Dolly's Dreamings

Dunkirk!

The roof is done (and it has rained today and no leaks so ... so far so good. The balcony is back up and better than ever. The grass is back down and ... for now ... the renovations are over. Anglian still have to come back to repair their issues but that will be minor compared to the last week. Phew. Champagne is int he fridge.

 

We have also been out to the cinema today to see Dunkirk which was very very good. It was harrowing, but then the real thing was harrowing. I thought they showed the roles of all services well in focusing on several individual stories. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for those there. Just too awful to contemplate and it is miraculous that they got anyone out let alone the incredible number they evacuated. And thanks to so many ordinary men and women who were anything BUT ordinary!

I have copied this from t'internet because I wanted to have it where I could see it and remember it

 

Here we reveal 40 amazing facts about one of our nation’s most stirring endeavours.

1. During May 1940 the so-called “ phoney war” came to an end as the Germans swept through Belgium and Northern France in a Blitzkrieg that left many soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force stranded as they were pushed back towards the sea.

2. The new prime minister, Winston Churchill, ordered the BEF’s commander, Lord Gort, to evacuate as many troops back to Britain as possible as the army retreated to the area around the port of Dunkirk.

3. On May 20 the British began formulating Operation Dynamo, led by Vice-Admiral Bertram Ramsay.

It was named after the dynamo room in the Dover cliffs where their operation HQ was based.

4. “Nothing but a miracle can save the BEF now,” said General Alan Brooke.

5. Initially it was estimated that just 45,000 men could be evacuated in 48 hours. Instead the operation was to become the biggest evacuation in military history.

6. A call was sent out for as many naval vessels as possible to help the Royal Navy – including small craft that could get close to the waiting soldiers in the shallow waters.

7. British civilians responded in their droves with everything from private yachts, motor launches, lifeboats, paddle steamers and barges joining the effort.

The craft came from as far away as the Isle of Man.  

8. The smallest boat to take part was the Tamzine, a 14ft open-topped fishing boat, now in the Imperial War Museum.

9. On the eve of the operation a national day of prayer was declared with King George VI attending a special service in Westminster Abbey.

10. The evacuation began on May 27. Just 8,000 soldiers were rescued. 

Some of the Little Ships at Ramsgate Royal Harbour

11. But over the next eight days a total of 338,226 Allied soldiers were successfully brought back across the English Channel while under attack on all sides.

12. As well as British forces a total of 140,000 French, Polish and Belgian troops were also saved.

13. The total number of vessels involved, including Royal Navy ships and civilian craft, was 933.

14. Around 200,000 men were picked up from the Dunkirk Mole – a long stone and wooden jetty at the mouth of the port.

Soldiers had to wait patiently while under attack from enemy aircraft.

15. The rest of the men were evacuated from the beaches, often having to wait hours in shoulder -deep water.

16. Around 700 “little ships ” took part often with civilians at the helm, picking up soldiers from the shallows.

They would then deliver the men to larger ships or take them all the way home.

17. Some were amazed at the patience of the troops. Signaller Alfred Baldwin recalled: “You had the impression of people standing waiting for a bus. There was no pushing or shoving.”

A paddle steamer called the Medway Queen made a total of seven round trips to Dunkirk and managed to rescue 7,000 men in total.

19. The Royal Daffodil, a Mersey ferry that also took part, was attacked by six German aircraft.

Despite being holed below the water line and having a bullet fly within inches of the fuel tank she still managed to limp back to port with her human cargo.

British prisoners and German soldiers, Dunkirk, France, 1940

 

20. One seaman recalled: “The little boats listed drunkenly with the weight of the men.”

21. The evacuation was aided by the fact that Hitler halted a full -scale attack on Dunkirk with his Panzer tanks – trusting that his air force would stop the Royal Navy from pulling off the feat.

22. The RAF fought hard to combat the bombs raining down on the men waiting on the beaches, flying a total of 3,500 sorties and losing 145 aircraft while the Luftwaffe lost 156.

23. A restored Spitfire which crashed on a French beach during the days of the period of the evacuation is expected to fetch £2.5million.

24. During the evacuation lorries were lashed together in the sea to construct makeshift jetties to help get soldiers aboard boats.

