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I Fought at Dunkirk
When Britain declared war against Germany in September 1939, thousands of young men sailed across the English Channel to fight for their country. Among them were the seven soldiers who share their stories in this book. Some joined up out of patriotism, others for adventure or the prospect of a secure wage. They were fit, trained and proud to wear the armband of the British Expeditionary Forces.
For many, the first months were strangely peaceful, but when the Germans invaded in May 1940 they advanced with shocking speed. The German armoured columns sliced through neutral Holland and Belgium. The French Army collapsed and within a week the soldiers of the BEF were forced to retreat. Fighting tough and bloody rearguard actions, they endured relentless shelling and fearsome dive-bomb attacks. Constantly on the move, and facing a German onslaught on three fronts, they were soon exhausted, hungry and low on ammunition. They headed finally to their one chance of salvation: the beaches of Dunkirk.
Mike Rossiter tells the stories of seven veterans who went through a hellish baptism of fire in the first battles on the front line, and fought in the last-ditch defence of Dunkirk. They saw their comrades bombed and drowned off the beaches. Their accounts give us a fascinating and privileged insight into the reality of the war and what it was really like to face the German Blitzkrieg in 1940. They take us from the confident, idyllic days of the phoney war in the French countryside to the sudden shock of battle, from the fear and confusion of retreat to the wait for an uncertain rescue. These are the compelling stories of seven men who are proud to say I Fought at Dunkirk.
For many, the first months were strangely peaceful, but when the Germans invaded in May 1940 they advanced with shocking speed. The German armoured columns sliced through neutral Holland and Belgium. The French Army collapsed and within a week the soldiers of the BEF were forced to retreat. Fighting tough and bloody rearguard actions, they endured relentless shelling and fearsome dive-bomb attacks. Constantly on the move, and facing a German onslaught on three fronts, they were soon exhausted, hungry and low on ammunition. They headed finally to their one chance of salvation: the beaches of Dunkirk.
Mike Rossiter tells the stories of seven veterans who went through a hellish baptism of fire in the first battles on the front line, and fought in the last-ditch defence of Dunkirk. They saw their comrades bombed and drowned off the beaches. Their accounts give us a fascinating and privileged insight into the reality of the war and what it was really like to face the German Blitzkrieg in 1940. They take us from the confident, idyllic days of the phoney war in the French countryside to the sudden shock of battle, from the fear and confusion of retreat to the wait for an uncertain rescue. These are the compelling stories of seven men who are proud to say I Fought at Dunkirk.
306 pages, Hardcover
First published July 24, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 17, 2017
7 soldiers' personal accounts of what happened between the war starting and the evacuation at Dunkirk.
Makes you remember what they went through so that we can be free today.
Makes you remember what they went through so that we can be free today.
August 13, 2018
A bit dry but if one is not looking for extra juicy details this is an interesting read, after all - it is an autobiography.
February 21, 2021
Great first hand accounts of the evacuation from Dunkirk.
January 2, 2026
The story of the evacuation from Dunkirk of the British Expeditionary Force in WWII as told through the experiences of seven veterans.
I found the simultaneous telling of seven different stories a bit hard to follow which was a shame as the stories themselves were well told - a mixture of the personal & the overall picture. The personal details in particular were vivid & told with honesty. I was struck with how these were not the all-too frequent heroic tales of war, but that the men admitted to fear and at times being demoralised and reluctant to stay and fight. Coming after the introductions to the men, several of whom had such difficult upbringings, this really brought home how these were ordinary men thrust into an extraordinary and terrifying situation. By the end of the book it was impossible not to feel admiration and compassion for them.
As usual, I'd have loved more maps - maybe one for each man's story to help with following their stories, but overall this was a a vivid and personal account of the evacuation with just enough information on the overall military situation to make a fascinating account of the evacuation.
I found the simultaneous telling of seven different stories a bit hard to follow which was a shame as the stories themselves were well told - a mixture of the personal & the overall picture. The personal details in particular were vivid & told with honesty. I was struck with how these were not the all-too frequent heroic tales of war, but that the men admitted to fear and at times being demoralised and reluctant to stay and fight. Coming after the introductions to the men, several of whom had such difficult upbringings, this really brought home how these were ordinary men thrust into an extraordinary and terrifying situation. By the end of the book it was impossible not to feel admiration and compassion for them.
As usual, I'd have loved more maps - maybe one for each man's story to help with following their stories, but overall this was a a vivid and personal account of the evacuation with just enough information on the overall military situation to make a fascinating account of the evacuation.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews