I was 10 yrs old when this was taking place
My father was called up in 1939 as a reservist,and went to France with the BEF as soon as he finished training.
When the evacuation through Dunkirk took place my father ,Tom Heath, by then a sergeant, had to stay behind to supervise the destruction of vehicles and equipment. This meant he and his company were one of the last to get to the beaches for embarkation,and had to stand in waist high sea water for several hours before being rescued; frequently ducking under to avoid the bombing and straffing that was taking place,several of his comrades being wounded or killed.
In the meantime my mother had not heard from my father for quite some time. With the breaking news in the papers etc.she was very worried untill a taxi driver, who knew us, came round to the pub we kept and told mother that he had heard that father was fine and in this country.
The taxi driver had been on Shrewsbury station platform whan a very heavy troop train passed slowly through. A window was suddenly opened and a voice yelled "Tell Mrs Heath Tom is all right" The message was heard and delivered. Mother had a letter from my father a few days later.
The immersion in the sea damaged my fathers health so he was never sent abroad again but finished the war in UK based REME workshops.