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Evacuation of France 1940

Mayfield

Mayfield

Burbury Brummie
My father seldom spoke about the war, if fact he always said that it was best forgotten. Therefore I know little about his war experiences other than rare statements (usually while viewing 'All our yesterdays' on tv) and facts from his war records.

I have have come across something interesting in his war records - the dates highlighted seem to indicate that he was evacuated to the UK in 1940. His Military history sheet shows him in B.E.F up until 4/6/1940 with comments stating 'Evacuated to UK' and 'Rejoined Unit' for this period?

Could this mean that he was evacuated from Dunkirk?

Mabel
 
Mayfield said:
My father seldom spoke about the war, if fact he always said that it was best forgotten. Therefore I know little about his war experiences other than rare statements (usually while viewing 'All our yesterdays' on tv) and facts from his war records.

I have have come across something interesting in his war records - the dates highlighted seem to indicate that he was evacuated to the UK in 1940. His Military history sheet shows him in B.E.F up until 4/6/1940 with comments stating 'Evacuated to UK' and 'Rejoined Unit' for this period?

Could this mean that he was evacuated from Dunkirk?

Mabel
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Silly me - here is the attachment of the War Record
 
Mabel, Your Dad was evacuated from Dunkirk, the evacuation lasted from 26/05/1940 to 04/06/1940 on his record it shows the date on the right of EVACUATION. Len.
 
:) Len, thanks for all the information. I didn't even know that he was in the evacuation of France. It may be a silly question but was there any records taken relating to which ship/boat each of the soldiers was evacuated on?

mabel
 
Mabel, I don`t think so, some were taken in small boats to the big ships well away from the beach, others waded out to the small boats it was a case of get onboard pretty damn quick as they were under attack all the time. Google Dunkirk Evacuation and you will get websites giving the info. Len.
 
lencops said:
Mabel, I don`t think so, some were taken in small boats to the big ships well away from the beach, others waded out to the small boats it was a case of get onboard pretty damn quick as they were under attack all the time. Google Dunkirk Evacuation and you will get websites giving the info. Len.
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:) Once again, thanks Len. You have been extremely helpful. Mabel
 
Mabel,
there is an excellant book about Dunkirk,
Titled "Dunkirk" author Hugh Sebas-Montefiore ISBN 978-0--141-02437-0
Which I think you will find quite interesting (not fiction)
dennis
 
The Daily Mirror has re-printed pages telling of the rescue of British Soldiers & Allied Soldiers from Dunkirk 70yrs ago. Len.
 
Its all about Dunkirk on all TV Stations this morning and I saw the Ships & Boats setting sail about an hour ago. Its foggy but calm.

Nobody from the military just TV reporters half of them talking usual rubbish
 
I always think of the rear guard that the Warwickshire Regiment had to put up, and how they suffered at the hands of the SS. RIP.
 
They showed some excellent footage on the Vancouver stations this am for the 70th Anniversary. Some of the old soldiers are still alive and went across in some of the small boats taking part in the anniversary.
 
Mayfield said:
My father seldom spoke about the war, if fact he always said that it was best forgotten. Therefore I know little about his war experiences other than rare statements (usually while viewing 'All our yesterdays' on tv) and facts from his war records.

I have have come across something interesting in his war records - the dates highlighted seem to indicate that he was evacuated to the UK in 1940. His Military history sheet shows him in B.E.F up until 4/6/1940 with comments stating 'Evacuated to UK' and 'Rejoined Unit' for this period?

Could this mean that he was evacuated from Dunkirk?

Mabel
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My uncle sargeant Victor Raymond Goode of the warwickshire regiment(medical core) sadly didnt make it back from Dunkirk. He was missing presumed killed end of May Beginning of June 1940.
 
I was stood on Dunkirk Beach last week with my friends also from Brum. What a lovely beach just like pepper sand and not very wide. It seems impossible that so many escaped back to Blighty. But remember those that died on this beach for our freedom, God bless them.
 
great pic bob and you are right....we must never forget those who gave up their lives for those they left behind...

lyn
 
One of my brothers Eddy was a Don/R with the Royal Engineers at Dunkirk, I think he got back on June 4th, which happened to be Enids
birthday, she was six years old. Also my old CO won the DSO covering the lads on the beaches with the 3rd Batt; Coldstream Guards. having read some of the history at the time, if Hitler had not held up his Panzers for 24 hours very few would have got away,
Bernard
 
Good Morning June, Do you have this its from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Len. Goode, Victor Raymond, Serjeant, 7349720, 31/05/1940, 29, Royal Army Medical Corp, United Kingdom, Column 142. DUNKIRK MEMORIAL. Len.
 
