Dunkirk 1940

Gnr. F.W. Pendar 91st Field Regt. (4th London) R.A. T.A.
in support of 13th Inf Bde - 5th British Infantry Division

We knew we were doing badly when the planned counter attack somewhere between Amiens and Arras led to a withdrawal because we came within an ace of being surrounded, but the seriousness of our plight did not really strike home until we witnessed Belgium Horse Artillery moving at speed in the opposite direction to us!! Even then it didn't really begin to register until our own forced withdrawal from the area of Dixmude (1st World War - Dickie Bush) to the coastal area around Furnes and La Panne.

All too shortly after this, those of us (signallers/surveyors etc) not actually operating the guns, were told to motor down the coast road as close to Dunkirk as possible, there we were to destroy or disable our vehicles then, in spite of constant air attack (typical German efficiency timed every 10 mins).

After we had done this there followed a disciplined march under the eagle eye of our Adjutant down to the East Mole. Late that afternoon we arrived to embark on either the destroyer HMS Winchelsea, or a River Thames paddle steamer!

I cannot remember whether this was 31st May or 1st June all I do vividly recall is the sense of relief and feeling of total safety when I managed to scramble aboard that destroyer sank to the deck hungry, thirsty and exhausted, cheek by jowl with comrades, British, French and Belgium and fell asleep as the ship moved away from the jetty to the accompaniment of continuing air attack and some very near misses.

Darkness fell and the next thing I remember was docking in England.

(Rumour was that we were going to be landed further down the French coast to continue the fight - precisely how was not revealed)

To this day I don't know if we landed in Ramsgate or elsewhere but we boarded a train which, ironically, took us up to and around South London, past the end of the road where I lived in Brockley then South to finally halt at a rural station WOOL in Dorsetshire.

Met by the R.S.M. of the Royal Tank Regiment we marched to their Depot, met half way by the Regimental Band which played us into their HQ. What a bedraggled shower we were but safe and sound.

It seems incredible now but we were oblivious to what had been happening elsewhere on the beaches and even unaware of what had happened to some of our Regimental comrades, those who had manned the guns on the beachhead perimeter, many of whom were captured by the enemy after they had spiked the guns.

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