MIDDLES BMJ: first published as 10.1136/bmj.300.6733.1183 on 5 May 1990. Downloaded from Dunkirk Diary Experiences of a battalion medical officer in the retreat to Dunkirk: I Richard Doll immediately got down to organising the move; for my part it was an easy job, and I had done my small sick parade and got my truck and personal belongings packed and ready in an hour-that is, by 0900. I soon discovered from talking to the civilians, in particular the postman, that the Germans had invaded Holland and Belgium and that Major Sandie's story of an air battle was true in so far as at least two planes had flown over early that morning. The padre and I decided to fill in our waiting hours eating as much as we could, which we were enabled to do by the generosity of our host where we had the officers' mess. At about midday I went and sat in my truck, and at 1230 we moved off, our trappings and some men in battalion transport and the rest of the men in the troop carriers which had brought us to Louvencourt, and which had fortunately remained with us; in all a total of some 90 vehicles and 20 motorcycles. http://www.bmj.com/ We had about 65 miles to go to get back to Bourghelles and we covered the first 40 to Douai in good time and good order-that is to say, with the vehicles spaced out at about 100 yards and moving without too many checks at a top speed not exceeding 25mph. In Douai the column became inextricably mixed up with others, and as we emerged from the town we were packed tightly one behind another, a on 30 September 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. Loyal's truck following a heavy Royal Artillery gun and immediately in front of a divisional staff car. Here RZcnara DLLo, Gatro I yqJ we would have been a marvellous target for any enemy plane, but we saw none; we gradually got sorted out At the end ofApril 1940 my battalion left the defensive and eventually arrived home at Bourghelles at about position of Bourghelles, which we had been preparing 1900. We later heard that a few bombs had been for the previous six months. We went down to dropped on a column coming through Orchies, but Louvencourt near Amiens with the rest of the brigade there had evidently been no determined attack. for a fortnight's intensive training. This "holiday" did At Bourghelles we met Ashdown with his Indians, us a world of good both mentally and physically, who told us that twice the night before there had been because of both change of scenery and change of work air raids on the- district but that no more serious and, as far as the younger officers were concerned, by damage was done than the destruction of one horse; we the substitution of Amiens for Lille as a centre of had been lucky in that a bomb had fallen within 100 entertainment. On Thursday 9 May the brigade did a yards of the only petrol dump in the vicinity at withdrawal exercise-an exercise we were to repeat Houquinville but had done no damage. almost daily for the next three weeks. Towards 2100 six enemy planes came over high up, and several fools let off at them with Bren guns and rifles. The anti-aircraft fire seemed to be very Friday 10 May inaccurate. The planes circled around several times At breakfast Major Sandie, the acting commanding and dropped a few bombs in the distance and then Clinical Trial Service Unit officer, told us about an intense air battle which had made off. and ICRF Cancer Studies gone on in the early hours of the morning. Both the Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, adjutant and I, who are sound sleepers and a little Oxford OX2 6HE Saturday 11 May Richard Doll, FRS, honorary sceptical of the commanding officer's superlatives, member and emenutus professor were rather doubting the accuracy ofthis report when a After a good night's sleep (on the floor ofmy medical servant brought a message for the adjutant, which inspection room) we settled down to prepare for BrMedJ 1990;300:1183-6 read, "Prepare to leave immediately." The battalion departure. There was really very little to do as we were BMJ VOLUME 300 5 MAY 1990 1183 the Bois de Cambre in the suburbs of Brussels. We in the battalion transport were supposed to follow another route to the same place. Sunday 12 May BMJ: first published as 10.1136/bmj.300.6733.1183 on 5 May 1990. Downloaded from The route through Brussels had been marked by faint white lights placed along the edge of the road every 100 yards or so, and it should not have been too difficult to follow it. At a certain point, however, we were supposed to turn off to reach our billeting area. Whether we didn't turn off at the right place or what happened, I don't know, but by dawn the column of some 50 vehicles was split up into several small columns furiously driving about Brussels looking for an unknown destination. We were not the only people to have a similar difficulty as we often met small detachments of other columns similarly lost. By 0550 we had somehow succeeded in finding the right place, and, on checking up, not more than two vehicles were missing, and these were known to have broken down. I went in to a nursing home by the billeting area and was given a room, bath, and breakfast by the matron, who, i- -- ... -- --l- .. .1 pMmNwmPwmI. I like all the Belgians, seemed very despondent about Note: British Second Brigade movements refer to movements of2nd Brigade ofIst Division our future. At 0800 we were called to a conference and told that the Germans had broken through the Albert all packed up from our move from Louvencourt, and canal and that we were to continue the march as soon as most of us sat around waiting for the word go. Zero possible. hour had been fixed at 1300 the day before so that, A reconnaissance party left immediately, and the according to plan, we were to move at zero plus 23 battalion left a little later at 1230. The transport was to hours-that is, 1200 on the Saturday. However, we follow the same route, starting three hours afterwards. were given a further six hours' grace during which At first the march was continually being checked so many of us took the opportunity of sleeping. The that it was two hours before we really got out of battalion was fit enough, and I had only had to send one Brussels into the surrounding woods. All along the man back the night before with a bad whitlow and a route people were standing outside the houses offering high temperature. Two other doubtful patients whom the men glasses of water, wine, or beer and from I had been asked to see-a corporal with boils under his time to time cigarettes, chocolates, and oranges. We arms and a man who had bruised his foot some marched for 18 miles mainly over cobbled roads and fortnight ago and still claimed that it hurt him to arrived at the river Dyle, several miles south east of walk-I decided to keep. The decision in the case of Louvain (which was occupied, I believe, by the third http://www.bmj.com/ the corporal was made easier by the man refusing to division) at 2000. Once again we had not been countenance being sent away. From now on if I had disturbed by aircraft. any casualties I could only lie them by the side of the We had seen many isolated Belgian units on the way road and mark them with a red cross (of which each up-single motorcycle combinations or odd truckloads truck carried one or more) and leave them to the Royal of troops-all moving in the opposite direction to us. Army Medical Corps to collect. The medical arrange- As we arrived on the Dyle complete Belgian units ments for the move were quite good; field ambulances began to cross the bridge and we felt that we had only had moved on at the head ofthe column and established just arrived in time. This was confirmed by the dressing stations at six selected points along the route adjutant, who told me that we might expect to come on 30 September 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. to our final destination. It was to be their responsibility into contact with the enemy that night. We hurriedly to send out regular patrols within their area and clear took up positions in the dusk and began to feel rather the routes of any casualties that had been left by their anxious. We had been told that this line was well sides. This plan was made to deal with the casualties prepared, but it did not seem to satisfy our com- which might be expected if the enemy bombed us on manders. There was a good deal of wire and two pill our way forward. It was obviously impossible, un- boxes, but the trenches were very unsatisfactory. I pleasant though it would have been for me, to check found a well protected place in a cutting for my the column to attend to a casualty so that there was regimental aid post and got unloaded, feeling very no alternative but to leave the responsibility for nervous.