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Hi again June, Details. Len. GOODE, VICTOR RAYMOND Initials: V R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Serjeant Regiment/Service: Royal Army Medical Corps Unit Text: 145 Field Amb. Age: 29 Date of Death: between 31/05/1940 and 02/06/1940 Service No: 7349720 Additional information: Son of Albert Thomas Goode and Norah Gertrude Goode; husband of Lorna Beatrice Goode, of Handsworth Wood, Birmingham. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 142.
 
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Something I wasn't aware of, until I read Stephen Clarke's book ''1000 Years of Annoying the French'' : of the nearly one hundred and forty thousand French soldiers evacuated from Dunkirk, only seven thousand stayed in Britain to continue the fight. The rest chose to return to France, to surrender shortly after; or to sit-out the war back in France.

Apparently only 177 French soldiers took part in the subsequent 'D-Day landings; De-Gaulle refusing to allow his troops to be used as guides/translators etc. Although, to be fair to him (?) he wasn't told about the invasion until four days before it happened, as he couldn't be trusted with the information!
 
Hello JohnO,

I have not read Stephen Clarkes book but I cannot accept his figures without comment. It took all the resources that we could muster to evecuate about 250,000 of our own troops from Dunkirk To suggest that we also evacuated 140,000 French troops as well sounds to me ridiculous although I do know that some French troops got away to England and formed the nucleus of the Free French Army

It also begs the question as to how the 133,000 French troops returned to France. The ferries had stopped throughout the war and I do not suppose they all swam across. Neither would the Royal Navy take them across. Remember it was WAR

Finally if we only wanted French soldiers as translators/guides probably 177 was sufficent The title of Clarkes book sounds as if he is very anti French and he was probably writing with tongue in cheek.

Old Boy

Old Boy
 
Old Boy - the author says is he isn't a Francophobe; but enjoys correcting 'French History' as it is written by the French.

I've just checked the numbers of French soldiers rescued at Dunkirk, on Wikipedia. It says 139,997 were taken back to Britain.

As to how they returned to France; I have no idea. This had occurred to me as being very odd too; but the author made no mention as to how it had been managed. However, it was not said in anyway as a joke, or in a 'tongue in cheek' manner....he states it more than once in his book

I think someone out there will be able to supply the 'yea or nay' of it. It isn't my period; I know little beyond what everyone else appears to know....but, is what 'we know' accurate, or the full story???

I really do recommend the book; as far as my knowledge goes (fragmentary though it is) his academic approach to history is quite serious...and yes, it is meant to be amusing too.

Regards, JohnO
 
the most amusing story I everheard was from my wifes Grandfather L/Cpl Royal Fusiliers, 1914/1917, Gassed. He recended the French fishermen used to spit at the British troops disembarking in Calais, and that the Germans were more pleased to see them as they at least shouted "Kameraden" and smiled at them as they surendered.
paul
 
French returnees could easily get back to France via 'neutral' countries and into Vichy France itself or Vichy territories abroad
 
lencops said:
Hi again June, Details. Len. GOODE, VICTOR RAYMOND Initials: V R Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Serjeant Regiment/Service: Royal Army Medical Corps Unit Text: 145 Field Amb. Age: 29 Date of Death: between 31/05/1940 and 02/06/1940 Service No: 7349720 Additional information: Son of Albert Thomas Goode and Norah Gertrude Goode; husband of Lorna Beatrice Goode, of Handsworth Wood, Birmingham. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Column 142.
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Sgt Victor Goode is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial, RIP Sgt Goode. Len.
 
Again from Wikipedia ( I don't know how to attach links!) under ''Dunkirk evacuation'' section ''Aftermath'' :

'' ... British ships ferried French troops to Brest, Chervbourg and other ports in Normandy and Britany, although only about half of the repatriated troops were deployed against the Germans before the armistice. For many French soldiers the Dunkirk evacuation was not a salvation, but represented only a few weeks delay ...''

