Little ships set to sail for Dunkirk commemoration
From 26 May to 4 June 1940, about 1,000 vessels sailed through heavy enemy fire to rescue more than 338,000 British and Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk.
A spokesperson for the organiser, The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, (ADLS), said: "This commemorative journey will serve as a poignant tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of those who took part in Operation Dynamo.
"It also ensures the legacy of the Dunkirk little ships continues to inspire future generations."
The little ships are due to sail from Ramsgate Royal Harbour at 06:00 BST on Wednesday and arrive at Dunkirk at 16:00 BST, depending on weather and sea conditions.
The organisation, set up in 1966 to preserve the vessels, added this was the first time they have made the crossing since 2015.
The ADLS organises a crossing every five years, but the expedition was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The ships will be escorted by the Royal Navy and the RNLI, with a spectator fleet of modern craft present in Ramsgate and Dunkirk.
The little ships made their first return to the French port in 1965. The idea came from former Second World War Spitfire pilot, Raymond Baxter OBE, who later became a presenter for BBC's Tomorrow's World programme.
Dubbed the "Miracle of Dunkirk" by wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the evacuation is seen as one of the outstanding moments of fortitude and perseverance during the Second World War.
The rescue was overseen by Admiral Bertram Ramsay, who also played a pivotal role in masterminding the Normandy Landings in 1944.
The operation has also inspired films, and Christopher Nolan's 2017 Dunkirk featured several original little ships, and their owners and crew members made guest appearances.
Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
The little ship crews returning to the miracle of Dunkirk
'These little ships are our last link to the war'
Fees waived for boats heading to WW2 memorial event
Historic Dunkirk tugboat desperately needs repairs
The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
12 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Review: Kokandy Productions resurrects the dreamy 'Amélie the Musical'
What was ground zero for the manic pixie dream girl movie trope? Zooey Deschanel in '(500) Days of Summer?' Kirsten Dunst in 'Elizabethtown?' Winona Ryder in 'Autumn in New York?' It depends on the nature of your preferred definition and some go back as far as Katharine Hepburn. But a case surely could be made for the pointy-haired French star Audrey Tautou in 'Amélie,' the whimsical 2001 French fable from Jean-Pierre Jeunet about a melancholy but lovable Montmartre waitress who decides that the best cure for her own feelings of loneliness is throwing herself into improving the lives of the clutch of Parisian eccentrics who surround her. 'Amélie' was one of the most internationally successful French movies ever made, and those of us who fell under its witty, sweet, intermittently acerbic spell at the time surely recall it with great fondness. Ah, when quirkiness and whimsy still felt fresh and new. Until, that is, some of us walked into Broadway's Walter Kerr Theater in 2017 for the disastrous musical version. Not many folk had that dubious pleasure, given that 'Amélie,' which has a book by Craig Lucas and music by Daniel Messé, lasted only 57 regular performances. I hadn't seen it since before this weekend and was not sure I ever would before Kokandy Productions, the indisputable current leader in edgy, off-Loop musicals, announced its summer project. 'Amélie,' the musical yin to 'Lupin's' Netflix yang. Interesting, I thought. Everything gets licensed. I should first note why I think 'Amélie' had such a rough go of it on Broadway in 2017. Many reasons: The source movie was so organically and distinctly beautiful as to resist brand extension. A chilly vibe couldn't compete with the warmth and vulnerability of Tautou's film performance. The show struggled to translate so fundamental a cinematic narrative into the language of a Broadway musical. And, frankly, time had just . Daring originality had become a familiar trope. Kokandy's hugely inventive production, which is a must-see for anyone interested in the long Chicago tradition of fresh and intimate takes on failed Broadway musicals, goes a long way toward giving Amélie back her crucial sense of self and worth. You might say it de-tropifies her. Most specifically, that is achieved by the delightful Aurora Penepacker, who plays the central character here and makes Amélie entirely her own, even though she comes with a Tautou-like Parisian bob and a day-glo vivacity that put me most in mind of Jasmine Amy Rogers in 'Boop! The Musical.' The gifted director and choregrapher Derek Van Barham, who has been doing for musicals these last few summers what David Cromer once did for straight plays in the basement of the Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park, has created an eye-poppingly immersive production that draws on the cabaret-style implications of the material (Amélie is, after all, a waitress in a Parisian cafe) and features a cast that switches, 'Once'-style, back and forth between playing instruments (playing them well, too) and performing the show's wacky lost urban souls. The tone of the production is admirable diverse: Mizha Lee Overn, for example, brings warmth to her little clutch of characters while Quinn Rigg, between stints playing the violin, adds a delicious soupçon of cynicism to his denizens. I did think Joe Giovannetti, who plays Amélie's love interest, Nino, could warm up some more toward the end, but then the production's problems mostly are in the second act. Act 1 is pretty knockout but post-intermission (an intermission that did not exist on Broadway) the show gets less specific and it just pops off the boil a tad. Penepacker's vocals are simply fabulous all the way through to her big Act 2 number, 'Sister's Pickle' (I know; what a title for an 11 o'clock number) and then she suddenly seems less tonally assured. I suspect that the show ran out of rehearsal time, which is not uncommon. I also think the problems within the material finally start to overwhelm the plethora of creative staging ideas here, all shrewdly designed and lit by G. 'Max' Maxin IV. Caper-driven films invariably have too much plot for Act 2 and that's surely the case here, when all the audience really wants is to spend more time inside the head of the heroine. So I can't report that Kokandy solves about 'Amélie.' But the score is worth hearing, when this well sung. Indeed, I'll wager you won't regret going for a second, not with this much passion and creativity and sheer talent running around what long has been the most artistically satisfying basement in the city. Review: 'Amélie' (3.5 stars) When: Through Sept. 28 Where: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes Tickets: $45-55 at
Chicago Tribune
43 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: So long, Lolla kids. Hope you had fun.
