Page 63 - Ranger Demo

contingent of 48 crammed onto the Dutch skoot, MV Vrede, followed by the Royal Daffodil, 5 and the experiences of these last two groups of eyewitnesses were more representative of that traditional image of Dunkirk.
The main group saw brief action after May 17 once the Germans had broken through the gap at Sedan and were advancing on Arras, in defence of Levantie until Tuesday 21st where the unit retired to St Omer. And it was whilst there, around noon, on the following day, May 22, that Colonel Ames received written instructions from Sir Colin Jardine, Military Secretary to Lord Gort at Bergues to move the regiment on to Dunkirk for evacuation - so formally becoming the first Survey Regiment to given official permission to return to England.
Because these instructions had not become public knowledge, Gunner Graham Nunn 6 still recalls that on the route to the temporary billets at St Malo, the C.O. encountered a senior French officer with his unit, who demanded that 3rd Survey join his defensive line as another infantry force, which uncharacteristically Ames strongly refused to oblige, not only because he had sufficient written proof to support his decisions, but also on principle stressing that "my men are specialist soldiers and should be treated as such!", something which his men were proud to hear and which in the wake of ever quick enemy advances throughout his own country the French officer did not wish to understand. Another veteran of those days, Larry Stradling,7 hinted a sense of relief to know what was to be done after days of toing and froing with little more than one .303 Lee Enfield between ten men against the might of mechanised armour. The screeching blaring sounds of Stukas and dive bombers grew louder and seemingly more excited as they approached their targets, Even the bravest tried to freeze out the noise by sticking their fingers tightly into their ears and diving low behind a grand piano.8
After two days of uncertain waiting, on 25th, after intermittent air raids all day, all vehicles were handed over to the RASC and the unit marched away in two single files to the quayside at Dunkirk. Everyone embarked at 17.50 with what they could carry, including their survey instruments, and departed twenty minutes later when the ship containing troops of R.A., RE and Indian mule units was still not filled. However, it was there that the unit stayed for five hours from proceeding immediately to its transit camp, again at Camberley, due to enemy bombing the town.
It was on arrival that John Leopard 9 could not understand that a spirit at home had instantaneously flourished. The shame never left him until he became part of the Royal Marine Armoured Support Group, almost four years later to the day, at H Hour during the D Day invasion of Normandy.
The Survey Battery which operated with 44 Div., was also repeatedly compelled to pack up and move after May 19 around Belgium and France, via Deerlyke, Harlebecke, Ploegsteert, and Habordin, It was, not until May 27 when the first sign of possible withdrawal became known. Harold "Conk" Bower had gone ahead from Killem to Dunkirk to enquire about boats, and they were advised to return promptly by 01.30 on Tuesday, May 28, only to reach Killem at 00.30, due to roadblocks. (described by Blaxland as undertrained and under-equipped 10) under Major General Curtis had arrived on the continent without any signal personnel or equipment. Though the 3rd had been founded out of a RE Signal's Section and contained a few members of that original unit, it was fortunate to have sufficient manpower who were technically competent, previously employed in civilian employment in the Bristol post office.
Ames, therefore, decided to supply the entire unit's signal and wireless equipment and personnel becoming from 22nd - 25th May the Divisional Signal office of Polforce, at Sailly sur la Lys, with switchboard and line laying duties under the pounding of constant bombing.
It was not before Tuesday, May 28, at Winnezeele, that their time in France was up (during which it suffered two casualties, both local Bristolians: Bombardier Sam Kelly and Gunner Donald Russell). The detachment was obliged to dump all its cable and signal equipment, run the vehicles into a ditch in an area west of the Yser Canal.
The order was to march towards the beach at Malo les Bains as allocated to III Corps, with the mere off chance of finding a ship for their return. From the afternoon of May 29 to the next morn some boarded larger vessels, such as the Royal Daffodil from the Mole, and headed for Margate, while others wadded into the water towards smaller ones.
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