This morning 48 Little Ships, who took part in the original evacuation of allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk during the Second World War, set sail for Dunkirk from Ramsgate to mark the 75th anniversary of Dunkirk.
The evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, took place between May and June 1940. It saw hundreds of boats, ranging from Royal Navy ships to small pleasure craft, sail across the Channel to rescue more than 338,000 Allied troops retreating from Nazi forces.
The event has gone down in history, along with the famous phrase “Dunkirk Spirit”, in tribute to the resilience shown during one of the darkest periods of the Second World War.
Escorting the Little Ships are Royal Navy vessels HMS Ranger and HMS Trumpeter. On board for the journey to Dunkirk is the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships’ (ADLS) Honorary Admiral HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
Today is a particularly poignant day for Lieutenant Chris Chew RN, Commanding Officer of HMS Trumpeter who said:
It’s an absolute privilege to be taking part in the Dunkirk Little Ships 75th anniversary. This year 48 vessels are returning to Dunkirk. They are recreating what over 300 of them did 75 years ago when they rescued nearly 340,000 people - one of which was my grandfather.
Lieutenant Chew’s grandfather, the late Sergeant Arthur Attwood, served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He was acting Sergeant of a platoon in France, about 10 miles away from the Belgian border, when the order to retreat was given.
He spent the first night of the retreat in a derelict hut and at dawn he and three of his platoon continued the push towards Dunkirk picking up survivors on the way. By the time he reached Dunkirk his platoon numbered around 20 men and Operation Dynamo was in full swing. Sergeant Attwood and his men were then crowded on to a boat called the Trumpeter, a namesake of the boat that his grandson, Lieutenant Chew now commands.
For the 75th anniversary the Armed Forces have paid tribute to this extraordinary feat. The Royal Air Force marked the flotilla setting sail with a fly-past of the Battle of Britain Memorial Fight. The fly-past included a Spitfire, flown by Squadron Leader Duncan Mason and a Hurricane, flown by Squadron Leader Mark Discombe.
On taking part in today’s commemoration, Squadron Leader Duncan Mason, Officer Commanding the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, said:
Flying over the Little Ships as they departed was an absolute honour.
To see them forming up at Ramsgate harbour as we flew past conjured up images of what it must have been like for the hundreds of ships who lined up to go and rescue those in Dunkirk 75 years ago.
It was both poignant and a privilege to fly above them today and wish them well as they are escorted by our Royal Navy colleagues. It was a sight to behold and something we will never forget.
Yesterday the Band of the Royal Engineers took part in a series of commemorations in and around Ramsgate.
Commemorations of Operation Dynamo occur every five years and are organised by The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. For more information head to their website (http://www.adls.org.uk) or follow #Dunkirk75 on Twitter .
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