Hi I am trying to find out what happened to the BEF soldiers evacuated from Dunkirk May-Jun 1940. Were they billeted at various camps/barracks? Were some of them sent home or relocated to other units or what? Were any given leave to return home until sent for? because surely it would take quite a few weeks to re-equip all the units with their lost weaponry and supplies. Any help would be much appreciated, Shane.
HI i keep pushing this book and i suspect that people will think im somehow making something from it! I’m not its just a very good read. ‘We remember Dunkirk’, can be bought for about £5 off amazon and other sites. It answers your question.....by giving many examples. As the troops were disembarked they were sorted for those requiring medical attention and then put on trains. These headed out to army camps, hospitals and other military establishments all over the country. If large numbers were from a particular regiment they were kept together as far as possible but as the evacuation became more mixed they just moved the guys on to sort them out latter. The trains stopped at emergency feeding and welfare stations along the way, paddock wood station is an example and many of the period photo's are from this location. Some men however stole away and returned home (could be considered to be absent without leave), others watched in annoyance as they passed through London by train (where they lived) and headed up country for miles and miles. Many men particularly those who were not highly skilled were not sent back to their original regiments but simply reformed into new regiments or absorbed into others that were short of men. Tank crews, engineers, pilots and other specialists were valuable and were soon transferred back to their original unit (if it still existed) Often the men were given 7-14 days leave between being registered at the receiving station and being sent back to their regiment. As for rearmament and re-equipment to replace all that lost, it could be said that it took years!
Many thanks for the replies Guys , I feel I should explain why I am asking... I was born on 3rd April 1941, yep! that makes me 70yrs old. I had gone 60 yrs not knowing who my father was. But by a chance remark by my younger sister it came out she knew his name, she was told by our mother just before she passed on in 1976. My mother never ever mentioned any of her family and I never enquired I was always brought up never to question adults. Anyway to cut a long story short about 10 years ago I started doing my family history, and this is when on a rare family visit, my half sister dropped the bombshell (excuse the pun) about who my father was. My sis saw how shocked I was, and I said, how is it you know and I never did. My sister`s reply was, "I always thought you knew". It seems our mother confided in my sister in the latter days of her life. Since then, I have uncovered many surprising family secrets that were unknown to me all through my life. You have to remember I was starting from scratch.and the only blood relatives I had ever known or heard about was my mother (boy what a secretive woman). To proceed with the story (I wont go to into minute details), I managed to find and contact the sister of my "alledged" father she explained her brother couldn`t possibly be my father as at the time of my conception he was in France fighting, as part of the BEF. It took me some time to cotton onto the fact that the dates did not work out as she had stated... I was born April 3rd now going backwards, conception date would be between late june to early july. Her brother "would" have been back in england from at least 4th of June. (in plenty of time for my conception). I dont think I will be able to enquire about his whereabouts from landing in england,(via Army Records )up to his leaving the army as I am not known as family. Hence my initial enquiry into what happened to the Dunkirk evacuees. And thanks again guys for your help. Shane,
I've just been re-reading Gordon Beckles' contemporary account 'Dunkirk and After' and it very much confirms what has been stated aboove and that the return of troops was conducted with a minimum of publicity. He refers to all men receiving two days leave at home. This would seem to have been an immediate allowance but of course normal leave allowances would have begun too. Do you know how long ago the man that you're interested in died ? It may still be possible to obtain his records. (Isn't there a 25 year cut-off without next of kin permission ? ). If you are able to access his records then you will know when he arrived back and also possible leave periods. In any event, it will help you to understand the man and the turbulent times that your parents were living in.
Hi Shane, I hope I can help.... Whilst most of the BEF were evacuated from Dunkirk by the 4th June 1940 there was a significant part still in France through nearly all of June fighing a withdrawal west towards the west coast of France leaving from ports like St.Nazaire, Le Harve and Cherbourg. One way you could put this to bed for sure is to obtain a copy of his service records. If he died over 25 years ago you do not need to to be a NoK to apply. If you can find out who he served with I'm very confident I can tell you where he was in June and July. Regards Andy
Thanks for the replies guys, Andy, I haven`t got much info on my "alleged" father. His wife died a few years back. And the living members of is family are not interested.( They don't believe that he is my father after being told by one of his sisters that I couldn't be his (Jacks) son as he was not in the UK at the time of my conception. The only info I have is what his sister told me, and now they have pulled the drawbridge up and cut off any communications. Here is a piece of E-Mail text from a friend of the Turner family who spoke to Jacks sister.... "She (Jacks sister) says that Jack joined up in May 1939 and when war broke out in September 1939 he was shipped to France". "He then came back to Manchester and joined the Royal Engineers and was then posted to Africa". (not much to go on is it?) I know he was born John (Jack) Henry Turner in 1919 and that he died in Dinnington S/Yks 1970. I don't want to bother the family any more. If his children don't want to know I can understand and respect their wishes. All I want, is to be absolutely certain that Jack Turner was my father as I strongly suspect he is. Thanks for listening to my ramblings...lol Shane,
Hi Shane, What you can do legally: Apply for a copy of his death certificate online £10 Once you have that and with the info you already have you can apply for his service records £30 Because he died over 25 years ago you do not need family permission to do this research. I collect unit war diaries from 1940 France so I will be able to tell you when his unit left France and returned to the UK (Infact his service records will record when he left and arrived in the UK)-I'm even happy to look up for you when they left the UK for Africa, assuming the family is correct about his service. In my experience the service records quite often tell a different story to the family. Regards Andy
Thanks a lot Andy , seems I need his Birth certificate as well to confirm date of birth so as to fill in part 2 of service records application forms. So I have ordered Birth and Death certificates from GRO. Now, I`ll see if I can get my old printer connected, and working to this Computer so as to download Service Application forms .. Thanks again Andy. Seems likely to be a waiting game now..lol Shane.
Good luck Shane-Once you know the unit get back to me and I'll look in their diary for you. Regards Andy
