Operation Dynamo

platypus

platypus

platypus

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DUNKIRK1940.jpg


70 Years ago today, the allies initiated a vast evacuation of British and French troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, after they were cut off by the Germans in the Battle of Dunkirk.

Dunkirk evacuation in maps

Over 200 ships where lost, and close to 500 planes as the RAF diligently protected the fleet from the Luftwaffe.

Good_to_be_alive_dunkirk_1940.png


Given that initial plans had been to evacuate 45,000, the fact that 338,226 soldiers were rescued is a great testament to the planning and execution of the operation. In his famous speech to the House of Commons ("We shall fight them on the beaches"), Churchill called the events in France "a colossal military disaster", saying that "the whole root and core and brain of the British Army" had been stranded at Dunkirk and seemed about to perish or be captured. He hailed their rescue as a "miracle of deliverance".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkirk_Evacuation and an interesting read from one of the "little ships of Dunkirk".
 
Hitler would not allow his wehrmacht generals to attack the British at dunkirk as Hitler never had any plans to destroy the British Empire... this is why they managed to evacuate.
 
A truly great operation, with many great stories.

My grandad was left behind as he was wounded and hidden up a tree. He was later able to get back to Britain but the rest of his unit never made it. When he got back he found out his mum (my great grandmother had sold all his possesions to buy a chanel dress, she was a bit crazy like that) Eventually he went back after D-day and served out the war luckily.

I never knew any of that story till after he died and my uncle told me, he would always talk about the funny bits.
 
Citizen420 said:
Hitler would not allow his wehrmacht generals to attack the British at dunkirk as Hitler never had any plans to destroy the British Empire... this is why they managed to evacuate.
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Slightly disagree there. Hitler had been assured by Goering that the Luftwaffe would deal with the British pocket, sink all our ships etc etc....

Hitler was concerned that the 2/3 Panzer divisions that had raced through Belgium/Northern France were now largely unsupported by infantry divisions, and he didnt want to see these being chewed up in urban warfare, leaving them vulnerable to a counter-stroke by French armour. France actually had more tanks than Germany in 1940, just they deployed them terribly.

^ Probably goes to explain why Hitler was once described as being "the best battallion commander of WW2" ;)

Still, a truly amazing achievement in rescuing so many of our soldiers and allies, and a much needed boost to morale in such times!
 
matt_fsr said:
Slightly disagree there. Hitler had been assured by Goering that the Luftwaffe would deal with the British pocket, sink all our ships etc etc....

Hitler was concerned that the 2/3 Panzer divisions that had raced through Belgium/Northern France were now largely unsupported by infantry divisions, and he didnt want to see these being chewed up in urban warfare, leaving them vulnerable to a counter-stroke by French armour. France actually had more tanks than Germany in 1940, just they deployed them terribly.

^ Probably goes to explain why Hitler was once described as being "the best battallion commander of WW2" ;)

Still, a truly amazing achievement in rescuing so many of our soldiers and allies, and a much needed boost to morale in such times!
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According to the German history I have read, Hitlers reply to one of his generals at the time of dunkirk was something along the lines of "we cannot and shall not destroy the British empire", but you are spot on with the situation at that time but my understanding is that Hitler viewed the UK as a natural ally against the bolshevik east, and never wanted to fight the UK, he always wanted to go east to gain his lebensraum.

I could say more but I know I will get flamed, as someone who has studied this for most of my life, what I believe differs from the 'official' WWII story we are told in school/on tv.
 
Citizen420 said:
I could say more but I know I will get flamed, as someone who has studied this for most of my life, what I believe differs from the 'official' WWII story we are told in school/on tv.
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As they say the victor writes history, and its taboo to question anything that might seem contrary to the established order of things.

According to my understanding of things I believe Hitler thought he could get Churchill "on side" once he (Hitler) had made his stand.
 
Rroff said:
As they say the victor writes history, and its taboo to question anything that might seem contrary to the established order of things.

According to my understanding of things I believe Hitler thought he could get Churchill "on side" once he (Hitler) had made his stand.
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Exactly, and to go a bit further, there is evidence that the UK did agree to side with Hitler only to double cross him into a war on two fronts, which is also the reason they sent Hess over here only for him to be locked up for the rest of his life.
 
Rather then say "I can't post for fear of being flamed" would you post your sources? There are enough people on here who would find it of great interest.

Even though this thread was just intended to celebrate a great operation; I suspect it would have received more attention if titled "Dunkirk Evacuation".
 
Rroff said:
According to my understanding of things I believe Hitler thought he could get Churchill "on side" once he (Hitler) had made his stand.
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He'd wanted this as well, Britain and it's Empire was a useful ally he hoped to get.

Rroff said:
As they say the victor writes history, and its taboo to question anything that might seem contrary to the established order of things.
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Churchill apparently even remarked this. Thank god now we live in the information age and it's all a little bit different.
 
A quite remarkable operation and truly snatching victory from the jaws of defeat or at least about as close as you'll get regardless of the question of why the German forces held back.
 
anyone in kent, the crews of the little ships are going to be out in ramsgate sea front tonight if you would like to have a drink with them,

the boats sail first thing in the morning for dunkirk,


I was having a coupe of drinks at lunch time with them, you couldnt belive the storys unless you heard it stright from them,

RIP to those that didnt make it.
 
Von Smallhausen said:
Makes you proud.

Thank your lucky stars that the nazis' did not launch a full attack or WWII could have been very different.

Well done fellas.
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This, the spirit was what kept Britain alive, the rise of mental illness and depression was rife but everybody pulled together, they had to, sit back and give in let the building burn, let the munitions go unbuilt.

Hitler did a good job of ruining London and bombing the southern airfields to say that Hitler never wanted to attack is a bit hit and miss, he had no intention but wanted to slow down the assault of Britain, it was the only allied country on the Nazi doorstep. If Russia was not part of his plan, June 1941 Russian war front, Blitz May 1941, he would have gone for Britain and we
could have fallen. He got greedy but we will never know thank ****
 
A good few boats from my town, Leigh-on-Sea, were involved in this. Very brave actions from a lot of completely normal people, cockle fishermen.

It does make you proud.

These were the boats from Leigh that were involved:

Renown - Harry Noakes Crew

Reliant - Tony Meddle Crew

Endeavour - Robinson Crew

Leticia - Authur Dench Crew

Resolute - Harry Osborn Crew

Defender - Harvey Crew (with sub-lieutenant RMVR Soloman)
 
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