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Dunkirk, June 1940 |
Dunkirk has a special place in local memory. Five Breasclete soldiers were
among the Highlanders taken prisoner at St. Valéry after fighting the rear-guard
delaying action that made helped make Dunkirk possible for others - but that
is another story (see Cuimhnich #2, p.30). Here we are concerned with the
achievement of Dunkirk itself. |
Among members of the crew of the minesweeper Queen of Thanet - which for five endless
days and nights took part in the evacuation of the B.E.F. from Dunkirk - is
Amhlaigh Iain Mhurch' Chaluim (Aulay Maciver, 7 Breasclete), far right; he has
just removed the cap of Kenny a' Phròbhaisd (Kenneth Maciver, 31 Breasclete,
who was later lost during the evacuation of Crete). |
The Queen of Thanet approaching the Mole in Dunkirk harbour and taking aboard all
the troops she could carry.... |
The photographs of Dunkirk here were found among Aulay's papers after his death in
October, 1998. |
......among them members of the French Tank Corps and, below right, the C.O. of the
French Foreign Legion. |
Most of them, of course, were soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force. |