Tributes flow for last Dunkirk WWII vet after his passing at 102

The last known Dunkirk veteran has passed away at the age of 102.

Tributes have poured in for British Royal Navy veteran Lawrence Churcher, who is believed to be the last involved in the evacuation of Dunkirk.

Mr Churcher was posted to HMS Eagle at the start of World War II and landed in France in May 1940 in order to help transport weapons and supplies to soldiers fighting on the front lines.

He had joined Britain’s Royal Navy on his 18th birthday in 1938 “to see the world and have a bit of fun, but Hitler ruined that”.

Not long after joining the navy, he found himself in the midst of WWII.

The young seaman was sent to a railhead outside Dunkirk, where supplies were unloaded and distributed, but an attack from German forces meant the British Expeditionary Force soldiers had to retreat to the beaches.

The Allied forces then launched Operation Dynamo in order to rescue the stranded soldiers. The operation was the biggest evacuation in military history and saw more than 338,000 soldiers rescued using civilian boats later known as the “little ships”.

Tributes poured in for Mr Churcher as news of his passing became known.

“Dad was short on words but we knew he loved us all very much, we are so proud of him and he will be eternally missed,” Mr Churcher’s family said in a statement.

A spokesman for Project 71, who support WWII veterans, said in a statement Mr Churcher was “a truly remarkable man, loved and respected by all who knew him.”

“Stand down Lawrence, your duty is done. It has been an honour to have known you,” the spokesman said.

The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) added: “It’s with great sadness that the ADLS has just learnt that Lawrence Churcher crossed the bar this afternoon (10 August).

“Lawrence was the last Royal Navy Dunkirk Veteran that the ADLS is aware of.

“Our Veterans Cruise at the beginning of September will be especially poignant as we remember a generation now lost.

“They may be gone but they will not be forgotten as long as just one Little Ship sails on.

“Fair winds, calm seas, stand easy shipmate, your watch is done.”

Mr Churcher often travelled back to Dunkirk to mark anniversary events.

Interest in the story of Dunkirk was brought back to life after the 2017 release of Christopher Nolan’s film, Dunkirk, starring Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy and Harry Styles, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

Mr Churcher had previously spoken about how his two older brothers, Edward and George, also fought in the war and were stationed in France when he sailed to Dunkirk.

Miraculously, they met each other on the beach and were evacuated on the same ship.

“When my brothers found me, I just felt relief,” Mr Churcher later said.

“There were so many soldiers there and continuous aircraft dropping bombs and strafing us, I had so many things on my mind until I got on board of our ship.

“One fella leaned on my shoulder, gave a sigh of relief and said, ‘Thank God we’ve got a navy’ and that sort of churned it up inside of me.

“We knew we had to get those soldiers back from Dunkirk.”

Later in the war, Mr Churcher protected shipping columns in the English Channel as part of D-Day operations, and diffused mines in the North Sea.

Mr Churcher retired from the Navy in 1960.

He married Freda in 1941 and they had five children, Joan, Valerie, Peter, Colin and Moira.

Freda died in 1993 after 52 years of marriage.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• evacuation: when everyone needs to leave an area because there is great danger
• front lines: the place where two opposing armies are facing each other and where the fighting is going on
• railhead: a place where military supplies are unloaded and distributed
• distributed: handed out
• Allied forces: the countries fighting against the Axis powers in WWII, the main ones being Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States
• civilian: those not fighting or involved in a war
• crossed the bar: died
• poignant: deeply affecting the feelings
• strafing: shooting at close range, usually with a machine gun from a low-flying aircraft

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QUICK QUIZ
1. How old was Lawrence Churcher when he joined the navy?
2. What year did he land in France?
3. What was his mission there?
4. What caused the evacuation of Dunkirk?
5. What else did Mr Churcher achieve in WWII?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Vale Lawrence Churcher
The word ‘vale’ is Latin for goodbye. So when someone dies, people often say vale and their name.

There were some beautiful quotes of goodbyes in this Kids News article for Lawrence.

Write all these farewell quotes that his comrades have left him on a sympathy card for his family.

Thank him for his service to his country, and express your sympathies to his children surviving him.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Why is Lawrence Churcher a significant death for historians and those affiliated with the navy?

How will veterans associations ensure the memory and service of soldiers like Lawrence will not be forgotten as the years go on?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Tribute to a war hero
Write a tribute to Lawrence Churcher, the last known Dunkirk veteran, by highlighting his contributions during World War II and expressing gratitude for his service.

Carefully read and understand the article about Lawrence Churcher's role as a Dunkirk veteran and his passing at the age of 102. Discuss with a partner or think by yourself about the importance of remembering and honouring war heroes like Lawrence Churcher. How can you show appreciation for their service and sacrifices? Jot down the key points about Lawrence Churcher's life and contributions. Highlight his involvement in the evacuation of Dunkirk, his role in protecting shipping columns, and his dedication to commemorating WWII events.

Plan to write a tribute to Lawrence Churcher, the last known Dunkirk veteran, by highlighting his contributions during World War II and expressing gratitude for his service. Think about structuring your tribute with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should introduce Lawrence Churcher and his role as a Dunkirk veteran. The body should highlight his contributions during WWII and his impact on others. The conclusion should express gratitude and the significance of remembering his legacy.

Consider what V.C.O.P. skills you could use to enhance your writing:

• Vocabulary: Use words like "tribute," "contributions," "heroism," "sacrifice," "legacy," etc.
• Connectives: Use words like "because," "and," "so," "although," etc., to connect your ideas.
• Openers: Start your sentences in different ways, like using "Lawrence Churcher, a brave war veteran," "His dedication to protecting shipping columns," "Despite facing challenges," etc.
• Punctuation: Use punctuation marks like commas and full stops correctly.

After you have discussed and planned your text, begin your tribute with a strong opening sentence that captures the essence of Lawrence Churcher's contributions. In the body, elaborate on his roles during WWII and his impact on others. Share how his actions inspire gratitude and remembrance.

Use your writing to express your gratitude to Lawrence Churcher for his service. Explain why his bravery and sacrifices are significant.

Consider concluding your tribute by mentioning how Lawrence Churcher's legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.

Edit and Uplevel: After writing, read through your tribute aloud to yourself to make sure your ideas are clear, there are no omissions, and the writing makes sense. Next, you can check for any spelling or grammar mistakes that you can fix. Make sure your writing is respectful and portrays the importance of honouring war heroes like Lawrence Churcher.

Breakdown Buddies: Read your tribute out to your discussion partner and provide one WWW (what works well) and one EBI (even better if) feedback comment to each other.