BirthME, Doulas

I tell the other trucks to turn round as they can, and Goddard backs over Leemings motorcycle. A summons arrives for me to report immediately to HQRE 4 Div at Wervicq Sud in the former 5 Div sector. Suppressing the feeling that we are well in the rear of the whole British Army I decided to wait. Piles of tins have been pulled off the shelves and out of the drawers, many without labels. He has been hit in the back by a splinter and this is a hospital but the staff got frightened and ran away leaving him alone. The advanced party has a meal ready in the billet alongside. Our office is established in the stables of Div HQ's new chateau, and we should be very comfortable. While I am there a message comes through from G Branch about embarking the following night. There are fifth column scares-we shall be glad to get away from Flemish speakers who sound like Germans. When we are inside, the RSM asks me to tell the section what is happening. They remind Div HQ that their chateau is too obvious and we are warned that we might have to move out of our school to make way for them. Geoffrey Pawle has rested, and is sent off with Foster for Dunkirk with the Div HQ party. I say I am a visitor like him but he does not seem to hear me. In the train the DADMS says that to win back what we have lost will take many years of bitter fighting. About ten o'clock a single aircraft flies over making a peculiar throbbing noise. Outside I run into Brigadier Phipps. Then I see that the railway bridge has been demolished. Saturday 11th May I report my mission for Hawksworth and he turns on me. It is a fine windy morning with sand blowing along the beach. This very personal account is "officially" covered in. Tubby White was wounded. I pull him out and try artificial respiration but he is cold as Ice and I am wasting my time. They are very orderly with carts, perambulators, cars topped with mattresses, household utensils suspended, donkeys behind and dogs underneath. Geoffrey and I divide the Div sector between us and set out on reconnaissance. The trams are still running but our sappers are pickaxing at the road surface. I have a torch to look at the map but the shooting brake is not blacked out so have to be careful. The image is free to reuse for non-commercial purposes under the IWM Non Commercial Licence. Up the street he dashes into house after house, coming back proudly leading a little group of criminals. Something has happened to a group of houses whose rafters are showing. The doctor of 3 Div RE cooks me an excellent breakfast. The doctor and Foster are wearing beautiful new sheepskin jackets. Now we must work fast. I am standing on the pavement near a glass grating, about to ask Sauervein what he thinks he is chasing down that hole when there is a mumbling which rises to a roaring whistle.

We are given a very welcome lunch at the naval barracks but I feel somewhat ill-dressed covered in tar. While giving a hand to excavate*an abutment a party of Belgian troops marches up the road towards the enemy carrying a white flag to the jeers of the British. Being caged up with a tiger is inspiring. No time even to set up the office truck. The ships are still lying off the beach, but will have to pull back before first light. Devote the day to checking my monthly report to my namesake at II Corps HQ hoping that it will not come back this time corrected in red ink. The cooks, are handing out cups of tea. 18 Fd Park is settled in a barbed wire factory.

I find an empty one without difficulty for the section, offload the food and cooks gear and park the transport opposite. I give a short lecture on demolition equipment in the hut, and send them off to bed to be ready for an early start. The sappers stamp out their cigarettes. Henry Straubenzee and John Stevens in Intelligence have little news but have set up their battle map with blue marks (for the enemy); parachutists at Assche and Alost, Belgians fighting in the Ardennes, a few towns bombed. As the noise dies away a muttering shuffling remains. Assure them I will send out rations, but before I have to do so the bridges are taken over by 225 Fd Coy and I pick my parties up. This looks like Beveren.

No burning is to be permitted. It is Montgomery, the Divisional Commander. Pour acheter vos billets De Panne (La Panne) - Dunkerque au plus bas tarif disponible, nous vous conseillons de les réserver aussi tôt que possible.