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Hi there, my name is Phil Gunn. I have followed the second world war since the age of about ten. Sometimes i feel i was there and know all the people of that time and can relate to man woman and child. So anyway, when i heard of the filming in Redcar i was at it like a bull to a red rag. As they say it's not what you know it's who you know, i was given a phone number from a friend. I had earlier applied through the normal channels but to no avail, the powers that that be didn't reply to my application possibly because i am an old hand and as you all know they throw us on the scrap heap and forget us even though we have wealth of knowledge and can contribute so much to society and the film industry by the way. As the assistant director said, if only our government would sponsor the british film industry as much as any other industry it would be able to utilise the talent that we have in this country. Believe me i worked with some talented people on this film, salt of the earth who by the way said they would have done this free of charge if asked, this is the type of people i speak of. Two weeks before filming i was asked to go for a fitting of BEF uniform, July 1940. I arrived nervous but exited at 11.00hrs. I was taken to a reception area and introduced to the Casting Director  (Candy)  who by the way was a very charming and kind young lady all too ready to help others, a rarety these days. They had most of my details, when asked my trade and pastime, (Driver, Martial Arts and Self Defence) they said you will do for Dunkirk Cinema and Fight Scenes. I am not a film maker so i hadn't a clue what it meant, i got chatting to others in my group (Blue Group), we hit it off straight away, we were taken to the rear of the sports hall, an area curtained off. I was fitted with my uniform by a young lady who we all got on with, i must apologise but i can't remember her name. Me being an old hand stripped off down to my nickers a started getting on with the job at hand as if it were an every day occurrence. When i looked about the fitting area i noticed some of the younger lads trying their trousers on over there own trousers and thought this is the kind of innocence that got so many killed leading up to and on the beaches of Dunkirk as most of the men had not seen action etc and were still green as it were, this is a shame. We were transported from 2006 to 1940, it was uncanny the feeling of camaraderie between us all even though it was just a film. We had to have our photo's taken one at a time, god only knows why. we emerged from behind the screen one at a time and sat chatting and nodding our approval at the next man to emerge. If you know how the world and all about us work you will know that whatever the circumstances and whatever the event. it only takes a little thing to kick everyone off laughing. If you know me you will know my laugh is the most infectious laugh in the universe, believe me. Well anyway, this lad emerged from the time warp screen and stood there ready for his photo to be taken, please try and imagine a cross between Frank Spencer and Jerry Lewis and you are half way there. We fell apart at the seems at the sight before us but made out a joke had been told so as not to offend the lad, i am pleased to say i never set eyes on the lad again as i would still be rolling about the floor now. The young men about me seemed afraid and not at ease with the job at hand and what lay before them over the next few days. i feel i should look after the young lads as an old hand would have done in 1940 i suppose. I think this could be the Dunkirk spirit the old hands say occurred in those dark days. The uniforms itched as they did in 1940, the uniforms were new and made in Poland and made to look ragged over here. I know how to cope with an itchy uniform but the young lads are going crazy already, they will manage as we all know. Before leaving i was asked not to shave a week before filming and let my shaved hair grow, you will see the clip of me later on in my story, please don't be afraid. When it was time to leave i was at ease with the task ahead and looked forward to getting to grips with a battle i have fought in my thoughts and my readings.