BRITAIN'S FINEST

80 years after the ‘Little Ships’ rescue at Dunkirk, ordinary people are still our nation’s heroes

- James Moore

AS the nation continues to battle the coronavirus epidemic, it is everyday heroes such as NHS staff, carers and volunteers who are making the difference on the ground. Indeed, throughout our history it is ordinary folk doing extraordinary things who have always proved to be the best of British.

Eighty years ago, during the Second World War, the country faced defeat by Hitler’s Germany, with our army stranded on the beaches of France at Dunkirk.

Yet the flotilla of small boats and privately owned craft that crossed the Channel to help rescue them would show the steely resolve of the British people in the face of looming catastrophe.

As early as May 14, 1940, the government issued the following plea via the BBC: “The Admiralty have made an Order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30ft and 100ft in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned.”

Within a week, Hitler’s blitzkrieg had French forces on the retreat and German troops had pushed the bulk of the British Expeditionary Force back to the English Channel around Dunkirk. The race was on to try to rescue as much of the army as possible to avert total defeat, and plans for Operation Dynamo began. It was thought only 45,000 men could be saved.

On May 20 new prime minister Winston Churchill ordered the Admiralty to ramp up the assembly of a fleet of small vessels to help the Navy complete the task.