Evacuation from Dunkirk

My grandfather, Thomas Henry Gibson (Tommy) was serving with the 8th Batalion of the DLI in Northern France. Whilst there, he had an accident opening a ration can, and badly cut his right index finger. As a right hander, this was his trigger finger! He was taken to a mobile hospital, but the doctors couldnt save the finger, and it was removed at the the middle knuckle. He was set to be evacuated on a hospital boat. This all coincided with the evacuations from Dunkirk. Once on the boat, he was ordered to keep with him only the clothes he was standing in, his rifle and his tin hat, but to throw everything else overboard. This was because they needed to get as many servicemen out as possible, and every 4 kit bags which were ditched would allow another man on board. Naturally, all of the men did as they were instructed, and thankfully were evacuated successfully. Once back in England, my grandfather was told that he would have to pay for all the kit he had thrown over board, even though he had only followed orders.

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