Questions For Second Dunkirk Area Trip This Year !

Andy, I thought I'd already added it as an answer to one of your points, but the attached GE overlay shows the perimeter plus all the beaches etc. I drew this up for the Dunkirk TV project I was working on recently.

 

Owen
THEY ARE GERMANS !!!!!


Andy - we are going to have to take you in hand .....cos "they bombed our chippy".

The destroyer in the background a well known and much photographed image of Dunkirk.

Some good photos there Andy when I get tided up and dog seen to I must take a look at the ATB book to refresh the memory.
Thanks for the push to do this.

 

Cheers all again for your help

Paul did 3 Corps split between the two beaches on your attachment or did they withdraw up to Malo-les-bains as the perimeter in the east shrunk?

I read today there was a 1 Corps BEF too...What beach did they use?

Cheers
Andy

ps getting quite excited/emotional about this trip as it seems to be the one I've done the most research on and I feel its the one I'm most connected to of the three inc this one because it feels quite personal if that the right word after reading some vets stories and planning to visit where they were from there accounts especially reading what was said by a chap who was a DR from 1 Div Signals ! (Signals and a Motorbike-Heaven!)

Lets hope the final trip does em justice

 

Ah - just noticed a typo. "3 Corps & French Beach" should read 1 Corps. SNAFU.

 

Yes....I'm slowly getting addicted to 1940. (I never thought it would happen)
Andy

There was Graf Spe, Norway, Dunkirk, BoB...then we won the war....What more do you want...1940 Was our year....Welcome to the dark side.....

 

Yes I know Graf Spe was December but its close enough....D day should have been in 1940 too if I had my way.

 

Sorry I thought I was done.....

Question 10

1st Guards Brigade moved their Advanced HQ into a School at Uxem on the 29th May and 2nd Hamps used the church. Anyone know where the school and church is?

I imagine the church will be easy to find assuming there is only one.

 

Question 11

Anyone got a better version of this map?

I thought someone posted a colour version with the battalions listed along the Canal Line but I can only find a zoomed in version where Ervine-Andrews won his VC

 

Question 12

Does anyone know of a Blockhouse near Bergues situated at a crossroads?

 

Re Q.11 - I'll post a colour version of the map taken from the original tomorrow.

 

Ah, already had them uploaded.

Situation in May.

 

1st June.

 

Cheers Paul you're a star !

Any ideas for Q10 and Q12?

Uxem is quite small so I think a bit of walking on the ground will probably reaveal all but the Blockhouse near Bergues?


A

 

I've found the Church in Uxem.

 

I'm not sure about the bunker at Bergues. There are things built into the old walls, but despite some time motoring round the area, I don't recall any specific bunkers. The old bunker we could find on the perimeter was this one, which is at a place called Les Trois Rois on the French/Belgian border. It was used by the Duke of Wellingtons.

 

Cheers Paul...

The particular account I'm interested in is from a fullscrew in Coldstream Guards so now looking at the map you posted I'm wondering if it's further along the canal. He first describes defending a bridge over the canal and some Welsh Guards come through his position and he destroys their drums to save them falling into enemy hands. He then goes onto to say he is ordered to a blockhouse at a x rds.

A short distance north of the eastern bridge in the CG's sector there looks like four small blockhouses.

I'll try and get a picture up.

Ps I've found the school in Uxem

 

I've not quite figured out how to do the whole google thing but if you zoom in on this area to the east of Uxem you will see four square buildings, two where the pin is and two to the south......What do you think?

 

They certainly do look like bunkers. Hard to know if pre-40 or German 44. Will be interesting to see your ground level photos of them.

 

Rightieo...I have got my two poking sticks and straped the cheese grater to my back pack so me and Andrea will see you all next Sat/Sun.


Thanks everyone for your invaluable help and lets hope we can do the info you have shared justice !

Au Revoir