Veterans gather again at Dunkirk
Flotilla of ‘little ships’ cross Channel for weekend of commemorations of Second World War rescue of 340,000 troops
VETERANS have started a weekend of commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation with a service in the French Channel port at the Allied Beach Memorial.
They were honouring comrades who died on the beaches, roads and fields as hundreds of thousands of Allied troops from the British Expeditionary Force escaped ahead of advancing German troops in May 1940.
Between May 26 and June 4 hundreds of boats of all shapes and sizes including 22 paddle steamers plus fishing boats, yachts and lifeboats crossed the Channel from all along the British south coast to help in Operation Dynamo. They rescued 340,000 troops, including 120,000 French.
Yesterday the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships organised a much smaller armada of 50 of the “little ships” to cross the Channel with a Royal Navy escort of HMS Ranger and HMS Trumpeter, with ADLS honorary admiral Prince Michael of Kent on board.
Moving service at the Dunkirk memorial. pic.twitter.com/0N75zkl7yl— Dunkirk Little Ships (@Dunkirk_Ships) May 22, 2015
Included was the Princess Freda, a 63ft Thames pleasure boat, along with Mada, Lazy Days, Aureol, and Chumley, plus Maid Marion, Caronia, and Lady Isabella which had ferried soldiers off the beaches to safety.
Now that the “little ships” convoy has arrived in the port at the Bassin du Commerce the main commemorations come on Saturday, with a service at the Allied Beach Memorial. There will also be a parade through the town with historic and classic vehicles, marches and bands.
Clouds are clearing in Dunkirk. Fleet looking great. pic.twitter.com/GhSkJEB0tl— Dunkirk Little Ships (@Dunkirk_Ships) May 22, 2015
British Ambassador Sir Peter Ricketts in Paris said in a video commentary it would be a “ceremony to remember”
A memorial plaque will be unveiled on Sunday at the spot where the paddle steamer Crested Eagle was hit and sank with 300 troops on board.
STORY: headline
Winston Churchill called the evacuation a “miracle of deliverance” and said it helped determine the outcome of the Second World War.
Dunkirk 'little ships' led by HMS Trumpeter - Photo: Royal Navy/LA(Phot) Luron Wright
