27 May 2010

Stirling Veteran Marks 70th Anniversary With Norfolkline

A Stirling war veteran has taken onboard an offer from Norfolkline to make a sentimental trip back in time to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation.

Frederick Jenkins, of Kippen, Stirlingshire, took advantage of an opportunity to travel for free with Norfolkline – operators of Scotland’s only direct sea link to Europe – on their Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry.

Former serviceman or woman across Scotland were invited to travel with up to three family members and a car to the Belgium port of Zeebrugge to attend the commemoration events marking the anniversary of the evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk. 

Mr Jenkins – who turns 90 in August – will leave for the ferry in Rosyth today (Thursday) and will arrive in Zeebrugge tomorrow.

Upon his arrival, he and his daughter Ruth will take the one hour drive to Dunkirk for the Operation Dynamo remembrance activities over the next four days.

He said: “I saw the Norfolkline offer and was very pleased to be able to take this opportunity to travel back to where we were involved in Operation Dynamo 70 years ago.

“It’s a wonderful way to travel and not have to worry about boarding planes or transportation as my daughter will be doing all the driving.

“I’m really looking forward to being part of the remembrance activities this weekend and I don’t think I would have been able to, had it not been for this very generous offer.”

As a former Royal Navy Patrol Service volunteer, Mr Jenkins was involved in the 10 day-long rescue from May 27th 1940, which saved more than 330,000 British and French soldiers thanks to a hastily assembled fleet of boats.

Sailing from Rosyth into Zeebrugge, Frederick said he was looking forward to sailing into the port almost exactly 70 years since he was last there.

He said: “We made two trips to Zeebrugge. On our second we swept the harbour at first light in order to enable blockships to be sunk at the canal entrance as the town was about to be captured.

 “I’m hoping I will be able to stand on deck and see the harbour as we come in. That will be quite interesting.

“I’ve never been back since the war.”

Chris Newey, Norfolkline’s general manger of passenger services for UK and Continental Europe, said: “We are delighted to be able to make this offer to Scotland’s Dunkirk veterans.  These men and woman are heroes so offering help to get them to Dunkirk to commemorate their fallen comrades is the least we could do.”