BRAVE BRITONS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 187, 17 July 1940, Page 8

BRAVE BRITONS

STORIES OF DUNKIRK How a British major, temporarily in command of a brigade, organised a small-vscale "Battle of Tannenberg" outside Dunkirk, defeated the enemy and guarded the backdoor of Dunkirk during the evacuation is told \ tersely in the honours list. \ He is Major R. C.. J. Chicesterj Constable, who "was awarded a bar ; to his D.S.O. . The Germans got into Burgues* and Major Chicester-Constable's troops held them. Then the canal dykes behind the Germans were opened, and the major launched a surprise counter-attack and Hung back the enemy into a marsh. T/he Germans who were attacking Bergues never recovered from tl-'is stroke. (Continued foot next column).

"In Ivis sector,*' says the official* report, "there "was no morejjjSessure (luring the 'Trial v Chiclie-ster-Gons table was wounded" six times in the last war. When •. this war broke out he was a farmer in Yorkshire." The D.S.O. has been awarded toMajor Gilbert Jones, of the Lincoln Regiment'. At Dunkirk on the night of June 1-2, he stood up to his chest in water under 'heavy shell fire assisting to the boats exhausted soldiers, who, because of thfeir sodden clothes and heavy equipment, might otherwise have been droAvned. He did not cease his efforts until" the last boat was filled. Then, almost on the point of collapse, lie guided the remainder of. the troops to a comparatively safe place or 1 the beach, where lie ordered them to dig in and rest. Almost every day for several weeks a lisit of awards to members of the B.lvF. has been published, and stories of inspiring -gallantry:., re-' corded.