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| Fleet marks Dunkirk anniversary | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A fleet of "Little Ships" which rescued Allied troops from Dunkirk in 1940 has set sail from the South Coast to mark the 70th anniversary of the event. | |
| More than 50 vessels are heading to France to commemorate Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of some 338,000 soldiers from Dunkirk's beaches. | |
| The troops had been driven back to the coast by the German army. | The troops had been driven back to the coast by the German army. |
| The phrase "Dunkirk spirit" has become emblematic of British determination and courage in the face of adversity. | The phrase "Dunkirk spirit" has become emblematic of British determination and courage in the face of adversity. |
| 'Little Boats' | |
| The flotilla in Ramsgate, in Kent was cheered by crowds as it set sail for Dunkirk, in north-east France, at 0700 BST. | |
| The ships will be escorted by the Royal Navy frigate HMS Monmouth on their eight-hour journey. | |
| BBC correspondent Jon Kay said he was on board the Greta, one of the "Little Boats" that brought back hundreds of hungry exhausted men 70 years ago. | |
| Some 50 of the original Little Ships will take part in the commemorations | |
| He was joined by Brian de Mattos whose father Basil was one of those sent to bring the troops home. | |
| Mr de Mattos said: "It's quite an emotional day to be following in my father's footsteps 70 years after he went out there - obviously in slightly different conditions both in terms of weather and enemy action. | |
| "But it's a great opportunity for me to see this and the boat he commanded all those years ago." | |
| The original evacuation took place between 26 May and 4 June 1940, and involved 900 naval and civilian craft which were sent across the Channel under RAF protection. | |
| Among them were the "Little Boats" - including fishing vessels, pleasure crafts, paddle steamers and lifeboats. | Among them were the "Little Boats" - including fishing vessels, pleasure crafts, paddle steamers and lifeboats. |
| During the evacuation - described by Winston Churchill as a "miracle of deliverance" - the Luftwaffe attacked whenever the weather allowed and at least 5,000 soldiers were killed. | During the evacuation - described by Winston Churchill as a "miracle of deliverance" - the Luftwaffe attacked whenever the weather allowed and at least 5,000 soldiers were killed. |
| Ramsgate's Royal Harbour Marina was the reception centre for returning troops and after a weekend of commemorative events in France, the Little Ships are due to return there on Monday. | Ramsgate's Royal Harbour Marina was the reception centre for returning troops and after a weekend of commemorative events in France, the Little Ships are due to return there on Monday. |
| Before heading off, Edwin Brown, who was among those rescued in 1940, told the BBC: "They made a hell of a difference because they got us out to the bigger boats where we could get some help from the sailors who couldn't get in because of the depth of the water." | |
| More than 300,000 Allied troops were rescued from the Dunkirk beaches | |
| Of that famous British pluck, Mr Brown said: "There isn't a better spirit anywhere because everyone was looking after each other. | Of that famous British pluck, Mr Brown said: "There isn't a better spirit anywhere because everyone was looking after each other. |
| "If you were in trouble and you needed help, it was there. That was the Dunkirk spirit." | "If you were in trouble and you needed help, it was there. That was the Dunkirk spirit." |
| A commemorative ceremony will be held at the Allied memorial on Dunkirk beach on Saturday. There will be a minute's silence, followed by the national anthems of Britain, the Czech Republic, France and Belgium. | A commemorative ceremony will be held at the Allied memorial on Dunkirk beach on Saturday. There will be a minute's silence, followed by the national anthems of Britain, the Czech Republic, France and Belgium. |
| The evacuation was a big boost to British morale. | The evacuation was a big boost to British morale. |
| World War II historian Nick Hewitt said it "bought time" for the Allies, allowing them to regroup and fight another day. | World War II historian Nick Hewitt said it "bought time" for the Allies, allowing them to regroup and fight another day. |
| "Without Dunkirk, Britain doesn't have an army and it's extremely questionable whether Britain could have fought the war," he said. | "Without Dunkirk, Britain doesn't have an army and it's extremely questionable whether Britain could have fought the war," he said. |
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