Dunkirk Operation Dynamo Evacuation Beaches

Once the BEF got off the beaches, the men then had to endure incessant bombing from the air and machine gunning of any vessel that moved. The sheer terror they must have endured being below decks on some of the larger vessels, knowing that if they were sunk, the chances of getting out were almost nil.

 

I've often wondered about this, some men must have taken the decision not to venture onto a boat after seeing many go down ( and I can't blame them ) .

 

Paul - Thanks so much for the link to your father's war diary. It's fascinating. Extraordinary what these men survived. My uncle was with 48 Div 517 Petrol Co. at Dunkirk, and the diary helps me understand a little more of what he experienced, for which I'm grateful.

Barbara

 

Jan

I agree with Andy - that is a really impressive picture. I had always thought there must be such aerial photographs around. I believe this is from a Henschel 126.

I wonder how much detail would come out of a scan of the original. It would be interesting to match vehicles with ground level pictures. Then we could date it.

Andrew

 

I wonder how much detail would come out of a scan of the original. It would be interesting to match vehicles with ground level pictures. Then we could date it.

Andrew

Great idea - Can we line it up with a google image today first?

 

The text that comes with this picture says "Foto original Flugzeug Dornier Do 17 bei Dünkirchen abgeschossen 1940".

I've checked old postcards of Nieuwpoort, De Panne, Bray Dunes, Malo les Bains, but I don't recognise the houses in the background. Who does?



Jan

 

Hi Jan,

I think between Westende and Middelkerke... try that, just new pc and hard to work with it

Heu, have a look at page 14, post 131. I don't know the date of the postcard but some houses are the same, special the one on the right corner, what do you think ?

 

Hi Jan,

I think between Westende and Middelkerke... try that, just new pc and hard to work with it

Heu, have a look at page 14, post 131. I don't know the date of the postcard but some houses are the same, special the one on the right corner, what do you think ?

Cisse

Great work thank you. Clearly the Ethel Everard moved. My identifying the location as Malo Terminus was based on a false assumption!

I think the attached picture is supposed to be Nieuwpoort. Is that correct? There are a number of pictures of various equipment here.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=41444&stc=1&d=1291132472

Andrew

Hi Cisse,

You're absolutely right! These are the same buildings!

Do you think this is Nieuwpoort?

Jan

 

If my memory serves me well, a German aircraft had crashed on the beach of Nieuwpoort during Operation Dynamo. Must have been this Ju 88:



Jan

I knew I had seen this plane before! Still no clues as to where the pictures were taken though... By the way, is this a Dornier or a Junkers?

Jan

 

The cockpits are fairly similar on some of the Dorniers, Jan but with a single tail fin, this is a JU88.

Is it this one ?

Ju 88 crashed at Ostend beach ? - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

 

Yes Jan, 100 % !
If you look just under the "s1" of the banner (antikfuchs1) you'll see a large building in the distance, it is still there today and the name is Koningin Elisabeth Instituut (KEI). Just located between Nieuwpoort and Oostduinkerke,local placename Groenendijk.
And did you know that Nieuwpoort-Bad during the war didn't excist, it belonged to Oostduinkerke and the town sold the grounds in the 50's to the city of Nieuwpoort to raise money for a new church, the old one was destroyed during the war.

 

The cockpits are fairly similar on some of the Dorniers, Jan but with a single tail fin, this is a JU88.

Is it this one ?

Ju 88 crashed at Ostend beach ? - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

Yes Jan, 100 % !
If you look just under the "s1" of the banner (antikfuchs1) you'll see a large building in the distance, it is still there today and the name is Koningin Elisabeth Instituut (KEI). Just located between Nieuwpoort and Oostduinkerke,local placename Groenendijk.


Thanks for this information chaps! Well, it all seems to fit doesn't it!

... And did you know that Nieuwpoort-Bad during the war didn't excist, it belonged to Oostduinkerke and the town sold the grounds in the 50's to the city of Nieuwpoort to raise money for a new church, the old one was destroyed during the war.

Didn't know that! It does explain the big distance between Nieuwpoort and Nieuwpoort Bad!

Cheers,
Jan

 

Thanks for this information chaps! Well, it all seems to fit doesn't it!



Didn't know that! It does explain the big distance between Nieuwpoort and Nieuwpoort Bad!

Cheers,
Jan

It's a damned long walk, isn't it Jan ? A good job that the girls had their in-line skates ! We must've walked that sea-front at Groenendijk last year...

 

Hi Andrew,
The weather was kind to me .
And indeed post 131 is Nieuwpoort, picture is taken at the place just in front of the church. I have a look on the other ones on that site you say and some others are from there also, but facing the sea.


We're 100% sure of the location now!

Jan

 

Ref the JU 88 I think I did a now of that aircraft and posted it in the 'Walking in the footsteps...' thead. The pic is from a slightly diffrent angle and land marcks can be seen. It was either in The Battle of France Then and Now or Blitzkreig in the West Then and Now.

 

Ref the JU 88 I think I did a now of that aircraft and posted it in the 'Walking in the footsteps...' thead. The pic is from a slightly diffrent angle and land marcks can be seen. It was either in The Battle of France Then and Now or Blitzkreig in the West Then and Now.

This time taken on Nieuport Beach as we covered the Eastern Sector.

Then


Now



Indeed Andy, I remembered that I'd read something about a German aircraft having crashed in Nieuwpoort, but I couldn't remember where I'd read it... Thanks for reminding me!

Jan

 

Drew, many thanks for the diaries, really appreciate it. In the photo you posted here, 22/10/2010, the chap without the helmet on in the foreground looks a ringer for my dad of the 1st Med regt RA. When he was alive he remembered walking down the piers to get off the beach. Does the greatcoat signify any difference in uniform from the Ulsters?

 

Drew, many thanks for the diaries, really appreciate it. In the photo you posted here, 22/10/2010, the chap without the helmet on in the foreground looks a ringer for my dad of the 1st Med regt RA. When he was alive he remembered walking down the piers to get off the beach. Does the greatcoat signify any difference in uniform from the Ulsters?

Hi Chris,

Glad you got the diaries and hope they are of interest.

Ref the pic can you tell me the post number ? Its on the top right hand side of each post next to permalink.

A

 

It was post #26. Thanks

 

I'm with you now.

Thats quite a well known/used picture in Dunkirk books. I think IWM have the original. Anyway as far as I'm aware they are all RUR men and if you look closely you can see it on some of their shoulders. I can't be sure but I think the chap with no lid on has been identified on here as an officer (Name was given) from the Royal Ulster Regiment.