A petrol-transport corporal first sees German tanks silhouetted near the aerodrome after bringing in five tanker loads of 100-octane aviation fuel. An engineer colonel immediately orders the crews to open the tanks, flood the ground, and burn the vehicles and cargo. The corporal's request for a signature shows his awareness that destroying valuable stores normally demanded clear authority. The colonel answers with rank and a direct order, then sends the men toward Dunkirk with whatever personal belongings they can salvage. The testimony turns retreat logistics into a stark choice between preserving supplies and denying them to the enemy.
Notable Point · 7:34-8:44
Destroying aviation fuel before the retreat to Dunkirk
A Royal Army Service Corps corporal describes the abrupt shift from delivering high-octane aviation fuel to flooding and burning it so German forces could not capture the stock.