Questions For Second Dunkirk Area Trip This Year !

Yep, look forward to hearing how you got on!

 

Hello Everybody,


I was checking the forum to see wether there was any topic on my area.
I am from Dunkirk, France.
I know it is quite late but the Chateau you talked about earlier (Paul Reed, 30/09/2009) is "Chateau Coquelle". It was indeed used as a war hospital during WW2. It is named after its first owner Felix Coquelle, former business man, deputy and mayor of Rosendael at the beginning of 20th century.

I have in my library an old book written by the former "sous prefet" of Dunkerque, Mr René Le Gentil, in 1953, called "May June 1940, Dunkerque tragedy" where there is a nice journal of the events of this period, day after day. They talk about this precarious hospital.
I attach some pictures of the Chateau Coquelle today. The architecture of the building is very nice in my opinion.

I would be very pleased to share more info about my area if you wish to know anything.

Best regards,
and happy new year.

 

Hi and welcome - You'll have to put the kettle on the next time I come over to Dunkirk. My knowledge has moved on a bit since 2009 and I was at the building in September last year. Here's a Then and Now of sorts using Jimmy Langley's book. He was captured there whilst waiting to have his wounds treated.

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/59830-jimmy-langley-then-and-now-of-sorts/?hl=Langley

 

Hello,
Not a bad place to recover. I prefer it compared to modern hospitals.
I did not see your post before. I think I havent't correctly set the email notifications.

Thank you for your stories by the way ( I read the one about Wormhout) and learned things nobody ever taught us at school.

Best regards,
Vincent

 

Thanks Vincent - I'm hoping to head back over to Dunkirk in the next few months to do some more research.

 

hi Andy. Years late responding to your post I'm afraid. Possibly when you were there 2009 you saw the East mole. When I went in 2014 I found it had been demolished on the back of a port devt. That's what I was told anyway. Did you see it and did you take any photos by any chance?
Paul

 

Hi Paul, my understanding is the original Mole was destroyed in a storm after the war and the concrete one is the replacement.