Thursday, May 27, 2010

70th Anniversary of Dunkirk - "Operation Dynamo"

Today is the 70th Anniversary of Dunkirk - On this day 1940: Dunkirk evacuation begins.

From the BBC Archives: WWII: Dunkirk Evacuation - How the 'little ships' helped rescue the Allied troops

The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships:
70th Anniversary Commemorative Return to Dunkirk

Hear stories from veterans who were there via the Imperial War Museum's YouTube channel

Codenamed Operation Dynamo, a flotilla of 900 naval and civilian craft – the latter were called “the little ships” – were sent across the English channel to rescue an entire army, the defeated British Expeditionary Force.

338,000 troops were rescued from the beaches between May 27 and June 4, 1940.

Prime Minister, Winston Churchill oversaw the incredible plan to rescue the British (and French) soldiers from the beaches of France via hundreds of seaworthy boats.

Events to mark the the 70th anniversary are being held around the country as well as in France and Belgium.

Fleet marks Dunkirk anniversary (via BBC News)

Ramsgate’s Dynamo Day 2010 - The 70th Anniversary of the Dunkirk Little Ships

4 comments:

  1. We were lucky to rescue that many men, had we not done so what happened from then on may have been very different! Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, very lucky indeed. It's hard to believe it happened and that they were so successful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dunkirk was the first example of Hitler's poor judgement, which eventually lost him the war. Rule Britannia!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, you're right. Hitler (and the German High Command) did make mistakes - fortunately!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.