So, it looks like Stephen Clarke's book ''One Thousand Years of Annoying the French'' was accurate to both numbers, and to fact; supposing that is, that Wikipedia is correct on this matter? However, I have noticed that figures for the number of French evacuees range from a vague ''over a hundred thousand men'' to the amazingly specific ''139997'' - so there might (?) be some uncertainty. Again, I would urge anyone with an interest in Anglo-French relations to read Clarke's book; it has a wealth of fascinating information of little known facts, ranging from Champagne, to Bonaparte's 'willie'! :D
 
My Uncle Frank was with the Worcestershire regt. and evacuated from Dunkirk. His mother was relieved to have him back in Blighty, safe and sound she thought. But all the that standing around in the water for hours waiting to get on a boat took it toll. He was dead from Polio by the 12th Aug 1940. Never even made it back to Worcester died in hospital in Truro, Cornwall aged 21. He said there were many more men sick like him who'd returned from Dunkirk.
 
Morris Dancer...... that's a truly sorrowful story! To go through all that and then to succumb to polio ... it's somehow strangely worse than having died of wounds. I suppose conditions on the beach were highly unsanitary, as must have been the waters off the beach, with so many men forced to stand for hours, crowded together, in water contaminated with fecal matter.
 
JohnO said:
Morris Dancer...... that's a truly sorrowful story! To go through all that and then to succumb to polio ... it's somehow strangely worse than having died of wounds. I suppose conditions on the beach were highly unsanitary, as must have been the waters off the beach, with so many men forced to stand for hours, crowded together, in water contaminated with fecal matter.
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Yes, it did seem a cruel twist of fate. He is remembered on the roll of honour at Worcester Cathedral with the other men who were killed in action, and buried in the military graveyard at Astwood cemetery in Worcester, I have also looked him up on the CWGC website and printed out a nice certificate. One of the nurses who was looking after him had taken rather a shine to him and he had asked her to go out with him when he felt better. They put him in an iron lung because his chest was affected and he was having trouble breathing, but mum said they didn't seem to know how to work it very well, and they were putting hot water bottles inside the thing to try to keep him warm. When they realised he was dying the nurse stayed and sat with him instead of going off shift and was very upset. My mother (his sister) was also with him when he died, she had travelled down to see him. He was Frank Brookes born Worcester the son of Alice Bishop (born Winson Green, Birmingham) and Frank Brookes born Walsall.
 
Everybody thought we were finished in 1940 especially our Allies but by standing our ground the British people encouraged by Churchill made it possible to beat the Nazi. As mentioned before the French soldiers evacuated had no idea what the German occupation of their country would mean so returned to their homeland usually via Vichy France.

Here's an image, based on a photo from the 52nd Lowland archives, of an event further South and after Dunkirk from a painting of mine.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/artistjeffries/art/3592992-3-the-52nd-lowland-at-cherbourg-1940
 
My father was evacuated from Dunkirk on 1st or 2nd June 1940. Like many of those in WW2, he told me virtually nothing about the war and Dunkirk. I have researched his army records however and have pieced together his movements. He as in the Royal Army Medical Corps and had wanted to train to be a doctor (though it never happened after the war). I have evidence that, before he was evacuated, my father and the Field Dressing Station that he was part of found themselves holed up in a hotel on the sea front at La Panne just to the east of Dunkirk. Here they set up an emergency hospital to treat casualties. The hotel still exists and is the Hotel Kursaal - I don't suppose many of the people staying there now would know about the desperate conditions back then in that hotel. I have an unsolved puzzle about my father's evacuation. He told my mother that the naval vessel that he was wading towards in the sea was badly bombed before he boarded it. In fact he said that he thought that the bomb went down the funnel. However, the boat still made it back to England with my father on board. I think I remember the vessel being called The Waverley but I am not sure. I would like to find out which one it was.
 
Sennid question please, my Wife sent off for her dads Army Records and 7 months down the line she still has not rec ivied them (they do say it will take 6 months) with everything happening in the world it may take a little bit longer, but my question is how long did you wait for your dads records ¿
 
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