Dunkirk Shield
My father never mentioned the Dunkirk shield. He spoke of his Crimea shield often and would be very happy to have had it back. The French took it from him while he was a POW along with his EK II.
I have been researching for his memoirs and found a diary written by Admiral Frisius, the commander of "Festung Duenkirchen." It is a rare book (I bought it from a French dealer recently) and mentions the shield a few times. On his birthday, his staff officers have the admiral a cake with the shield on it and I believe that he was also given a shield which was made out of cloth (woven). If you like, I will look for other references.
It would have been easy for the Germans to produce these shields locally. They had a large metalworking shop and manufactured all sorts of things. Dunkirk had its own economy and over 800 Frenchman stayed there of their own free will.
I'll see what I can find out for you.
My dad was a staff officer with the XXX Army Corps and Abteilung Fretter-Pico, until August 1943 when he was re-assigned back to Germany. In August, 1944, he was assigned to the 49th Infantry Division which was near Paris, but he never actually linked up with them, only with stragglers who like himself, traveled mainly at night to avoid the Allied advance. He ended up in Dunkirk with most if the 226th Infantry Division and all sorts of stragglers, SS troops, Luftwaffe FLAK people, naval artillery personnel and the local garrison. Admiral Frisius eventually assumed command of the whole operation and they put up good resistance in spite of marginal moral, constant desertions and poor supply.
They held out until May 9, 1945 until the general capitulation, but they were never defeated. It's quite a story. It will be a major part of the book I am writing and would make a hell of a movie!
Gerst
My father never mentioned the Dunkirk shield. He spoke of his Crimea shield often and would be very happy to have had it back. The French took it from him while he was a POW along with his EK II.
I have been researching for his memoirs and found a diary written by Admiral Frisius, the commander of "Festung Duenkirchen." It is a rare book (I bought it from a French dealer recently) and mentions the shield a few times. On his birthday, his staff officers have the admiral a cake with the shield on it and I believe that he was also given a shield which was made out of cloth (woven). If you like, I will look for other references.
It would have been easy for the Germans to produce these shields locally. They had a large metalworking shop and manufactured all sorts of things. Dunkirk had its own economy and over 800 Frenchman stayed there of their own free will.
I'll see what I can find out for you.
My dad was a staff officer with the XXX Army Corps and Abteilung Fretter-Pico, until August 1943 when he was re-assigned back to Germany. In August, 1944, he was assigned to the 49th Infantry Division which was near Paris, but he never actually linked up with them, only with stragglers who like himself, traveled mainly at night to avoid the Allied advance. He ended up in Dunkirk with most if the 226th Infantry Division and all sorts of stragglers, SS troops, Luftwaffe FLAK people, naval artillery personnel and the local garrison. Admiral Frisius eventually assumed command of the whole operation and they put up good resistance in spite of marginal moral, constant desertions and poor supply.
They held out until May 9, 1945 until the general capitulation, but they were never defeated. It's quite a story. It will be a major part of the book I am writing and would make a hell of a movie!
Gerst
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