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Dunkirk 80 years ago ww2. This week i will add some of my original Dunkirk photos.


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It was not just the items on the beach, there was a trail of abandoned equipment all the way back from Belgium and on to Cherbourg. There was also the cost of human life destroyed. Very nearly a whole armys equipment was left, as well as many rescue boats and ships. But somehow a Scammell tank transporter and load made it home. Railway engines and rolling stock reused. A lot of the vehicles left were repaired and went as far as the fighting and then retreating in Russia. Artillery and munitions were used to bolster German supplies. To see the photos is facinating, I think there will be a lot of questions.

Edited by john1950
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HMS Devonia (J113) was not the only paddle minesweeper sunk, the others were:-

HMS Brighton Belle (J117)

HMS Brighton Queen (J28)

HMS Crested Eagle

HMS Waverly (J51) 

Source:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_at_Dunkirk

 

Gwen Eagle a cabin cruiser fromWilliam Osborne's yard in Littlehampton 

Photo http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/37974-tpt-transport-boat-ship-sail-yacht-osbourne-cruiser-gwen-eagle.html

67b4c13d84d89c09c6c211ff175f8060.jpg

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22 minutes ago, Morris C8 said:

Quote

Can anybody shed more light on 'little ship' at 6.22    Gwen Eagle.

   Here is the photos of it from my collection.

 

dunkirk small boat.jpg

dunkirk small boat beach.jpg

dunkirk boat bedford.jpg

Quick 'Google' found this.  Gwen Eagle was a 40ft long twin screw motor cruiser built by William Osborne Ltd in Littlehampton in 1938. Her owner, Donald Hudson, lived in Hove and was a member of the Sussex Motor Yacht Club in Brighton.   

There is also a brief mention in the book 'The miracle of Dunkirk'

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9 hours ago, Morris C8 said:

Part 2 Inland. Photos from my collection.

  Keith

 

I think it often gets forgotten about the amount of private vehicles taken over to France either by choice or requisition. Seeing buses and cars and some non military trucks in the photos is interesting.

I have a book about the Ox and Bucks LI in France 1940, I recall a passage written by the Padre where he laments about having to leave his own Morris 8 that he took over with him.

Kevin.

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Quote .I think it often gets forgotten about the amount of private vehicles taken over to France either by choice or requisition. Seeing buses and cars and some non military trucks in the photos is interesting.

You can see a truck far left. Photo taken off my original neg.

dunkirk beach neg 1a (2) (2018_01_13 18_51_57 UTC).jpg

Edited by Morris C8
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My old workmate said they were 'ordered', not to burn their vehicles, but to drop the sump plug, jam the accelerator, and let them seize up - which just made a gift of thousands of vehicles to the Germans.  He didn't know for certain, but he thought the official reason was so the smoke didn't interfere with RAF operations, but as he said, it might have put the Luftwaffe off their aim as well.

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What an amazing record of vehicles & equipment. I to, am surprised at the number of private vehicles.

I note also a number of K Model Bedfords with insignia which I assume were "requisitioned" by the army.(eg: last video at 12.05) as most military Bedfords had the square nose.

Some of those vehicles would have taken some shifting by jeez! 😮

Thanks for sharing 

Pierre

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2 hours ago, T8Hants said:

My old workmate said they were 'ordered', not to burn their vehicles, but to drop the sump plug, jam the accelerator, and let them seize up - which just made a gift of thousands of vehicles to the Germans.  He didn't know for certain, but he thought the official reason was so the smoke didn't interfere with RAF operations, but as he said, it might have put the Luftwaffe off their aim as well.

All so not to give there position away, but a lot were burnt. Burnt out Morris CS8 and Burnt out Bedfords at Calais. Original photos from my collection.

Keith

639863445_1940befbedfordsburntout.thumb.jpg.0a8cb73f87450bd62a904e4e180ce56f.jpg

morris burnt out 1940 (2019_01_08 13_19_49 UTC).jpg

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Looking for information on impressed vehicles I found this in 'WW2 People's War' 

"When all the impressed vehicles had been checked and no more were coming in because the factories were then producing new vehicles" 

Unfortunately not much information on the vehicles only:-

"things as coal lorries, furniture vans, tippers, all sorts of vehicles" 

Another interesting quote from the piece:-

"There were only about four crews doing this in the whole area, two in a crew, one was an officer for signing paperwork because he was the only one who could read" 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/16/a2691416.shtml

Edited by MatchFuzee
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1 hour ago, Morris C8 said:

 

A few more from my collection. 1st photo of a  Shot up Mercury 99A Taken from my original Negative .984955706_BritishArmyBEF1940france.ShotupMercury99A.thumb.jpg.cefb822ba1590e9be3fda1cc509fd0fc.jpg

  Keith

dunkirk car 1940.jpg

Now that is a rarity, a 2dr Ford Prefect. Only produced for a year or so before the war and production only resumed after the war in the 4dr version. Very interesting.

Kevin

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