
- Contributed on:
- 13 February 2004
My father, Sgt John Hamlet Royal Artillery had his 21st birthday on Dunkirk beach - which was rather ironic as his great uncle Sgt Samuel Hamlet was killed on his 21st birthday at Gallipoli.
Although an abnostic, shortly before leaving for active duty, he had a premonition of seeing a soldier on the stairs of the house. On recounting this to his mother, she advised him it would be his great uncle Samuel.
My father couldn't swim and I remember him telling me some years ago how terrified he was at the thought of having to wade out to the landing craft.
On his return to England coming off the boat, all he had on was his greatcoat and a pair of boots. It was obviously not my father's fate to drown, as he was later on one of the landing craft at the Normandy landings.
My father died of lung cancer in 1988.
Now I am older, I only wish I had asked him more about his war days.
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