25. More than 200 ships and boats were lost during the evacuation with many tragedies . On May 29 the destroyer Wakeful was torpedoed and sank in 15 seconds with the loss of 600 lives. 26It is estimated that around 3,500 British were killed at sea or on the beaches and  more than 1,000 Dunkirk citizens in air raids.

27. The overall success of the Dunkirk operation was partly down to British units such as the 51st Highland Division fighting a fierce rear-guard action.

28. In the retreat to Dunkirk some units had been  ordered to “fight to the last man”.

29. During the escape to Dunkirk there were incredible acts of bravery such as that of Major Gus Jennings who died smothering a German stick bomb at Esquelbecq trying to save his fellow soldiers.  

30. Then there was Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews, who was awarded the VC after he single-handedly held off 17 Germans defending part of the Dunkirk perimeter, then led eight of his men to safety, wading through the canals in chin-high water.

31. There were also atrocities.

On May 27, 97 men from the Royal Norfolk Regiment ran out of ammunition and surrendered at the village of Le Paradis.

They were then shot in cold blood on the orders of the SS.

32. Around 40,000 British troops never made it back across the Channel and became P oWs.

33. Many of those ended up having to endure forced marches into Germany and served as slave labour for the Nazis, including working in mines and factories .

34. But a few of those left behind, such as Bill Lacey from Devon, made dramatic escapes. He stole a French fishing vessel and sailed it back to Britain on his own.

35 Also left behind in France was a huge amount of British military equipment including 2,400 artillery guns, 65,000 vehicles and 68,000 tonnes of ammunition. Some 445 British tanks were also lost.

36 Churchill hailed Dunkirk as a “miracle” but also warned relieved Britons that “wars are not won by evacuations ”.

37. He went on to give one of his most famous speeches to the House of Commons in which he vowed that: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!”

38. The phrase “Dunkirk spirit” has since become part of the language used to toast people who pull together in a time of adversity.

39. Hitler’s failure to capture the British army at Dunkirk has been called one of the great turning points of the war.

40. Today the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships is marking the 75th anniversary of the evacuation by organising a Channel crossing to Dunkirk involving 50 of the original craft that took part including the oldest, an 1892 sailing barge called Greta.

 Nigel and I were incredibly moved a few years ago when we went to Dunkirk and saw the cemeteries and the huge walls of the names of those who did not make it (and seeing the film today we can only marvel that any did!) These are some photos of that trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It makes you realise how much we all have to be thankful for - every day.

 

On a lighter note there are new releases today from both Dawn Inskip and Pickleberrypop

 

Dawn's Slice of Summer Bundle is on 50% off

 

 

and I made this of the every lovely Alice

 

 

and you can still snag Pickle Barrel goodies. I was lucky enough to work with By The Sea by Dita B Designs and made this page of my cousins gorgeous gorgeous daughter

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• brave men and women who fought for freedom and the rights of all
• fighting spirit
• great scrapbook goodies to work with
• a leak free roof and a balcony re-erected

 

 

 

Back to teaching

No - not returning to work - seriously.

I have been teaching today though.

There is an art and craft week at the church and I did a class this afternoon for a maze book. I was very nervous. I haven't taught a scrapping class for a long time, but it was OK, the people were lovely and they all went away with a maze book ready to be filled.

All good fun.

 

I prefer when I am the student though - and so the other events I will be learning not teaching!

 

It is new release day at PBP and there is a lovely new collection by Jumpstart Designs that made me giggle.

It is called Thunderstorm inside my head

 

 

Oh my don't I suffer from that sometimes. There are some great word arts and I couldn't resist scrapping this photo of me with definite mental issues.

 

 

I am actually a very good map reader - honest - but the map of Bruges had been printed upside down and we both struggled initially.

 

Dawn has a great collection reduced today too The Happiest Place on Earth and whilst not JUST for Disney it works beautifully for Disney - You can get the papers, elements and add ons all at 50% off today

 

Perfect for these pages

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the opportunity to share a love of my hobby
• teaching - in small doses

 

 

 

 

 

back again

After a night of very little sleep - it was painful and I was fearful of knocking it - today was dressing day.

Sounds simple eh!

Remove the dressing

Mmmm

The trouble was there were two problems. It bled int he night and came out of the side of the dressing, causing it to stick, and one of the strips of tape was over one of the stitches and so we couldn't pull it off.

So back to the hospital and a long wait for a gap where they were wonderfully kind and removed it.

