The Little Ships of Dunkirk (Ships Monthly 75th Anniversary Souvenir)

Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk, began on 26 May and ended on 3 June 1940. Disaster or triumph? Victory or defeat? Whatever assessment is made of the evacuation, it has become a part of the national consciousness, with the 'Little Ships' elevated to the status of heroes for the role they played in helping to save the BEF soldiers. This book provides short histories of more than seventy of the famous craft that crossed the Channel to save Allied soldiers from the German advance, and which now form the backbone of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, the organisation that keeps the memories of 1940 alive. Many are elegant motor yachts, with classic lines, while others are preserved lifeboats that were built to save lives. There are also barges, passenger launches, motor torpedo boats and many other craft, all of which are lovingly cared for by owners who spend much time and money preserving these historic vessels. Author Nicholas Leach has worked in conjunction with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships to provide this souvenir guide to the Little Ships, most of which involved in the 75th anniversary return crossing in May 2015. In full colour, the book also provides an overview of Operation Dynamo and how the Association's formation came about in the 1960s.