1940

Dunkirk Evacuation

In May 1940, British, French and Belgian troops were cut off on the French coast by German forces and faced death or capture. A hastily assembled fleet of 850 'little ships', code-named 'Operation Dynamo', departed from Britain (many making several return voyages) and rescued over 338,000 British and French troops. The event inspired Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight them on the beaches' speech and gave rise to the phrase 'Dunkirk Spirit' and to the Brits' reputation for turning a defeat into a victory.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Dunkirk Evacuation

Commemorated ati

Charles Lightoller

Commander Charles Herbert Lightoller RNR. DSC* {Between an image of a ship's ...

Dunkirk at Teddington Lock

We've read (Telegraph and This is Local London) that on 9 May 2010 this "worn...

Hurlingham Yacht Club

1922 is the year that the Club took on its current name, though we don't know...

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Other Subjects

Admiral Robert Blake

Admiral. The date given is his baptism, in Bridgwater, Somerset where there is now a museum and a statue. First fought for Cromwell in the army and was then appointed "General at Sea". 1652-3 he wa...

Person, Armed Forces

3 memorials

L. Wood

Employed at the Holloway tram garage. Served and was killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1

1 memorial

J. B. J. Hook

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2

1 memorial

Frederick Charles Augustus Mayger

Frederick Charles Augustus Mayger was born on 27 June 1877 the eldest of the five children of George Augustus Mayger (1855-1901) and Mary Jane Mayger née Blatchford (1858-1895). His birth was regis...

Person, Armed Forces, Emergency Services

War served, WW1

1 memorial

Richard Savage, fourth Earl Rivers

Governor of the Tower of London, soldier who fought in Ireland for William III and notorious womanizer. Birth date uncertain. Died at home at Ealing Grove, Middlesex.

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

American Bar Association

Stated mission: "To serve equally our members, our profession and the public by defending liberty and delivering justice as the national representative of the legal profession."

Group, Law, USA

1 memorial

Inception Group

Company founded by Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling. It operates a group of theme bars, restaurants and clubs.

Group, Commerce, Food & Drink

3 memorials

Mrs Henry Gage Spicer

Gertrude Maud Emms was born on 1 October 1885 in Bermondsey, the fourth of the seven children of George Edmonds Emms (1849-1908) and Alice Ann Emms née Harwood (1854-1927). On 31 January 1886 she w...

Person, Friend / family

1 memorial

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

402 memorials

Hester Leggatt

Hester May Murray Leggatt was a vital contributor to MI5's 1943 Operation Mincemeat - see there for the full story. Born in India, her family brought her back to the UK before WW1. She attended T...

Person, Espionage

1 memorial