 

It was a bit of a shock.

It is red and swollen and bruised and the bright blue stitches are set off beautifully.

The incision looks neat so hopefully may heal well and maybe the big dent will fill in eventually.

 

I do know one thing ... I am more confused than ever about people who go under the knife for elective plastic surgery. The thought of a nose job for cosmetic reasons perplexes me. I can't understand why people would put themselves through it unless they had to. But then I guess they feel they have to for their own peace of mind.

My own mother had elective rhinoplasty when I was about 7. She had suffered a nose injury when she was a teenager and it had left a large bump on her nose. As she was older, and she was also always emotionally fragile, she lost all confidence with other people and would either avoid social situations or speak to people with her hand in front of her nose. It became a huge issue and, reading between the lines, I think she may have had a breakdown. It must have been bad as the operation was done under the NHS and they don't do that lightly. I remember being about 7 and being taken to see Mummy in hospital and never forgot the shock of seeing her with her nose in a  splint and two massive black eyes. However, she was pleased with the result when the swelling all went down. Knowing how my nose hurts at the moment, that must have been so painful and I think they possible had to break her nose. I have, inevitably, been thinking about her a lot today.

 

I have a new page to share today. It was made pre-op at the weekend. Mixed Media layered Templates #2 by Dawn Inskip

 

I also used her Dreams and goals and Dearest Diary collections

 

 

The photo was taken on our anniversary 2 years ago in Ghent and we have promised ourselves next time we visit we will stay int he hotel in the photo - the orange coloured building in the background. It was stunning and such a magical view.

 

Today I am thankful for

• a kind nurse removing the dressing
• still thankful for painkillers
• a gentle day of resting

 

A time to reflect

As the new year draws ever closer it is a time to reflect and look back over the past 12 months.

Like every new year we welcomed it in with a sense of optimism and excitement. We are pretty much generally happy people, thankful for all of our many blessings and new year’s eve  is a time when we focus on that.

New Year’s Eve 12 months ago saw us break open our memory jar. I would urge anyone who is thinking about doing that to actually do it. I covered a jar and made a whole bunch of slips and each of us had a pile of them on our desks. Every so often we would fill in a slip and put it in the jar. We never saw what the other wrote and we didn’t do it every day by any means, but getting those slips out on 31^st December 2013 was so much fun. We re-lived our whole year – the mundane, the funny, the exciting, the daft, the poignant, the upsetting. It was all there and we spent a very happy time reviewing the year.

We didn’t keep it this year. We started but I think it was too soon. Maybe in a few years time we will do it again. So this New Year’s Eve we are left to rely on our memories alone. And I guess my blog too as this serves as an on line diary. I do apologise for those of you who visit solely for the scrapping as you do tend to have to plough through a lot of junk to get to that sometimes. However, I always say it is my blog and I genuinely do blog for myself. And I know many people who are faithful readers and who often comment enjoy our day to day as well as the creativity.

So – the past year – what has it seen? It has seen us tested in so many ways. It has seen some real lows but it has also strengthened our resolve and our faith and our love for each other. We have been through some things we never expected but at the end of it all we have survived and, compared to what so many people have to face, our trials have been minor. I remember what my Mom always used to say though. Yes, our trials have been minor compared to others but they have been ‘ours’ and so obviously we have felt them keenly.

Our year started with a decision we had been putting off and could no longer put off any longer. We had to make the decision to say farewell to our beloved Boo. Boo had joined our family during Christmas 2001 as a stray with no home of her own and so we became her forever family. We think she was between 1 and 4 when we had her. Which would put her at approximately 14 – 17 and we think probably closer to 17. She was completely  deaf, had lost so much weight and really slept all day in one spot. She seemed  happy enough but the weight loss was a worry and we knew the days were numbered and her quality of life was limited. We didn’t want to wait until she was really sick and so trying, with the help of our vet, Tom, to judge the right time was hard. We made the decision on 13^th January – not a great start to the year

You can see her tribute pages here   and here 

 

January and February were months of storms and the south coast w as hit hard. The Valentine’s Day Storm took what remaining fence panels we had left but we were so lucky compared to so many who lost homes through terrible floods and storm damage. A chance to reflect and count our blessings. We love living by the coast but the ocean is a force to be reconed with. 

