Hi all, Newbie here with a question I can't seem to get an answer to anywhere else. My late Grandfather was an ex profesional soldier called up at the begining of the war. He was a Royal Engineer and used to enjoy telling me about his many 'exploits' during WW2. He died quite a few years ago now so my memory maybe a little out but this one story stands out the most so here goes. My Grandfather was awarded a 'Mentioned in dispatches' (I remember seeing the certificate) for leading his men back to Dunkirk and getting out on the last day after defending and holding a town until a field hospital got through. There are many many details he gave me about this story and why a SM ended up directing 90+ men that need not be delved into here. However the crux is that I am sure that the town he was defending (or at least the road through) was Bruges in Belguim. He was a Yorkshire man and pronoucned words how he read them. So Bruges to him would have have been pronounced Bru-ges for example. However I have been told since his death that Bruges was never attacked during WW2. So I thought well maybe his memory (or mine) was confused and it was another town he was talking about. However the town he discribed was old, very pretty and was surrounded by a canal. He held the road into the town for a couple of days (i think) and even blew up a railway bridge outside of the town. .... (Bruges is very pretty and is surrounded by a canal and has a railway outside its centre) However I can find no mention of the BEF (or any part of it) being in Bruges. If he (or me) were/are confused, what town was it, considering the topography? and if it was Bruges can anyone enlightment me on any further details?
Wouldn't know the exact typography of Belgium. However, Bruges does have many canals (and is quite famous for them) and is as your granddad said...very beautiful, especially the architecture and buildings. Bruges is a large City (aka venice of the north), are you sure that your dad wasn't perhaps fighting near Bruges? I don't think Bruges was directly attacked (somebody would need to confirm me on that one)
Hello Wozy, A chap in another related place has a thought for you: 'Bergues', rather than Bruges? World War 2 Talk - View Single Post - Rich & Bergues, 1940 ~A