After a slow start, we've come to regard Lollapalooza with affection. The kids who flock to Chicago (more than 100,000 per day this year, reportedly) are a fun crew, their destination instantly recognizable from their sparkly, skimpy attire wherever we encountered them in the city this weekend (usually peering into their phones, trying to find their Ubers). And, of course, they spend a lot of money around town, especially in and around Chicago's Loop, which needs their support. We'd expect the economic impact of the festival this year to be somewhere around $500 million, if not more. Over the years, Lollapalooza has turned into a good Chicago citizen and, with apologies to Coachella, which has a broader cultural mandate, has become North America's equivalent of Glastonbury, the massive outdoor British festival, which makes news in the entertainment business every year, often by slating such things as final farewells from the likes of Elton John and Rod Stewart, the pairings of iconic artists and young artists showing respect for previous generations. We saw some of that last phenomenon this year at Lolla, when young, female headliners such as Gracie Abrams brought out Robyn, Olivia Rodrigo introduced Weezer and Sabrina Carpenter surprised attendees with Earth, Wind & Fire, a retro band that also happens to be playing Ravinia on Thursday night. We hope that, for all our mutual benefits, Lolla keeps its focus on those deft kinds of surprises. The Chicago Police Department tells us that this year's festival went off without any significant trouble, beyond what you might reasonably expect when that many humans gather in one place. There were only 12 total arrests over the four nights, which is minimal; zero tickets issued (not a typo) and 42 ambulance reports, which is way down from previous years (in 2021, for example, there were 102 transports). The cooler weather likely helped, but this is all good news. It could well be that the disruptions caused to downtown residents by the now-departed NASCAR, which actually involved city streets and resulted in lengthy closures, has made us better appreciate Lollapalooza, which mostly confines itself to established festival grounds. We also always appreciate the effort to bring in local food operations, such as Fatso's Last Stand and the family-owned Bacci Pizzeria. And we heard from out-of-towners who were impressed with this year's drone show — especially how well it framed the real Willis Tower, if you had the right angle. Better yet, the aftershows at venues all over town were hopping this past weekend, from the Salt Shed to Radius and from Schubas Tavern to Lincoln Hall. Past concerns about the big event locking up acts with exclusive deals in protected territory haven't entirely gone away, but with this many people at so successful a festival, it's now clear that the smaller venues in Chicago generally have decided it's better to join the four-night party than stand against it. The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events could do more to use the Lolla base for the benefit of the whole city and get attendees to stay for a week or more. Still, much as we often detail Chicago's problems in this space, we also know that its gorgeous skyline can seduce a young visitor like nowhere else in the Midwest. Huge benefits accrue, not just in terms of tourism but when it comes to attracting new residents, when young pop stars with tens of millions of followers post love letters to our town, as when Carpenter posted 'thank you, Chicago. Wow.' Carpenter also made specific reference to Chicago in her set, mimicking a Chicago news station. Rodrigo found her way to Wrigley Field this weekend and we heard tell of a certain young Chicago Cubs star present at Lollapalooza, too. Simply put, this was a weekend for the spotlight to find a way through the haze and shine on the beauty, action and artistry of a Chicago summer. Glastonbury is taking the year off in 2026 to allow the natural land to recover. Thanks to our urban setting and the hard work of those who tend to its grounds, Lollapalooza does not have that problem. It'll be back — and we're happy about that.
