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ITV News
a day ago
- General
- ITV News
The Little Ships of Dunkirk: All you need to know about Operation Dynamo
In May 1940, 85 years ago, a military operation began to evacuate British and French soldiers from northern France following the German advance. The mission became known as Operation Dynamo. Around 70 small vessels, including fishing boats, yachts, and pleasure steamers, braved treacherous conditions to rescue over 336,000 troops from the beaches of Dunkirk. Background: In 1940 Germany invaded France and the Low Countries, cutting through British, French and Belgium troops in the process. The Allies were pushed back to the French port of Dunkirk where they were vulnerable to attack with their backs to the sea. Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered the men to be rescued in what became the largest military evacuation in history. Codenamed Operation Dynamo it was co-ordinated from the tunnels deep beneath Dover Castle. Dynamo was a type of electrical generator that had been used there. John Evans was a boy living in Southampton and talks about his memories of seeing troops returning from Dunkirk. The evacuation lasted from 26 May – 4 June 1940, and under intensive firing and bombing 338,000 troops were brought back over the English Channel to ports such as Dover, Margate and Ramsgate . Hundreds of civilian ships were commandeered to help shuttle the stranded troops from the beaches to the deeper waters where larger Royal Navy ships were waiting. These have become known as 'The Dunkirk Little Ships'. Many were privately owned and included fishing vessels, yachts, tugs, motorboats and paddle steamers including the Medway Queen. The operation was a success because of the heroism of the rescuers and the dogged rearguard action that was fought. But the Germans also paused the advance on Dunkirk which allowed many more men to escape. Britain's soldiers, the British Expeditionary Force were trained professionals and their loss would have meant almost certain defeat and surrender early in World War Two. Morale was boosted as tragedy was turned into triumph and the rescue was dubbed by Churchill as ''The Miracle of Dunkirk.'' But the country was at its lowest point following this disaster as its main Allies had been defeated and it had lost much of its military equipment. The invasion it feared that summer never came though. The RAF went on to defeat the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain a few months later and Hitler instead embarked on a mass bombing campaign known as the Blitz. Britain did not return to France until D-Day four years later. How Operation Dynamo unfolded- 20/05/1940 - Winston Churchill orders preparation of vessels to evacuate the British Expeditionary Forces from Northern France. 24/05/1940 - Hitler orders his forces not to cross the Lens-Bethune-St Omer-Gravelines line, allowing the Allied forces more time to reach the French coast. 24/05/1940 - Allied defensive positions are hit by by German Luftwaffe bombers around Dunkirk. 25/05/1940 - More and more retreating Allied units arrive at Dunkirk. 26/05/1940 - Hitler orders his forces towards Dunkirk. 26/05/1940 - The evacuation of Allied forces from the French port officially begins. It's called Operation Dynamo and is based in Dover Castle. 26/05/1940 - Over 850 British civilian vessels assist military forces to awaiting transports. It would become the largest military evacuation in history. 29/05/1940 - More than 72,000 British soldiers had been evacuated from France to ports such as Dover, Margate, Ramsgate and Sheerness. 01/06/1940 - Defense of the outlying region near Dunkirk now passes to French XVI Corps 04/06/1940 - Some 40,000 French soldiers are taken prisoner by Germany at the fall of Dunkirk. 04/06/1940 - The evacuation of Allied forces at Dunkirk officially ends. Over 338,000 soldiers are saved. Little Ships Abdy Beauclerk Abdy Beauclerk was towed across the English Channel by a drifter they arrived at a beach just East of Dunkirk harbour on 31st May. Aberdonia Aberdonia went to Dunkirk where she is thought to have made four trips to the beaches even before they had time to repaint her in battleship grey. Advance Advance was one of the first Little Ships to arrive at Dunkirk - but was one of a group of little ships which were machine-gunned by two aircraft. Alusia Alusia was built as a pleasure boat, but soon after the outbreak of war she was called up for more serious duties as a patrol boat, and assisted in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Angele Aline Angele Aline is almost 100 years old, but there is no record of the number of trips she made ferrying troops from the harbour to the warships anchored in deep water off the coast. Anne Anne was the only 'little ship' to return to Dunkirk in 2010 on her original engines. She is now berthed in Chichester. Aquabelle Aquabelle was delivered to the Royal Navy to go to Dunkirk and as she was fitted with a gun, she went on to defend lighthouses from air attack. Beatrice Maud Beatrice Maud crossed the channel on 31st May and around 260 soldiers, reported to be French, boarded her on 4 June and a British Naval ship towed her in to Dover the following day. Bessie In 1940, Bessie was taken from Wells-next-the-Sea to Ramsgate as part of Operation Dynamo to help evacuate the British Expeditionary Forces from Dunkirk. Bluebird Bluebird made two false starts in getting to Dunkirk. The first time she developed engine trouble. Then, when she got as far as Sheerness, there were too many volunteers and she was left behind. Braymar Braymar suffered major damage, not from air attack, mines or shells at Dunkirk but she was laid up ashore for ten years after the war and completely dried out so that her planks and topsides started to deteriorate.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dunkirk anniversary: 85 years on from historic rescue of Allied troops, little ships recreate Operation Dynamo
