235468 Alan Chesney British Army 4th Btn. East Yorkshire Regiment from:Goole, East Yorkshire Alan Chesney was born on Christmas Eve 1918 and joined the East Yorkshire Regiment 4th Battalion in 1939, wishing to fight for his country. He was deployed to France and was left behind at Dunkirk, himself and his group took a small rowing boat and sailed back to Ramsgate. On the boat his captain (or whoever was in charge) was mistreating the soldiers, in response Alan told him to stop or otherwise he would throw him off of the boat; Alan was a wonderful, caring man but not one to give empty threats.
When he returned to England he was diagnosed with a lung infection and was not allowed to return to the war as he wished, it was discovered that he was an engineer and was enlisted as a pattern maker and draftsman.
After the war he designed engines for ocean liners, owned a fish and chip shop with his family and was loyal and caring for his family until the end. In 1969-1970 my grandmother was captured along side her infant daughter (my mother) and my mother's half sister by my grandmother's partner at the time. Alan broke into the house and rescued all three and drove them away to safety. Devastatingly, in 1971 he was the first man in his village to receive radiotherapy for his throat cancer. He was given far over the correct dosage and he passed away in one of the most slow and agonising ways imaginable. He has been my idol and hero for years now and I will forever be proud and respectful of my great grandfather Alan Chesney, 1918-1971.
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