From Dunkirk to Burma Alongside the Gurkhas

My dad, William Burkhead, was a Gunner Sergeant in the Royal Artillery. He was part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in the first wave in Belgium. He was in charge of 25 pounders. I remember him telling us that they were one of the last to get off the beaches at Dunkirk. He said he was frightened to death but had to keep his head because he was in charge of a unit. He used to talk about the Junkers bombing the troops and they had to hide behind the sand dunes.

He was eventually evacuated to Southampton and met by a Sergeant in the Salvation Army on the quay with a steaming hot mug of tea. From then on, my dad only had good things to say about the Sally army for the rest of his life!

His unit was given a week of rest and then he was posted to India. Whilst there, the Royal Artillery became involved in the Burma campaign and fought with the Gurkhas. He used to tell the story that he was on patrol with the Gurkhas one time, and they came across a Japanese camp in the jungle. The commanding officer pointed to the three sentries and turned to the Gurkhas swiping his finger across his throat. Three Gurkhas slipped off into the jungle and one by one they came back saying "Sentry Gone Saab". The officer saw there was one sentry still standing and said, "He's still there!". The Gurkha replied, "Saab, let him shake his head!".

During the Burma campaign, my father went from 11.5 stone to 6 stone - it was hard fighting in the jungle. I was four when he came back to England at the end of the war.