The evacuation from Dunkirk on the French coast was hailed in Britain as an extraordinary achievement and the ‘little ships of Dunkirk’ swiftly entered the mythology of wartime brave deeds.
British soldiers wade out to a waiting destroyer off Dunkirk during the evacuation.
Troops evacuated from Dunkirk on a destroyer about to berth at Dover, 31 May 1940.
Troops evacuated from Dunkirk enjoying tea and other refreshments at Addison Road station in London, 31 May 1940.
Some of the 'little ships' used during the evacuation of Dunkirk being towed back along the River Thames past Tower Bridge, 9 June 1940.
German forces moved into Dunkirk hours after the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force. Here German officers inspect a memorial on the sea front at Dunkirk.
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A Fairey Fulmar of 803 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm landing on the deck of HMS FORMIDABLE during operations off Madagascar. The force left Colombo on 24 April, and put into the Seychelles on 1 May. The Fleet Air Arm carried out extensive searches and patrols over a wide area during the operation. The covering force then put into Mombasa on 10 May after the operation was concluded.
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