Världskrigspersonligheter fortfarande i livet

Om någon vecka har det gått 85 år sedan evakueringen av 338.000 brittiska och allierade soldater från Dunkerque. Fredagen den 16 maj avled den sannolikt siste Royal Navy-veteranen som deltog i vad som kallades Operation Dynamo, Duncan "Mac" McInnes BEM. Han var 105 år.
McInnes hade ryckt in i flottan vid bara 15 års ålder år 1935, och var 1940 underofficer och telegrafist på jagaren HMS Saladin.

The veteran wrote about his service during the Second World War in his memoirs.

He recalled what he saw during Op Dynamo, saying: "On arrival near to the beaches we could see columns of smoke coming out of the town which was burning and the beaches were black with troops.

"There was a jetty and we managed to get close to it and finally tie up to it.

"Immediately we embarked waiting soldiers who [looked] a sorry bunch.

"I could only see them from the door of the wireless room which was immediately under the bridge.

"It appeared the most popular one on board was the cook who provided the soldiers with hot mugs of sweet tea, probably the first drink that they had had in days.

"Then it was full speed to Dover to disembark the troops and back again into the turmoil of the beaches."
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"Once in Portsmouth, we were given leave and I was able to see my wife and family once again, and I remember it well as it was the first time I had ever sworn in front of my mother when I was describing how this 'f*****g German bomber nearly straddled the ship with his bombs'."

McInnes var också med under med under D-dagen. Han tjänstgjorde i flottan till 1960. och gjorde sedan civil karriär i telekombranschen (som ännu inte torde ha kallats så).

https://www.forcesnews.com/heritage/...ynamo-dies-105
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...years-ago.html
https://www.sailworldcruising.com/ne...eration-Dynamo