Latest news with #LittleShips
BBC News
13-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Devon boat builder to restore Dunkirk lifeboat
A boat builder from Devon is set to restore a vessel which helped evacuate thousands of soldiers from 26 May to 4 June 1940, hundreds of vessels sailed through heavy enemy fire to rescue more than 338,000 British and Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk as part of Operation builder Abbey Molyneux, originally from Exeter, said the Guide of Dunkirk lifeboat, which has spent 40 years in Mevagissey, in Cornwall, would be transported to her boatyard in Norfolk for the restoration."She saved thousands of lives on the run to Dunkirk and we're now going to try and restore her," she said. Ms Molyneux told BBC Radio Devon the Guide of Dunkirk was built in the 1940s and was in "perfect condition".According to the RNLI, 700 civilian vessels, now known as the Little Ships of Dunkirk, made the crossing along with 19 RNLI lifeboats."They used all sorts of different boats and the Guide of Dunkirk was very popular, as were a lot of lifeboats because they've got a very shallow draft," Ms Molyneux said."They saved thousands and thousands of lives because they were the boats that could get closest to the shore to rescue the soldiers." She added: "These little lifeboats were a key part of the whole evacuation."Ms Molyneux, who has restored up to 30 Dunkirk little ships, said she hoped to restore the vessel back to its original condition and take it back to Dunkirk in the Guide of Dunkirk will arrive in Norfolk on Friday.
ITV News
01-06-2025
- General
- ITV News
'Incredible welcome' as Little Ships return to Kent after weather delays
Watch: Commodore Kevin Finn, from the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, describes the week's events and the reception given at Ramsgate harbour. Dozens of Little Ships have returned to Kent from Dunkirk, after commemorating 75 years since Operation Dynamo. The fleet had been due to return last weekend, but poor weather conditions returned the sailing. Hundreds of people lined the harbour wall on Saturday evening to welcome the boats, which had set off for France on May 21st. Commodore Kevin Finn, from the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, described the reception as 'amazing' and said the unexpected delays had been a chance to build relationships. " Friends that we knew we liked became friends that we loved, people we didn't know very well became great friends. "The people of Dunkirk were amazing and the people of Ramsgate have been incredible, coming out to welcome us home on a Saturday evening."
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Weather concerns pause Ramsgate return for Dunkirk Little Ships
Just a handful of the Little Ships which sailed from Kent to Dunkirk for the 85th anniversary celebrations will return today as planned due to weather of ships which took part in Operation Dynamo will not sail on Monday, 26 May after organisers warned that conditions in the English Channel were "pretty much on the limit".As few as seven ships could make the return journey to Ramsgate due to the conditions, with the rest expected to sail on Saturday, 31 May, a spokesperson for the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) have been taking part in celebrations to commemorate the voyage to save allied soldiers from the French coast between 26 May and 4 June 1940. Mick Gentry, of the ADLS, said: "It will be touch and go."The crossing on Wednesday was pretty much on the limit of where we like to be weather-wise."We are hoping for some divine intervention. It's paramount that we look after the old girls."A total of 66 boats from across Europe set off from Ramsgate on Wednesday, 21 May for Dunkirk as part of the commemorations of Operation than 338,000 soldiers were rescued, with almost 100,000 troops picked up off from the beaches by the little ships and ferried to larger commemorative voyage was the first which did not include any Dunkirk veterans, the ADLS of the ships last made the journey in 2015, to mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: The Dunkirk Spirit's been dumped in favour of illegal migrants
A flotilla of 'Little Ships' crossing the Channel to commemorate the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940 was forced to divert so Border Force could provide safe passage for illegal immigrants heading for Kent. Eighty-five years after 1,000 assorted fishing boats and pleasure craft set off from England to rescue troops trapped on the beaches of northern France, the British government agency charged with protecting our borders was ferrying yet another boatload of military-age migrants in the opposite direction.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Fury as Dunkirk Little Ships flotilla forced to change course in Channel to avoid migrant boat
A FLOTILLA of 'Little Ships' which set out yesterday to mark the 85th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation was forced to change course in the English Channel — to avoid a migrant boat. A fleet of 66 vessels taking part in the commemoration, which began at 6am on the south coast, was 'shoved out the way' to create a one-mile exclusion zone around the packed vessel from France. 4 4 4 It came as a record 820 migrants crossed the Channel two of whom — a woman and a child — died after falling unconscious. The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships had hoped the trip would ensure 'the legacy of the Dunkirk little ships continues to inspire future generations'. Its event marked Operation Dynamo during which 338,000 Allied Soldiers were evacuated by around 850 private boats between May 26 and June 4, 1940 as Nazis swept through Europe. Its success led to Second World War PM Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight them on the beaches' speech. Like those vessels, yesterday's flotilla also launched from Ramsgate in Kent aiming to reach Dunkirk in Northern France. En route, a marine audio warning told them to change course. It stated: 'There is a [French] warship on our head with a migrant [boat] close by. 'And we've been requested to give one nautical mile distance from that vessel, over.' The message is understood to have been initiated by UK Border Force and the French Navy who were escorting the small boat. One observer said: 'They have asked the British ships to get out of the way. The Sun watches as hundreds of illegal migrants arrive at Dover 'It is one of the most important days in history and they are shoving them out of the way.' Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'On the very day we mark the heroism of Dunkirk, over 800 illegal migrants crossed the Channel. 'And while British veterans and their families retraced the path of courage and sacrifice, they were ordered to stand aside for a boat full of illegal migrants escorted by authorities.' He added: 'This is what Labour's border policy has come to. 'Small boats now take priority over the Little Ships of Dunkirk. 'It's shameful, it's disgraceful, and it's a national embarrassment. 'So far, 2025 is the worst year on record for Channel crossings. 'If illegal migrants were removed upon arrival to a third country such as Rwanda, the boats would stop. ' Labour scrapped that deterrent and now Britain is paying the price.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage last night said: 'This says it all about the destruction of our history and our values. 'The aggressive young males on their way over have nothing in common with us.' The route change came as the woman and child died. A French Navy vessel set out to try to help them and ten others on board who needed assistance. First responders performed first aid but to no avail and the deaths were confirmed later. 4