Eighty-five years on from the historic rescue of hundreds of thousands of Allied troops from France, a flotilla of little ships have recreated the biggest evacuation in military history. Operation Dynamo, from 26 May to 4 June 1940, saw more than 338,000 British, French and Belgian troops, trapped by the invading German forces around Dunkirk, brought home by roughly 1,000 vessels in a desperate and near-miraculous rescue over more than a week of sailings. It was one of the turning points of the Second World War, saving the Allied cause in Europe from total collapse, allowing them to regroup after the Nazi Blitzkrieg threatened to sweep Germany to a rapid and complete victory. One of the soldiers saved in what came to be known as the Miracle of Dunkirk was Queen Camilla's father, Major Bruce Shand, and she paid tribute to him on Saturday. In a post on Instagram, the Queen pointed to the "eclectic collection of seafarers, ferry masters, barge hands, fishermen and children, with their little ships" that carried out the stunning rescue. In his memoirs, she said, Major Shand wrote that he took shelter in a ship "'commanded by a midshipman who looked about 12, assisted by a boatswain aged 80'". She said he and his comrades "would today be grateful beyond words for this lifeline". Scroll down for pictures of the boats that took part in the memorial sailing.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- General
- The Advertiser
Japanese submarine from WWII attack may have been found
More than 80 years on from a dark moment in Australia's military history, researchers believe they might have tracked down a Japanese submarine involved in a World War II attack. A KD7 class submarine I-178 that torpedoed a Allied ship might be wrecked off the coast of Coffs Harbour with researchers pointing to "strong evidence". Heritage NSW released the new study on the 83rd anniversary of the Japanese attack on the Sydney Harbour, where three submarines entered in 1942. Australian air force planes bombed an unidentified ship about 104km southwest of Coffs Harbour, while eye witnesses saw an oil slick the day after off Nambucca Heads. Heritage NSW assessments director Tim Smith said the study recommended a seabed survey of the area to locate the submarine. "The detailed research shines new light on this dark period of our history and adds weight to the hypothesis that the long lost I-178 lies on the ocean floor off the coast of Coffs Harbour, while also strongly rejecting one theory that it sank near Vanuatu," he said. "Interestingly, we don't know why this particular submarine - which should have been capable of staying underwater for long periods - was caught on the surface twice in a short space of time." The study suggests it may have had battery or operational problems from a previous attack which prevented it from submerging. The 105-metre Japanese KD7 class submarine I-178 and its 89 crew were declared lost in 1943 and have never been located. The last signal it sent back to headquarters was on June 18, 1943. Axis naval forces killed 214 people and sunk 23 ships in NSW waters in attacks between 1941 and 1944. Three midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942, but two were detected and attacked before launching their own offensives. The third submarine was discovered off Sydney's northern beaches in 2006. More than 80 years on from a dark moment in Australia's military history, researchers believe they might have tracked down a Japanese submarine involved in a World War II attack. A KD7 class submarine I-178 that torpedoed a Allied ship might be wrecked off the coast of Coffs Harbour with researchers pointing to "strong evidence". Heritage NSW released the new study on the 83rd anniversary of the Japanese attack on the Sydney Harbour, where three submarines entered in 1942. Australian air force planes bombed an unidentified ship about 104km southwest of Coffs Harbour, while eye witnesses saw an oil slick the day after off Nambucca Heads. Heritage NSW assessments director Tim Smith said the study recommended a seabed survey of the area to locate the submarine. "The detailed research shines new light on this dark period of our history and adds weight to the hypothesis that the long lost I-178 lies on the ocean floor off the coast of Coffs Harbour, while also strongly rejecting one theory that it sank near Vanuatu," he said. "Interestingly, we don't know why this particular submarine - which should have been capable of staying underwater for long periods - was caught on the surface twice in a short space of time." The study suggests it may have had battery or operational problems from a previous attack which prevented it from submerging. The 