 

 

March saw me away at a conference in Stratford and returning with a surprise present – campylobacter. I have always prided myself on not being absent from work for many days in my entire career. This year wasn’t good. The campylobacter saw me in bed for a week and still ill for the following fortnight. It was a nasty nasty bug and I can honestly say I don’t think my tummy has ever returned to normal. However, in the scheme of things it is minor – it just seemed horrid at the time.

 

April was a real high as we ventured to Europe. Nigel is not a Europe lover and we have never ever driven in Europe. I saw pictures f Bruges, realised how close it was and a plan was hatched. We crossed the channel and, thank goodness for sat nav, we saw Dunkirk, Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. It was as pretty and photogenic as we hoped, it was glorious weather, it was a wonderful short break and Brussels was the most concentration we have ever had to give all year. Oh my, navigating round the centre of Brussels at peak time was hairy to say the least but we did it and we had a wonderful time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our return from Bruges Nigel noticed a mole on my back had changed. Changed! That is the understatement of the year. It looked like every picture of melanoma you ever see. It was off to the doctors  on the Monday and God was watching over us well as I was given a cancellation appointment to see the consultant on the Wednesday and I had my first operation on the Friday. Incredibly quick and I felt very blessed – I just wanted it cut out of my body. I knew it was bad. We hadn’t appreciated that a 1 cm mole would mean a 4” incision and scar or that the wound, placed between my back and shoulder, was in such an awful place. I couldn’t dress myself, couldn’t lift, open doors, pull etc and was forced to wear a sling as an aide memoir for not using it and so not bursting the stitches.

 

 

We had a two week wait for the results and that was hard. I was, as ever, convinced the news would be bad. Nigel was the opposite, so I think it hit him harder than me when we heard it was cancerous. It coincided with a very bad time at work and again I counted myself as blessed as the work issue paled into insignificance against the cancer.  Once again we were blessed as it was the best worst news possible. It was a malignant melanoma in situ which meant it hadn’t spread. It was hard being given all the information about cancer etc . There were light moments though as I was told I would have to go to the clinical photography department. I walked in to a photography studio with all white backdrops and arc lights and had to strip and have photos taken of every part of my body so they – and subsequently Nigel – could track my moles and any future changes. Not my favourite experience ever, but they were brilliant and they never photograph your face so if ever anyone found my pictures I would deny they were mine. Mine at the ones with the perfect size 10 body!

The treatment, worry and the second, bigger op took care of most of May and June. Throughout we worried we would not be able to go on our planned holiday to Florida. Right up until the last minute I thought we wouldn’t make it, but we did and we had an amazing holiday – possibly our best ever. It was also a chance to catch up with Mike, our Floridian friend who means a great deal. It was good to spend some time with him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and never let us forget it was the Olaf summer too (and yes ... of course I had an Olaf for Christmas!)

 

What Nigel didn’t tell me was he had a urinary bleed the week before we went! That was to become obvious later in the year.  Once back we enjoyed special days when we went out as guests of the Royal Navy for the air show, thanks to Helen and her Dad,  Nigel did his tram driving experience which was amazing and we had a wonderful bird of prey day with Dawn Paul and Carly which was one of the real highlights of the year.

We also went to London to see the pop[pies and are eagerly awaiting ours being delivered

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was Nigel’s turn to be ill towards the end of the year as he suffered a very severe urinary bleed resulting in clotting and an inability to go t the toilet at all. We went into A and E where he underwent some horrible stuff but it cleared the blockage and he was admitted. He has had subsequent tests and scans and the cause remains somewhat unknown but they cannot see anything serious. I think we both dreaded the C word again. I think I picked the norovirus up from the hospital. Yes – back to tummy issues again!

The year has ended with a bad cold and then flu for both of us all over Christmas. But heck – it’s just flu. It has been a testing year but we really really are very very grateful. Our illnesses have cleared and have proved to be minor, we still have two beautiful fur babies, we have a roof over our heads, food on the table, good friends and we laugh, a lot, each and every day.

 

We enjoy where we live, we love our life, life is good and every moment to be cherished.

 

 

 

 

So, as a new year dawns we look forward to whatever the year may bring us. I attach the picture of Robbie Williams (what’s not to like) that sums it up. We are embarking upon a new venture this year – more later in the year – and I know it will be an exciting time for us.

