Hi all Only found this site by accident when trying to find out more about my dad's war service. I've just sent off a request for his service record but from what I've read here that may take some time! My dad, Richard George Dunn, was a Royal Engineer and served in France as part of the BEF. He was part of the last line of defence of Dunkirk and was one of those men told it was every man for himself after Dynamo finished. He escaped with three others in a canvas boat they found on the beach. After one false start where they drifted back onto the beach where two men jumped out and were presumably killed or captured, they made it into the channel where they were picked up by HMS Sharpshooter. He then served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and later Palestine. From something written on this site I'm assuming he was in 238th Highland Field Company. I've got some original German propaganda leaflets that dad said they used for toilet paper. These ones haven't been used! If anyone would be interested I could upload them (if someone tells me how to do it!). Regards, Kelvin
Welcome to the board, Kelvin. Not my family, but I have literally just today begun researching a sapper with the BEF--do you know which unit your dad was with at that stage? I'm sure we'd all be keen to see the propaganda, too.
Hello and welcome to the forum Kelvin. Quite a few 1940's obsessives here so you are in good company Lesley
Welcome to the forum. Click the Upload a File button bottom right of the reply box. Then select image from your device.
Theres a couple of R Dunn - RE - that appear in the medal rolls for Palestine - whats his service number?? TD
Kelvin. 238 Fd Coy RE was one of the engineer sub-units that supported 1 British Infantry Division throughout its time at Anzio from Jan-May 44. I am taking a group to Anzio on 7-10 Jun 18 if you would like to see exactly what your father had to endure during his time in Italy. At Anzio, particularly in the early phase during the attempted 1 Inf Div thrust towards Campoleone, 238 were employed more as infantry than engineers because the shortage of infantry forced commanders to put everyone in the line. Regards Frank Guide www.cassinobattlefields.co.uk
Sharpshooter was a Fleet Minesweeper and completed two crossings to Dunkirk before being involved in a collision on the 30th May and took no further part in Operation Dynamo. She landed 69 troops at Dover around 1200hrs on the 29th May and 273 troops at Dover around 0805hrs on the 30th May.
Hi Kelvin, regarding your father’s service papers, I sent for my father’s recently on 17 Oct. I received a letter from acknowledgment to say there might be a delay and I received the papers on 2 Dec. So I was pleasantly surprised. Hope you don’t have to wait too long.