THROUGH HELL TO DUNKIRK

THROUGH HELL TO DUNKIRK
by Henry De La Falaise.


Henry was awarded the Croix de Guerre in the first world war for bravery. He would later marry the Hollywood actress Gloria Swanson, after he worked as her French translator on the film 'Madame Sans-Gêne in 1925. Although they later divorced, she  called him 'the love of her life'.
Henry was awarded a second Croix de Guerre for his bravery in the second world war. 
He died in 1972.

This memoir was written in 1943 and serialised in The Field Artillery Journal in Washington DC. His attention to detail is clear having been written whilst fresh in his memory.

After an introduction we begin Day one of twenty three in Paris on May 10th 1940. It his whilst in the capital on leave that the German Blitzkrieg has begun. He immediately packs to rejoin the 12th Lancers with whom he serves as their French Liason Officer. He learns that they are now somewhere in Belgium, he has much travelling ahead.

What follows for the rest of the book is a day-by-day account of what happened to his unit of the 12th Lancers. Fighting a rearguard action against a fast moving and far superior German invasion force, coming under constant air surveillance and attack, puts great stresses on the unit. Lacking sleep and constantly moving with new orders, Henry is quite open about expressing his feelings. 

Halfway through the book there is a particular moving scene where he meets an 11-year-old Jewish refugee from Belguim. She is carrying her baby brother as both parents are sick. 
Acting as the head of the family, she goes out searching for food, whilst her parents rest. She believes they only have to make it to France to be safe. 

As the days pass things get ever more desperate. As their casualties mount, Henry feels every loss of his close friends. 
As the Germans get ever closer, there are regular races to reach a certain bridge, town or village before being surrounded. There is an ever present feel of jeopardy and tension.
Despite knowing he obviously survives to write this story, I was glued to finishing a large part of the book in just one afternoon.

I've read many a memoir and for me personally, this is one of the best that I have read. 
If I'm correct, It is incredible to think that it has taken eighty years to become a book.
It is a thrilling read and certainly deserves to be far better known.

The paperback will be published by Stackpole Books and will be available in October in the US and December in the UK.
I thank Stackpole for this review copy.




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