The Dunkirk Memorial to the Missing & Dunkirk Town Cemetery

Entrance to the Commonwealth War Graves section of Dunkirk Town Cemetery.  Continue reading

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The Dunkirk Evacuation – Dunkirk Beach & Harbour

You up for a stroll?  Well, see those flags over there?  They’re our first stop. Continue reading

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The Dunkirk Evacuation – Bray Dunes

Looking west along the Channel coast from Bray Dunes, Dunkirk just visible on the horizon, directly above the information board.  Continue reading

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Esquelmes War Cemetery

We are now heading through France towards the Channel coast and Dunkirk, but on our way, our schedule includes a stop to pay our respects to some of the men whose bravery held up the Germans in May 1940, and in so doing, allowed many others, British, French & Belgian, to reach the coast and evacuation, though they themselves were not destined to make it.  Continue reading

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Elsegem Churchyard & Roll of Honour

Elsegem is twenty eight miles almost due east of Ypres. Continue reading

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‘Kultur’

‘Certain severities are indispensable in war, nay, more, the only true humanity very often lies in a ruthless application of them.’

In 1917 two books, entitled ‘The Retreat from Mons’ & ‘The Marne and After’, written by a major in the R.F.A., were published in Great Britain.  It so happens that a few days ago, I decided it was time to re-read both – it had been a long time – and by pure coincidence came across the two short passages, quoted verbatim (including punctuation) in this post, that relate two instances of German atrocities on the civilian population of Belgium & France early in the war – considerably earlier, in fact, than the event I wrote about last post. Continue reading

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Strazeele War Memorial

A fine spring day in May 2022.  We are in Strazeele.  Where is Strazeele, I hear you cry?  Continue reading

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