PWSTS Forum for Old Boys, Family and Friends

Attending this parade was, for me, an honour! 

When the Thanet branch of the Dunkirk Veterans was opened, there were over 80 members, now just 5.  One Veteran is a couple of weeks away from his 100th. birthday, but all 5 were there!

During the service, the vicar asked one Veteran to say a few words about what it was like to be there, and he told of the platoon scrambling in to an old farm house and how an old lady was shouting and waving her arms about, and an officer, who spoke some French, told them that her daughter was in labour upstairs.  The young first aider attatched to their platoon, who had never seen a naked woman in his life, was sent up to help, and 3 hours later came down grinning all over his face, with the news that "He" had a little girl!  The mother insisted that he name the girl, and, being in France and desperately weary, all he could think of was "Francis".   As  we were all smilling, we were told the lad was blown up on the beach the next day.

The gentleman telling this had tears rolling down his face, and he looked up and saw our Standard and the Vindi boy's Standard, and then said that without the bravery of the men of the Merchant Navy, none of them would ever have got home!  I leave you to imagine how I felt!

We now have our new Standard, and after re-reading the comments about what we wanted on it, I hope you are as pleased as I am with the result.

Great post Roger, thanks again from all of us ...