• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

DUNKIRK

My dear Uncle Ernie, my dads eldest brother was in the Gunners and had walked for 5 days to get too Dunkirk, he had 3 ships bombed out from under him and eventually got away on one of the small boats, he suffered all his life from bad nerves and died aged 61 from Lukiemia, dad always reconed because of his terrible experiences.
paul
 
Paul, I'm told that my father suffered nightmares for some number of years after the war. He died young, aged 41, of Leukaemia. I've often wondered whether the stress of his war experience was a contributory factor.
 
I would not be at all suprised Robert, and now as well as then the mlitary took no interest what so ever in the fate of these young men who literalley gave there all on the actual battlefield, or suffered a lifetime of pain and mental anguish to eventually die from deseases which were directly attributed to their military service. It is a national disgrace that unlike France, Germany, USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, we have no veterans hospitals, retirment homes, holiday homes, or full social network scheme spessificaly designed around the military.
paul
 
View attachment 60497Hi All
I was wondering if any one knows what could have happened to my uncle, private Harold Leslie WEBB, 5111390, 8th Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
He died of his wounds between the 19th and 21st May 1940 defending the retreat of the B.E.F. at Dunkirk. Apparently he’s mentioned on the Dunkirk Memorial (column 41) at Dunkirk Cemetery but there isn’t a grave for him, why? If he died of his wounds then he was probably hospitalized but there is no record of a grave.
Also killed was his brother-in-law, private Frank TRANTER, 5111380, 8th Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Who died on the 21st May 1940 and has a grave at the CALONNE Communal Cemetery.
According to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment Museum they were probably in the same engagement attempting to hold the line of the Scheldt.
They both signed-up, as brothers in arms, on the same day 8th May 1930 before war was declared.
See attached photo Harold WEBB is second from the left. I don't know who the others are.
Phil
View attachment 60497
 
great photo phil all young lads proud to be in uniform, it may be that your relative was seen being killed by sustanciated information and no body recovered, or which could be more likely that he was buried in the rapid advance of the battle and the grave lost with the mellee of war.
paul
 
Hi Paul
Thanks for the reply. Your reasoning could be true.
I went to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment Museum in the summer, where I got most of my information from, and they gave as one possible explanation that he could have been in a hospital, and was later captured by German forces, died subsequently and then buried by them.
I was hoping some BHF member might know of someone or some other organisation that could give me a definitive answer, perhaps an ex-soldier.
It's gnawing away at me not knowing.
Phil
 
Quite true phil I know what it means never knowing,My dads first cousin who he worshiped brewed up in France with the 2nd Grenedier Guards amoured div, and was buried at Lille, I found all this out long after my dad passed away due to the computor age he mourned that chap for 60 yrs.
regards
paul
 
My Dad told me that,although he had shrapnel in his head, he and another soldier carried their Sergeant between them for two days to get to Dunkirk .They waited three days to get on a boat.When they did finally make it the boat was sunk by aerial fire within half an hour and they had to retreat back to the beach.They finally made it to England the next day and Dad was taken to a hospital in Kent.
After recuperating he then joined up with Monty in Egypt where he spent the rest of the war.He was in the Royal Artillery and died last year aged 97.
 
For Brum Burgin:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
 
I read an article on this forum about a week ago, saying how the french soldiers rescued at Dunkirk went back to France to become prisoners of war. I have researched WW2 for too many years and this article really set me thinking did it or did it not happen? Did the french pull their weight in the defense of Dunkirk?
I came across this article on youtube, it describes in detail the actual fighting to defend Dunkirk, the casulties the allied suffered and the casulties the french suffered in the defense. The French who went back to France did so to defend Brest and Cherbourg against the Germans. I remember reading a quote about this battle from Churchill " The French defense at Dunkirk could be compared to the spartans at Thermopylae". Please look at the sites below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6C5P-AYGdY

This article might stimulate your interest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZa7r5WLkYo
 
i have recently aquired my late fathers service file and noted that he would have been one of the last number of troops leaving on June 1st .I found the article on the evacuation very interesting and very moving and I only wished we had heard about this from my father but they were very brave and dignified men who only felt they were doing there duty .He was in the 68th Field Regiment Royal Artillery and one of the first BEF to go into action.
I feel very proud of him and shall continue to research so as to pass on this information to my three sons and two grandsons so that they will never forget the sacrifice of all the forces so they could lead a life of freedom.
 
i have recently aquired my late fathers service file and noted that he would have been one of the last number of troops leaving on June 1st .I found the article on the evacuation very interesting and very moving and I only wished we had heard about this from my father but they were very brave and dignified men who only felt they were doing there duty .He was in the 68th Field Regiment Royal Artillery and one of the first BEF to go into action.
I feel very proud of him and shall continue to research so as to pass on this information to my three sons and two grandsons so that they will never forget the sacrifice of all the forces so they could lead a life of freedom.

well said reuben...not one single man or woman who fought for freedom should ever be forgotton and quite rightly you should feel so proud of your dad....

lyn
 
A very moving account of that operation Cromwell. Thank you.
my late uncle was captured at dunkirk age 18 only been the army about 6 mths he was in the regard action , allowing the troops to get of the beaches , when it was there turn to get on the beach , the ships had gone, they just waited to be taken prisoner he spent the war in a pow camp in poland
 
My Granddad was at Dunkirk, he was lifted June 1st. Like one or two others I’ve read on here he was in the Royal Artillery. Until two years ago I was fortunate enough to be a guide at Dover Castle. It was there in the underground tunnels that Operation Dynamo (the rescue from Dunkirk) was coordinated. Whenever I took groups on that tour I felt I was also telling his story.
 
Back
Top