Los Angeles Times
43 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Queen Camilla is ready for more ‘Slow Horses.' And Gary Oldman is happy to oblige
Sir Gary Oldman — he received a British knighthood in King Charles' June birthday honors list — appears on Zoom at his home in Palm Springs in front of a display of his own black-and-white photographs. 'I do all sorts of photography, but I also do 19th century wet plate,' he says. 'I just like the process. I don't do digital, I do film. I like the developing.' Oldman's been 'doing film' of the silver-screen sort since the 1980s, but the phenomenal global success of London-based spy thriller 'Slow Horses,' which returns for its fifth season on Apple TV+ next month, has changed everything for the Oscar winner (2017's 'Darkest Hour'). Emmy-nominated as lead actor in a drama series for the second consecutive year for his turn as slovenly Jackson Lamb, leader of an out-of-favor group of spies nicknamed the Slow Horses, Oldman could not be more thrilled. In fact, it's virtually impossible to tell whether he's more psyched about 'Slow Horses' or being knighted. Either way, he's full of the joys of his very hot summer. 'Big sky, big mountain and 102 here at the moment,' he beams. He finds L.A. too chilly now. 'I'm thrilled with it,' he grins of his knighthood, 'and no, I wasn't angling for it. I mean, I've done some stuff for charity over the years, and I would like to think I'm a good export, an ambassador of Britain. I have a green card, but I don't have American citizenship. I'm still a British subject.' He's thrilled too about his Emmy nomination, but less enamored of relentless questions about 'how you pull the rabbit out of the hat.' 'Can't it just be a bloody mystery? Why do we have to sort of take it all apart?' he asks. 'I think half of the time I make it up. I don't know, I just do. It's like you have a facility for something. It's like asking a tennis player, 'How do you return the ball?' 'I've just been able to do it since I was 12.' I don't look up videos of Peter O'Toole talking about acting.' Oldman notes he moved to Hollywood 'completely by accident' because he 'wanted to go to the place where they were making films so I could practice.' Film, he did, ad infinitum, particularly enjoying the spy genre in 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,' which garnered him his first Oscar nomination as lead actor in 2012, long before Jackson Lamb appeared on his radar. It appears 'Slow Horses' might satisfy part of his creative itch for some years to come. Season 6 is already in the can, and Season 7 is due to start filming this fall. 'It is something I could just do. Can I see an end? I don't know,' he says. 'I love the people and the show and the character. But it's nothing to do with that. Apple write the checks and have been generous in their check-writing. I mean, how do you feel? Do you think people would eventually just get fed up with it?' I demur, along with members of the British royal family apparently. 'The Queen [Camilla] said to me, 'Are there any more?' I'm led to believe that they like 'Slow Horses.' And in Palm Springs of all places, I'll go to the hardware store or the supermarket and people will come up to me and say, 'When's 'Slow Horses' coming back?'' His facility for the simple stuff does, however, fail him occasionally. 'Yes, suddenly you can't walk in a room. Or get out of a car. I've walked into a room my entire life. I've got out of so many cars I couldn't count and now, yeah, even just raising a cup. It's the funniest thing, it will trip you up.' To date, he has not forgotten how to eat, which is fortunate given Lamb's gargantuan appetite and Oldman's impatience with eating scenes where actors push their food around. 'I remember the noodles scene in Season 2, and you know Lamb is an eater; I'm always eating in the show, and you can't fake it. So one morning I ate 17 or 18 bowls of noodles and then it was, 'OK, we're gonna break for lunch, can I get you anything?'' Oldman's most recent 'charity work' was his pro bono four-week run this spring of Samuel Beckett's one-man play 'Krapp's Last Tape' at York Theatre Royal, scene of his professional stage debut in 1979 and his first U.K. stage appearance in 37 years. 'I kind of got kidnapped by film and with all the other life experiences — kids, divorce, marriage, divorce, sobriety,' he says. 'You turn around and think, 'When did I last do a play?' And I thought, 'I'd really like to do it, let me put my toe back in the water.'' He wondered, 'Well, will anyone come? Is anyone interested? I was worried whether we'd fill 700 or 800 seats, and then the day they announced the tickets, their computer crashed.' There's that huge smile again, one suggesting he still can't quite believe it. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't waste time worrying too much about his place in the Hollywood pantheon. 'Maybe there are people somewhere in an executive office sitting around saying, 'What about Gary Oldman for this role?' and 'No, he's unavailable because he's doing the show.' But I like what 'Slow Horses' has afforded me over the last few years. I get some downtime, I got to do theater, I've got my photography and other things, rather than thinking about this or that film and 'they want you but they don't know if they can go this year.' 'I feel so privileged, so bloody lucky that at 67 years old, I'm in a show of this caliber, that people have really actually embraced. I'm so very, very blessed, and it's also nice to know that you're going to be working. Yeah, it's nice to be in regular employment.'
