STRAGGLERS ARRIVE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 160, 6 June 1940, Page 7

STRAGGLERS ARRIVE

DUNKIRK SURVIVORS. SHORT LEAVE FOR B.E.F. TRANSPORTATION FEAT. ' i (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received June 6, 10.15' a.m. LONDON, June 5.' Adrift in the Channel throughout yesterday and last night, after being machine-gunned from the shore, the last troops from Dunkirk arrived at south-east coast ports in rowing boats, a yacht, motor-boat and other craft. The War Office announces the grant of short-term leave to the B.E.F. personnel who recently returned from France.

While nearly a thousand ships were employed in bringing the Allied armies across the sea, 186 trains, comprising nearly 2000 vehicles, distributed the troops to various parts of England in 620 train journeys. Arrangements for this vast transportation were made in less than seven hours, and the movement of the trains was entirely directed by telephone. Most of the work fell upon Mr H. E. O. Wheeler (Superintendent of the Southern Railway), who to-day paid a tribute to the work of all concerned. Co-operation in the perfect movement went on day and night for eight days, and there was not a single derailment or engine failure. Higli praise was paid to the train staff,-who “worked themselves to a standstill.” The„ feeding of the tired and hungry troops was arranged at specified halts and one man was overheard to say he had never eaten so much in His life before. HEROIC LAST STAND.

The evening French war communique stated that until the last moment the rearguard put up a heroic resistance at Dunkirk, first in the suburbs and then in tiie town itself from house to house. The enemy was constantly reinforced and ceaselessly continued his assault, but he was as ceaselessly counter-attacked. The last embarkation took place under the fire of Ge'rman machine-guns. The communique pays a generous tribute to the British. Some of the northern forces, among them General Prioux himself, failed to escape. There is still no news of the whereabouts of Sir Lancelot Oliphant (British Ambassador to Belgium). I The Military Attache (Lieutenant-Colonel F. A. k A. Blake) and AssistantCommercial Attache (Mr K. E. Mackenzie) are also still missing, otherwise the staff of the British Embassy at Brussels are all known to be safe.