Beyond Dunkirk - Part 1 (Etaples to Boulogne)

My grandfather, Cpl Edward Arthur Wilkins (1860815) was born on 24th March 1902 and joined the Royal Engineers in 1921. He spent most of his Army career as a Bricklaying Instructor at the School of Military Engineering, Chatham. He left the regular Army with the rank of Corporal on 21st June 1927 but was recalled to the Army in August 1939 as he was still a Reservist. In September 1939 he was sent to France and was captured by the Germans near Cap Gris Nez in June/July 1940. He was reported missing for 9 months and spent the rest of the war in prison camps in Belgium, Poland and Germany.

The story of the last few days before his capture is detailed in a letter he wrote to his wife and son on 12th June 1940 which was left with Madame Urruty, Guesnoy sur Duele and which she posted back to England in April 1945. This is part 1 of that letter.

To my dear wife and my son Arthur

My Darlings

I am writing this so that you will know what has happened to me since I left you on Victoria Station on 13th February 1940 up to 12th June 1940, for the chances are that I may never be able to tell you otherwise, though I pray to God that I may see your dear faces once more.

I returned back to my Unit quite safe and sound at Cyroing, I am a few weeks here when the Company move to "Santes" near Habourdin (Lille). I spend about a month here doing all kinds of work - it is a nice place, very quiet. We leave here and go to Levantie near Bethune, have a few weeks here and then move on to Troisvaux near St.Pol. We are billeted in an empty house alone in a large wood. Whilst we are here I put in an application for Foreman of Works and it is granted - this means that should I pass my probation I become a Staff Sergeant, my money is considerably increased and I am employed at the Base away from everything building Hospitals, Rest camps etc. My Darling, in taking this step my first thoughts wee to you and I quite thought that your worries as regards my safety were over: well I am told to stand by to go to Boulogne.

ETAPLES

Whilst I am waiting for the order to leave, the Company return to the Maginot Line where we were at Christmas 1939.

I meet all the old faces again and we have quite a reunion with our French pals. On Saturday 28th April 1940 I am warned at 6 pm to get read to move off in the morning at 06:30 for Boulogne. I go to Metz by lorry and get on a train that gets me to Paris at 9:30 pm — spend the evening in Paris — sleep on the Station and proceed to Boulogne at 08:30 a.m. arriving about mid-day. I am sent round to the C.R.E’s office at 10 Rue de Felix Adam and am sent from there to Etaples. I find my work consists of building Hospitals. I start on No 18 General Hospital — it is meant to hold about 12,000 patients. Everything goes well until Sunday morning, 12 May, when at about 5.00 a.m. we are awakened by the air raid siren. I get up and go out on to a flat roof which leads from my bedroom and have a full view of a German bomber dropping bombs and machine gunning the Le Touquet aerodrome which is about ¾ mile away. There is not a lot of damage done, and everything returns to normal after this.

There are 6 of us here; Q.M.S Naylor, Pierre Leqqay (French Interpreter), L.Cpl Gloag, Spr. Willis and Driver Bourner and myself. We have our meals at the Hotel des Voyageurs opposite Etaples Station and have the best of everything. All is quiet until the following Sunday, 19th, when we are told we are under 2 hours notice to leave. Why? We don’t know. We are still here on Tuesday 21st. I am thinking of Arthur — his birthday is tomorrow — when I hear the crack of a bomb and in a few seconds enemy bombers are raining bombs on Etaples. It is market day in the Square 50 yards away. Bombs drop here and scatter stalls and lorries. When we get the chance we dash out to see the damage. I cannot write now of the horror we find but I can assure you that I hope you never experience anything like this.

ON TO BOULOGNE

We are ordered to leave the billet as most of the windows are smashed and there is no water as the main has been busted. We get out to the huts which are built overlooking Etaples and are attached temporarily to an R.E company. Everything and everyone is in a muddle, nobody knows anything. Some of the R.Es have gone out blowing up bridges. At 8.00 pm along comes a Squadron of enemy bombers. They let loose their load all around us and we dive into the trenches near by and trust to luck and providence. It is very terrifying for they keep returning and flying very low over us, diving at us etc., but we all escape unhurt. One or two fellows of the R.E company have their nerves gone and are in a helpless condition — we are ordered to sleep in the trenches and be prepared to move at any minute, so we settle down and try to sleep. I find it impossible so L.Cpl Gloag and I get out and go for a walk and come back at about 12:30 a.m, Wednesday 22nd May and try to get some sleep in one of the huts.

We have not been here long before we are told to load on to the lorries, which we do, and off we go. We proceed to Boulogne — get as far as the Foret de Boulogne at about 4.30 a.m. when we are bombed again and are told to take cover in the forest and wait for orders. We are still here at 11 a.m Whilst waiting I see a Spitfire chasing an enemy bomber, please note this is the first I have seen of our RAF since I arrived back from England.

We move off again and reach Boulogne. When we get there the CRE, Commanding Officer of the REs in the district, wants to know why everyone has come to Boulogne, why the RE company blew up the bridges etc and tells them to get straight back to Etaples. We are to remain here, so we go to the Hotel de Monsigny for a good meal and return to the office at 10 Rue de Felix Adam where Capt. Forbes asks me to help construct a barricade at the docks to keep the refugees from getting out of order. I am given a few men of a R.E Company stationed at Boulogne and take the material and tools in the two lorries and start erecting the barricade. The Gare Maritime is crowded with refugees. We have a job to work. Whilst I am getting on with the job several hundred soldiers arrive and take up position behind the barricade. I ask them why they have come — they say they do not know. Capt Forbes tells me that they are there to keep the refugees in order. Well, I have nearly finished the barricade when crack, crack, crack, shells start falling all around me. I finish the barricade about 8.30 pm and look round for Capt Forbes but cannot find him. Shells still keep falling incessantly - I ask what it is all about and am told that three tanks and a little artillery of the Germans have broken through. I notice the soldiers are all lined up behind with barricade with their rifles and one machine gun. There is a terrible bombardment — how I missed the shrapnel I do not know. Presently the troops march off so I return to the Office and find everybody quite unperturbed. Everyone is sleeping in the cellar so I make my bed and get to sleep. I am feeling pretty rough. I have not had a shave since Tuesday morning. Whilst I am trying to get to sleep I think of you my pet and Arthur. It is his birthday — and what a day!

(To be continued in Part 2)

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