The article on the Dunkirk evacuation has prompted me to mention an occurrence that has been on my mind all these years and not yet explained by anyone.

I was on the beach at Bray Dunes, a small holiday resort some six or so miles up the coast from Dunkirk.

We were sheltered among the dunes during the day and came out at night to be evacuated. I got off on the third night, late in May, but have no recollection of the date.

On one of the days, having seen much aerial activity around the shops and inland, we saw a flight of five or six Fairey Swordfish biplanes coming in from the sea.

They were low, under 1,000ft, and passed overhead in tight formation, had no bombs and eventually vanished overland, heading east.

No ack-ack and no fighters- why? They were sitting targets, out of their element. What were they doing there? If anyone has information on this, I would be glad to hear.

-Brian O'Brien, Ardingly Drive, Worthing