 

I hope that, for all of you reading this and for us, the new year is one that brings health and happiness, love and laughter. I hope that whatever it brings it also brings us the courage to and faith to deal with it and grateful hearts to appreciate all that we are blessed with.

 

 

Wow - what a change

I guess we have all become used to the so called Indian summer.

It has been a glorious Septmeber and so today the weather came as a bit of a shock.

In the words of A A Milne - the rain rain came down down down.

 

And the wind howled and the trees swayed and we cancelled a trip and it poured and poured and poured.

Thankfully it died down as Nigel has a big meeting tonight - that we need to win. But it is chilly and the balmy Indian summer days seem to have gone.

Ah well - it was lovely whilst it lasted and we do need rain too.

 

I have a new page to share made with a new kit by Lorie M at Pickleberrypop. I have scrapped a lot of Florida recently so this is another Bruges page.

 

Nigel and I are both very good map readers, even if I do say so myself. However Bruges was a challenge and we couldn't figure how we got things as wrong as we did. The answer - they print the maps in different orientations.

I cheated as the top pictures was Ghent ... but very close by!

 

 

Today I am thankful that

• I was inside in the dry and warm

 

 

Iconic structure

OK so nice as it was to wander of the Belgium theme, I really dow ant to get my album finished so I forced myself to scrap Belgium again today and did a page I am truly disappointed with.

Typical isn't it.

Just goes to show you should scrap what you want not what you think you ought to do.

The trouble is I knew the look I was going for and it simply did not work.

 

I wanted to scrap the atomium.

We were so determined to see it as it is such an iconic structure and I wanted a sort of shiny aluminium feel to the page - and I didn't really get it.

However, I guess it does what a scrapbook page needs to do. It records a visit, a moment and a memory.

 

 

It looks even worse ont he scan than it does in reality. The large picture is printed as a faded image on canvas cardstock and in reality that works.

The journaling block and the pictures are mounted on very shiny silver holographic card so they have that metalic look and feel - but the scanner has just blacked them .

There are also shiny circles of different sizes sprinkled across and you can barely see them on the scan. But I guess you get teh general idea.

 

Today I am thankful for

• some of the things I do working out - this was not one of them
• a hobby where, if you really mess up , all you have lost is a bit of paper, some home printed photos and some glue. Things could be far worse.

and I have some images by the french artist Gilbery Legrand who transforms very mundane objects into little works of art that I think are so clever. There isn't a lot of quirky modern art I would like to own, but I love these.

 

 

 

 

 

Brings new meaning to the phrase a running tap

 

Wouldn't this make cleaning a whole lot more fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally to answer your question Barb we do many of the same things each time we visit Florida but there are also always new things to do too. We LOVED Yellowstone and would love to go back. I can't wait to hear about your trip. It's a beautiful national park. I hope you are going to Teton too ... We loved that park.

More Bruges

Now I am on holiday I am trying really hard to finish things I wanted to finish but never gor around to, so expect a few more Bruges pages as I am keen to try and get the album completed.

The place we stayed was really near the central Markt of the old town and we walked that way every day. However, ont he last day as we drove back tot he hotel we realised there was a lovely view the other way and so as it was a glorious late afternoon we went to see.

There was a beautiful canal with traditional houses all along the side and we stood taking pictures when Nigel realised we were also in the pictures, in the reflection over the bridge.

 

So we consciously took the photo with us in. It was to be the last picture we took in Belgium after a wonderful holiday and so it was a very apt farewell page.

 

 

If you look closely you can see a mini 'us' in the small inset picture, peering over the bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• reflections. I am always drawn to water and have so many pictures of refelctions.
• unexpected bonuses ... they come along when you least expect them.

 

 

 

 

 

The Djiver

OK I did warn you - now I am off on holiday I have scrap time and that means time to catch up. I want to get my Bruges album finished before I have another holiday to scrap and so I am frantically scrapping photos from our April trip.

 

When we went to Bruges I did the sort of research I have never done before. I actually researched where some of the most photogenic places were and one - of course - was the wonderful Djiver that runs through the heart of Bruges Old town.

 

When we first arrived the sun was in totally the wrong direction and we looked at 'The view' and thought 'mmmmm .....OK' as it was not like the wonderful pictures we had seen. Then we saw it the following morning with the sun in the right direction and loved it.

