check_mateOPLondon, Greater London, England UK968 posts
Thousands of British soldiers waited for rescue on the beaches of Dunkirk in France in 1940. The Thames in London was among several places to play a role in an enormous war effort - a mission in late May and early June to rescue soldiers on the beaches of Dunkirk. The admiralty called for the collection of small boats and it wasn't long before the reason became known, 350,000 plus British, French and Belgium troops had become trapped at Dunkirk by the German army. The German army had taken over much of Western Europe in just a 16 days.
While troops were being bombarded by shelling on the beaches a fleet of boat owners of the little ships bravely sailed out from the UK and under fire from horrific shelling these brave soldiers piled into Navy boats, large commercial craft and the 500 plus little ships, the little ships alone rescued 98,000 or so men. The history of this historic evacuation and it's memory is kept alive by the Association of Little Ships. Some 250,000 soldiers were saved during this evacuation which was more than half the nation's army at the time. These amazing soldiers went on to fight in other conflicts. The youngest of these evacuation veterans are in now in their nineties.
Do you know anyone who was there and have a story to share?
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While troops were being bombarded by shelling on the beaches a fleet of boat owners of the little ships bravely sailed out from the UK and under fire from horrific shelling these brave soldiers piled into Navy boats, large commercial craft and the 500 plus little ships, the little ships alone rescued 98,000 or so men. The history of this historic evacuation and it's memory is kept alive by the Association of Little Ships. Some 250,000 soldiers were saved during this evacuation which was more than half the nation's army at the time. These amazing soldiers went on to fight in other conflicts. The youngest of these evacuation veterans are in now in their nineties.
Do you know anyone who was there and have a story to share?