A DUNKIRK veteran has passed away just seven days before his 100th birthday.

Les Kerswill died peacefully at the Chalgrove Nursing Home in Poole.

His funeral was held at the crematorium.

Les served with the Royal Berkshire Regiment in the Second World War.

And two of his most prized possessions were the boots he wore during the evacuation in 1940.

When interviewed by the Echo a few years ago he said: “They have still got the mud of France on them.”

Les and his comrades were stationed around ten miles from Dunkirk.

At one point during the weeks of bloody battles, his section was lined up with the ground sloping away in front of them giving them a prime view of the German Army advancing below.

Les joined up in 1939 and was assigned to the Royal Corps of Signals.

But initially he had to report to the infantry training depot in Reading with the Berkshires.

“I thought to myself, it has got to be done and that’s it. I hadn’t grown up then.”

He later said that what he saw and did in the fight for Dunkirk meant he grew up in five minutes.

When first posted to France he was promoted to Lance Corporal (acting, unpaid).

A few days after Christmas, they were woken at 4.30am and called to the main area of the barracks.

The men had no idea where they were going. “We were creeping around in the dark, everything was done in whispers.”

They set off along the main road quietly when suddenly there was a noise from a side road.

“It must have been about 5am and this band came through the middle of town to send us off to war. All the people were looking out. It amazed me.”

They got on a train to Southampton and boarded a boat.

It amused him then and still does now that they were on board 48 hours waiting for a convoy and finished up at Cherbourg; just 69 miles away.

They continued training all over France until the fighting began on May 10.

As the battle began in earnest, Les recalled: “There was machine gun fire everywhere, in every direction. When we got there it was a hell of a mess - blood everywhere.”

He could see Dunkirk burning in the distance. Later in the war Les was taken prisoner and escaped a couple of times.

He was posted ‘missing believed killed’ for 10 months. “I felt for my mother,” he said.

He also spent time in Czechoslovakia living off the land evading the enemy. At one point he met up with some Americans.

Les claimed that he had walked or marched some 1,300 miles in his famous boots.

Friends paid tribute to Les.

Susan and Dennis Kinsella described him as a very special friend.

“We cherish happy memories of our time spent together. A kind, talented and inspirational man. A true gentlemen. So goodbye to a courageous and brave soldier.”

  • Donations in Les’ name can be made to the Royal British Legion through Nicholas O’Hara Funeral Directors of Wimborne.