 

This page is the view in the other direction, looking down the Djiver towards the cathedral and St John's Hospital as well

 

The only sad thing was that due to the direction the sky looks a bit of a white out - in reality it was lovely and blue int he other direction.

 

 

 

 

I plundered one of my little boxes of 'bits' all sorts of embellishments for the cluster at the bottom.

 

 

I even used some old rub ons too

 

 

and dragged out some old stamps. It was a very satisfying page to make.

 

Today I am thankful for

• the daily frap. OK there is the odd day we miss, but it is a real luxury for us
• time to rummage
• boxed of bits - it is always such fun to go through them and find odd little bits you had forgotten.

 

 

 

Back to Bruges

No - not away on holiday in Bruges again - just revising my Bruges album now I have time to do so.

I really wanted to finish the album much earlier - but life and term got int he way and so it had to wait until I was on holiday.

 

This page hasn't turned out at all as I expected. I know that is a daft thing to say as it was me who made it so presumably me who had control over it.

 

I was looking at echoing the shape of the very distinctive gables but it sort of developed a life of its own.

 

 

 

I thinkt he gables and the colours were things we will walys remember about our Bruge vacation and so it is only right they feature here

 

 

I loved the fancy borders which echoes the lage and gables postcards on sale everywhere (if I could find the postcard I bought I would scrap that too!) It is actually a Prima notecard I just cut up to use.

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• time to get on and do some things I want to do

• Holidays - love 'em. I think I could get used to an idle lifestyle - I really do. People tell me I would get bored. I say give me the chance please!
• The chance to explore other countries

 

 

 

 

 

Poignant memories

I am well and truly 'in the zone'. That would be the holiday zone and the scrapping zone ... and the Bruges zone.

I know when I go on holiday this summer I am going to take a mess of new photos and so I want to get as much of the Bruges album finished before I go as possible. Taht way I can focus on the new pictures in the knowledge that I pretty much filled the Bruges album.

To that end I have scrapped for the Bruges album today except it is NOT Bruges.

 

When we planned the trip I realised we would go almost through Dunkirk and it was too good an opportunity to miss. I would like to have built in a lot of the World War 1 memorials as that has great significance for me, but sadly they were just that bit too far away in the time allowed. We were going to try and go to Ypres, but didn't manage it. I would like to visit the Somme as that was where my Grandaddy got his certificate for bravery.

The certificate below is, in reality, yellowed and very old but is in the original battered frame that it was displayed in until my Grandaddy's death in 1961.

 

I remember daddy explaining that when it said Driver Lovatt he was not driving a tank or a jeep but a team of horses and a wagon. There was a team of 8 and the other drivers had all been killed and he took the wagon through unaided.

 

My Grandaddy was one of the Old Contemptibles - a regular soldier not a conscript who was serving when war broke out in 1914. He fought at Mons and received the very special Mons star on his medal ribbons - ribbons and medals I passed on to my Cousin Rick's son a few years ago as they must stay in the family.

 

The picture below is of my Grandaddy and Nana (who I look like) whern Grandad was home on leave in 1915. The baby is my Daddy's oldest brother, Ben. Daddy was one of six children - the second youngest.

 

 

And this pictures is another leave visit a couple of years later when Aunty Connie - their second child - had been born.

 

 

 

 

 Anyway - I am digressing. I didn't get to visit any of the first World War memorials but we did go to Dunkirk. Dunkirk is such an amazing part of English istory -a story of incredible bravery and courage, a story of ordinary people achieving great acts of heroism and of a country pulling together.

The cemetery was beautiful and so well maintained. We wandered throught he general cemetery and then entered the British area. There were just a tiny percentage of graves, all int heir neat rows with simple memorials, but the huge carved 'walls' throughout the entrance bore the names of the hundeeds and hundreds who dies at Dunkirk.

 

 

I was proud to have found some that bore the insignia of the Merchant navy - my Daddy was serving in the Merchant Navy at the time - and also of the Royal Corps of Signals who my Daddy went on to serve with after the war. Oh yes, he didn't do things by halves ... the navy then the army.

 

 

 

 

It seemed in some ways so strange to be using a pretty floral paper for a cemetery, but it was such a beautiful place it needed to be a beautiful page as well as a sad on.

Today I am thankful for

• family to be truly proud of
• the heroism in ordinary people
• beauty in the face of sorrow