Forgotten voices of Dunkirk : in association with the Imperial War Museum

It could have been the biggest military disaster suffered by the British in the Second World War, but instead the mass evacuation of Dunkirk became an inspiration and the "Dunkirk spirit" became synonymous with the strength of the British people in adversity. Towards the end of May 1940, over 400,000 Allied troops were trapped in and around the port of Dunkirk without shelter or supplies. Hitler's tanks were just ten miles away. But on May 26th, the British Admiralty launched Operation Dynamo. This famous rescue mission sent vast numbers of vessels—from navy destroyers and troopships to pleasure cruisers and fishing boats—over the Channel to Dunkirk. It was the smaller boats who picked up soldiers from the shallow beaches and transported them to the destroyers and transport ships, while at risk from minefields and German bombers. Of the 850 "Little Ships" that sailed to Dunkirk, 235 were lost, but over this nine day period 338,000 British and French troops were safely evacuated. Drawing on the wealth of material from the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive, Forgotten Voices of Dunkirk presents in the words of both rescued and rescuers an intimate and dramatic account of what Winston Churchill described as a "miracle of deliverance." A powerful oral history of the evacuation of Dunkirk, published for the 70th anniversaryIt could have been the biggest military disaster suffered by the British in the Second World War, but against all odds the British Army was successfully evacuated, and 'Dunkirk spirit' became synonymous with the strength of the British people in adversity. On the same day that Winston Churchill became Prime Minister, German troops invaded Holland, Luxembourg and Belgium. The eight-month period of calm that had existed since the declaration of war was over. But the defences constructed by the Allies in preparation failed to repel a German army with superior tactics. The British Expeditionary Force soon found themselves in an increasingly chaotic retreat. By the end of May 1940, over 400,000 Allied troops were trapped in and around the port of Dunkirk without shelter or supplies. Hitler's army was just ten miles away. On 26 May, the British Admiralty launched Operation Dynamo. This famous rescue mission sent every available vessel – from navy destroyers and troopships to pleasure cruisers and fishing boats – over the Channel to Dunkirk. Of the 850 'Little Ships' that sailed to Dunkirk, 235 were sunk by German aircraft or mines, but over this nine day period 338,000 British and French troops were safely evacuated. Drawing on the wealth of material from the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive, Forgotten Voices of Dunkirk presents in the words of both rescued and rescuers in an intimate and dramatic account of what Winston Churchill described as a 'miracle of deliverance'. The subject of the new major film by Christopher Nolan It could have been the biggest military disaster suffered by the British in the Second World War, but against all odds the British Army was successfully evacuated, and 'Dunkirk spirit' became synonymous with the strength of the British people in adversity. On the same day that Winston Churchill became Prime Minister, Nazi troops invaded Holland, Luxembourg and Belgium. The eight-month period of calm that had existed since the declaration of war was over. But the defences constructed by the Allies in preparation failed to repel a German army with superior tactics.The British Expeditionary Force soon found themselves in an increasingly chaotic retreat. By the end of May 1940, over 400,000 Allied troops were trapped in and around the port of Dunkirk without shelter or supplies. Hitler's army was just ten miles away. On 26 May, the British Admiralty launched Operation Dynamo. This famous rescue mission sent every available vessel - from navy destroyers and troopships to pleasure cruisers and fishing boats - over the Channel to Dunkirk. Of the 850 'Little Ships' that sailed to Dunkirk, 235 were sunk by German aircraft or mines, but over this nine day period 338,000 British and French troops were safely evacuated. Drawing on the wealth of material from the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive, Forgotten Voices of Dunkirk presents in the words of both rescued and rescuers in an intimate and dramatic account of what Winston Churchill described as a 'miracle of deliverance'. It could have been the biggest military disaster suffered by the British in the Second World War, but instead the mass evacuation of Dunkirk became an inspiration and the "Dunkirk spirit" became synonymous with the strength of the British people in adversity. Towards the end of May 1940, over 400,000 Allied troops were trapped in and around the port of Dunkirk without shelter or supplies. Hitler's tanks were just ten miles away. But on May 26th, the British Admiralty launched Operation Dynamo. This famous rescue mission sent vast numbers of vessels—from navy destroyers and troopships to pleasure cruisers and fishing boats—over the Channel to Dunkirk. It was the smaller boats who picked up soldiers from the shallow beaches and transported them to the destroyers and transport ships, while at risk from minefields and German bombers. Of the 850 "Little Ships" that sailed to Dunkirk, 235 were lost, but over this nine day period 338,000 British and French troops were safely evacuated. Drawing on the wealth of material from the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive, __Forgotten Voices of Dunkirk__ presents in the words of both rescued and rescuers an intimate and dramatic account of what Winston Churchill described as a "miracle of deliverance." Drawing On A Wealth Of Material From The Imperial War Museum Sound Archive, This Book Presents The Words Of Both Rescued And Rescuers An Intimate And Dramatic Account Of What Winston Churchill Described As A 'miracle Of Deliverance'. Joshua Levine. In Association With The Imperial War Museum. Includes Index. Drawing on the wealth of material from the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive, this title presents in the words of both rescued and rescuers an intimate and dramatic account of what Winston Churchill described as a 'miracle of deliverance'. Operation Dynamo was launched on 26th of May 1940, the objektive was the mass evacuation of Dunkirk by any means necessary