Little Ships of Dunkirk

The situation of the troops, who had been cut off from their advance into France by a pincer movement from the German army, was regarded by the British prime minister Winston Churchill as the greatest military defeat for centuries; it appeared likely to cost Britain the war, as the majority of the British Expeditionary Force was trapped, leaving the country vulnerable to invasion by Germany.

Attention was directed to the pleasure boats, private yachts and launches moored on the River Thames and along the south and east coasts.

Others carried hundreds of soldiers each back to Ramsgate, England, protected by the Royal Air Force from the attacks of the Luftwaffe.

Other Dutch coasters that saved more than 1,000 men each were: Of these ships, seven were lost at Dunkirk or during the evacuation nearer the British coast.

In total, 65 Belgian ships participated, including 54 fishing boats, four Corps de Marine units, four tugs and two patrol vessels.

[40] The 2020 Return was postponed with the hope that the fleet would cross instead in May 2021 but the ADLS had to cancel the visit due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the plans of the authorities in Dunkirk.

[45] One of the Little Ships, the Red Funnel paddle steamer PS Princess Elizabeth, is now owned by the City of Dunkirk and is permanently moored in the harbour as a floating conference centre.