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

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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...

See other memorials in this area

Other Subjects

F. H. Ings

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1

1 memorial

Foreign nationals at the Battle of Trafalgar

The popular image of the navy in Nelson's time, is of ships manned solely by 'British Tars'. In fact the crews of the ships that fought at Trafalgar included sailors from America, Ireland, Prussia,...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial

W. F. Bolton

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2

1 memorial

C. M. Workman

Resident of the West Ward, Hendon who served and died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1

1 memorial

Oliver E. Jones

Resident of the West Ward, Hendon who served and died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1

1 memorial

Previously viewed

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

St John the Evangelist church, Wilton Road

The picture source provides the following information: Built in 1874 as a chapel of ease to St Peter, Eaton Square. The church was destroyed in WW2 and the remains pulled down a few years later. Th...

Building, Religion

1 memorial

Transport for London / London Transport

This organisation has been a bit of a political football, often having its name changed, as follows: 1902 - 1933 Underground Electric Railways Company of London 1933 - 1948 London Passenger Transpo...

Group, Industry, Transport

52 memorials

William Pitt (the Elder)

Born Westminster. Earl of Chatham and Prime Minister. Father of William Pitt the Younger. Died Hayes, Kent.

Person, Politics & Administration

4 memorials

Veteran-Cycle Club

Group, Community / Clubs, Tourism / Traditions

1 memorial