Plucked from the beaches of Dunkirk

One of the soldiers plucked from the beaches of the Dunkirk nightmare was the grandfather of Peter Edwards, chairman of the Stalybridge and Dukinfield branch of the Royal British Legion.

Private Herman Dimelow was in ‘D’ Company, 9th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

Exactly 80 years ago he was being machine gunned by German warplanes while awaiting evacuation by the ‘Little Ships’ on what was called ‘The Mole’. The Mole of course was a wooden and stone jetty which reached out to sea and was lined by soldiers patiently waiting their turn to be rescued.

Luckily, Herman made it home.

Having already served in World War One, he saw out World War Two serving in the UK, being 41 years old at the time. At one period of his service he was batman to an officer from the Bonham-Carter family (of Helena Bonham-Carter fame).

He is pictured right in 1937 outside 63 Forester Street (now Drive), Castle Hall, Stalybridge, prior to him lining the route for the coronation of King George VI in May of that year, when he was positioned outside Canon Street Police Station.

Peter’s mother Mary, who was seven when World War Two was declared on September 3, recalls her father being called up.

“A month before an army vehicle with an officer in had called to tell my dad to report to the Armoury on Old Street in Ashton within the hour and with his full kit. One day in 1940 a neighbour of ours knocked on the door and told my mother: ‘Your beloved husband is coming up the street.’

“My mother replied: ‘Not my Kit, he’s in France.’ I didn’t want to hear any more so ran up the street to meet him. He was one of the lucky ones.”

Mary also remembers the end of the war and the VE Day celebrations in Stalybridge.

“The kids collected wood for a bonfire and mums got food ready for a party in the back yard.

“I remember Albert Lowe - he kept a shop on the corner of Forester Street and Walmsley Street - walking up the ginnel dressed immaculately in a dark suit and green trilby which he took off, kicked into the yard and said: ‘It’s a day for kicking your bloody hat about’.

“He went in and came out again with a large white enamel bucket which he gave to someone along with some money to go to Fairclough’s shed for a bucket of ice cream.

“My grandfather, as the eldest person present, was asked to light the bonfire and the celebrations began.”