Event    From 26/5/1940  To 3/6/1940

Dunkirk Evacuation

Categories: Armed Forces

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

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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 ...

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Dunkirk at Teddington Lock

We've read (Telegraph and This is Local London) that on 9 May 2010 this "worn...

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Hurlingham Yacht Club

1922 is the year that the Club took on its current name, though we don't know...

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Other Subjects

J. Brett

J. Brett

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Sir John Jennings

Sir John Jennings

Naval officer.  Governor of Greenwich Hospital 1720 to his death, there.

Person, Armed Forces, Benefactor, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Major General Charles George Gordon

Major General Charles George Gordon

Army officer. Made his military reputation in China. Achieved lasting fame through his death at the siege of Khartoum. His name, and his marching band (which performs annually at the Whitehall sta...

Person, Armed Forces, China/Hong Kong, Sudan

4 memorials
W. T. Ellner

W. T. Ellner

Employed at the Holloway bus/tram garage - Pemberton Gardens. Served and was killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
A. S. Anthony
War dead, WW2
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Thames Rowing Club

Thames Rowing Club

Founded as 'The City of London Rowing Club'. It was a pioneer in women's rowing.

Group, Sport / Games

1 memorial
Laurence Matthey

Laurence Matthey

Member of the Ealing District Council in 1899. Listed in the London diocese book, 1919 as a "Local Honorary Secretaries : — R.D. Baling — L. MATTHEY, Esq., Elmsholme, Grange Road, Ealing, W. 5." o...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
W. H. Stuart Garnett
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Arthur H. Valentine

Arthur H. Valentine

Committee chairman in Bow in 1900. Our colleague Andrew Behan has researched this man: Initially (ha) we thought the middle initial on the plaque read 'R' but since that name lead nowhere Andrew ...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial