TNA / ADM 116 4649

TNA ADM 116 4649

Collection details

TNA ADM 116 4649

Operation Dynamo reports and recommendations for awards, volume 2 (1940–1942), documenting service during the Dunkirk evacuation and the cases submitted for official recognition.

Holding archive: TNA
Collection reference: ADM 116 4649

View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 116/4649. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Page	Image	OCR text	OCR tags
333	Log in to enlarge	D. GESELLE. COPY TRANSLATION. Belgian Telegraphist. G.1. Mess. R.N. Barracks. Devonport. 19th May 1942. Dear Madam, address and I am sending you this letter, which will perhaps It is quite by chance that I have learned your be a surprise to you. I am a telegraphist in the Royal Navy, Section Belge I do not know, Madam, if you are conversant with the events which took place during the dark days of Dunkirk, but I would like to have some details on the suject of the decoration bestowed on G. Ragaert. I myself have nothing against this young man, but at Newlyn, Penzance and Brixham, there are nunerous Belgians who remember the fishing-boat 81. It is a scandal that the Belgian Press and its journalists should only learn the truth through the foreign pres I was, with two other Belgians, on board the English aircraft carriers "Furious" and "Illustrious" for seven months; I I was in America for four months on board the latter vessel. the to papers, but I have and now, when I come have had splendid opportunities of having my story appear in England Independant were soldiers at Dunkirk, 600 soldiers at Havre. We With This I see is the just what 81, such always I civilians would "Madeleine a story refused like in and Camille", you them, the 50 to "Belgique know, we Madam: saved 350 - hours the last to leave Le were waiting for thr were for a rear-guard of Havre French, soldiers, where we of which only 50 men able to be rescued. London; Germans for At For half the an entrance hour. to the port to we run were round bombed the by offices the 3 G. Ragaert myself, has I his have no one Ostende; I was father. Royale de Ibis at Navy I at have I the been age a pupil of at 191. sea of the since Oeuvre I was 14 years old, my and affairs, entent you and be that have no relatives here would I look do that not after want my letter to import will in advance, I remain, P.N.L.O. (signed) Désiré Geselle. 27	Advance Boat England London De English Last Le May Ragaert Young

Raw OCR

Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 333.

D. GESELLE.
COPY TRANSLATION.
Belgian Telegraphist.
G.1. Mess.
R.N. Barracks.
Devonport.
19th May 1942.
Dear Madam,
address and I am sending you this letter, which will perhaps
It is quite by chance that I have learned your
be a surprise to you.
I am a telegraphist in the Royal Navy, Section Belge
I do not know, Madam, if you are conversant with
the events which took place during the dark days of Dunkirk, but
I would like to have some details on the suject of the
decoration bestowed on G. Ragaert.
I myself have nothing against this young man, but at
Newlyn, Penzance and Brixham, there are nunerous Belgians who
remember the fishing-boat 81.
It is a scandal that the Belgian Press and its
journalists should only learn the truth through the foreign pres
I was, with two other Belgians, on board the English
aircraft carriers "Furious" and "Illustrious" for seven months;
I I was in America for four months on board the latter vessel.
the to papers, but I have and now, when I come
have had splendid opportunities of having my story appear in
England Independant
were soldiers at Dunkirk, 600 soldiers at Havre. We
With This I see is the just what 81, such always I civilians would "Madeleine a story refused like in and Camille", you them, the 50 to "Belgique know, we Madam: saved 350 -
hours the last to leave Le were waiting for thr
were for a rear-guard of Havre French , soldiers, where we of which only 50 men
able to be rescued.
London; Germans for At For half the an entrance hour. to the port to we run were round bombed the by offices the
3
G. Ragaert myself, has I his have no one
Ostende; I was father. Royale de Ibis at
Navy I at have I the been age a pupil of at 191. sea of the since Oeuvre I was 14 years old, my and affairs, entent
you and be that have no relatives here would I look do that not after want my letter to import will
in advance,
I remain,
P.N.L.O.
(signed) Désiré Geselle.
27