Dunkirk Spirit - the novel of the true story. The first ever account of the dramatic evacuation at the start of World War Two. For the first time, journalist Alan Pearce tells the incredible story of personal sacrifice and bravery both on the home front and in the front line.
Drawing on personal accounts and official histories, he dispels the common myths and gives a harrowing perspective of a great defeat and subsequent miracle seen through the eyes of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
Pearce paints a remarkable picture of life in the early days of the war with an island facing invasion while its army lay trapped on the shores of France.
Dunkirk Spirit shocks with its stark depiction of war and yet is rich in humour, tapping deep into the British character.
Heart warming and compelling, this is a book that raises the spirits, and begs the question could we ever do it again?
Available as an e-book from www.dunkirkspirit.co.uk

My grandfather was there.

Gunny: Give some details if you've a mind to.

If I had some to give. I just know he was there, don't know what unit he was with or any of the particulars. He flat out wouldn't say anything about it. Everytime I brought it up he would react the same way....His eyes would narrow, and he would inadvertantly teach me new swear words, which said nothing about the subject. And then he would get up and promptly head off to the pub.

I only had two World War II combat vets ever talk to me about the war. One was a Navy Corpsman who was with the Marines in the Pacific and he only said that he could never forgive the Japanese but did not expect anyone else to feel that way. The other bragged that he got a battlefield commission as a 2LT and I somehow disliked him because of the bragging, though, he was a strange man and not well liked by anyone who knew him.

When my grandmother died, my aunt sent all of the letters my father sent home while in the Navy during the war. My biggest impression was that he always needed money – always. We lost him when I was young so I never got the chance to speak to him about it. He was a machinists mate on a ship that repaired battle damage and never indicated any combat experiences in his letters (though the Navy is dangerous enough). I did get a contact with someone who was on the same ship with him but his stories are much the same as anyone – bad weather and strange happenings.

Everyone else just refused to discuss it beyond that they were there and where they were. Strange generation.

Continuing the threadjack....
Spoken with many vets (WWII) within my historical research. Many of these guys, though, "want to be found" and talked to. I rarely have problems getting them to open up and talk with me, even the former POWs. Though, there's things they won't talk about. There'll be "spaces" of entire months or years they just gloss over-- I don't press it. Had one guy who was a vet of the most horrible island campaigns (Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, etc) who would talk for hours about the exploits of his squad leader. Not one story of what he did or how he was even there. He offered me this gawd-awful EGA tie; bright red with gold EGAs all over it. Said it was too ugly to wear (he never wore it), but was given to him by a "grizzled old vet" in a bar right after the war. Only conditions on the gift; I never wear it, and once I'm a "grizzled old vet" I find a suitable young Marine to carry on the tradition. Still hanging in my closet, I'm starting to look for that young Marine....

My great-Uncle Dom served in Europe in WW II.
He was wounded and a photographer captured him on a stretcher being brought over the side of a hospital ship in NYC harbor.
He suffered the rest of his life with depression and pain from his wounds.
He has passed away,I hope he is finally free from all his pain.
Thanks Uncle Dom...you aren't forgotten.

RIP to your Uncle Dom. Looking for military 'buff's who collect signed books. Please take a look at: www.mpress.addr.com & www.mpress.addr.com/s_wings.html

Best Regrds,
Don Ward
Pattaya, Thailand/Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
don_ward83@hotmail.com