Forgotten Voices of Dunkirk

"It was almost the biggest military disaster for the British of World War II, but instead, the mass evacuation of Dunkirk became an inspiration, and the 'Dunkirk spirit' became synonymous with the strength of the British people in adversity. At the end of May 1940, over 400,000 British troops were trapped in the tiny area around the port of Dunkirk without shelter or supplies. Hitler's tanks were just 10 miles away. But on 26 May, the British Admiralty launched Operation Dynamo. This now famous rescue mission sent vast numbers of ordinary boats from fishing boats to pleasure cruisers, tiny tugs and lifeboats, to barges and navy destroyers over the channel to Dunkirk. It was the smaller boats who picked up soldiers from the shallow beaches and transported them to the destroyers and transport ships, while avoiding minefields and all the time under attack from German bombers. Of the 850 vessels that sailed to Dunkirk, 235 were lost. The soldiers were packed onto the ships like sardines, but when they arrived on the shores of Dover, Ramsgate and Margate they were greeted as heroes. More than 68,000 men died at Dunkirk, but over this nine day period 338,000 were safely evacuat