105-metre Japanese KD7 class submarine I-178 and its 89 crew were declared lost in 1943 and have never been located. The last signal it sent back to headquarters was on June 18, 1943. Axis naval forces killed 214 people and sunk 23 ships in NSW waters in attacks between 1941 and 1944. Three midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942, but two were detected and attacked before launching their own offensives. The third submarine was discovered off Sydney's northern beaches in 2006. More than 80 years on from a dark moment in Australia's military history, researchers believe they might have tracked down a Japanese submarine involved in a World War II attack. A KD7 class submarine I-178 that torpedoed a Allied ship might be wrecked off the coast of Coffs Harbour with researchers pointing to "strong evidence". Heritage NSW released the new study on the 83rd anniversary of the Japanese attack on the Sydney Harbour, where three submarines entered in 1942. Australian air force planes bombed an unidentified ship about 104km southwest of Coffs Harbour, while eye witnesses saw an oil slick the day after off Nambucca Heads. Heritage NSW assessments director Tim Smith said the study recommended a seabed survey of the area to locate the submarine. "The detailed research shines new light on this dark period of our history and adds weight to the hypothesis that the long lost I-178 lies on the ocean floor off the coast of Coffs Harbour, while also strongly rejecting one theory that it sank near Vanuatu," he said. "Interestingly, we don't know why this particular submarine - which should have been capable of staying underwater for long periods - was caught on the surface twice in a short space of time." The study suggests it may have had battery or operational problems from a previous attack which prevented it from submerging. The 105-metre Japanese KD7 class submarine I-178 and its 89 crew were declared lost in 1943 and have never been located. The last signal it sent back to headquarters was on June 18, 1943. Axis naval forces killed 214 people and sunk 23 ships in NSW waters in attacks between 1941 and 1944. Three midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942, but two were detected and attacked before launching their own offensives. The third submarine was discovered off Sydney's northern beaches in 2006. More than 80 years on from a dark moment in Australia's military history, researchers believe they might have tracked down a Japanese submarine involved in a World War II attack. A KD7 class submarine I-178 that torpedoed a Allied ship might be wrecked off the coast of Coffs Harbour with researchers pointing to "strong evidence". Heritage NSW released the new study on the 83rd anniversary of the Japanese attack on the Sydney Harbour, where three submarines entered in 1942. Australian air force planes bombed an unidentified ship about 104km southwest of Coffs Harbour, while eye witnesses saw an oil slick the day after off Nambucca Heads. Heritage NSW assessments director Tim Smith said the study recommended a seabed survey of the area to locate the submarine. "The detailed research shines new light on this dark period of our history and adds weight to the hypothesis that the long lost I-178 lies on the ocean floor off the coast of Coffs Harbour, while also strongly rejecting one theory that it sank near Vanuatu," he said. "Interestingly, we don't know why this particular submarine - which should have been capable of staying underwater for long periods - was caught on the surface twice in a short space of time." The study suggests it may have had battery or operational problems from a previous attack which prevented it from submerging. The 105-metre Japanese KD7 class submarine I-178 and its 89 crew were declared lost in 1943 and have never been located. The last signal it sent back to headquarters was on June 18, 1943. Axis naval forces killed 214 people and sunk 23 ships in NSW waters in attacks between 1941 and 1944. Three midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942, but two were detected and attacked before launching their own offensives. The third submarine was discovered off Sydney's northern beaches in 2006.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- General
- Perth Now
Japanese submarine from WWII attack may have been found
More than 80 years on from a dark moment in Australia's military history, researchers believe they might have tracked down a Japanese submarine involved in a World War II attack. A KD7 class submarine I-178 that torpedoed a Allied ship might be wrecked off the coast of Coffs Harbour with researchers pointing to "strong evidence". Heritage NSW released the new study on the 83rd anniversary of the Japanese attack on the Sydney Harbour, where three submarines entered in 1942. Australian air force planes bombed an unidentified ship about 104km southwest of Coffs Harbour, while eye witnesses saw an oil slick the day after off Nambucca Heads. Heritage NSW assessments director Tim Smith said the study recommended a seabed survey of the area to locate the submarine. "The detailed research shines new light on this dark period of our history and adds weight to the hypothesis that the long lost I-178 lies on the ocean floor off the coast of Coffs Harbour, while also strongly rejecting one theory that it sank near Vanuatu," he said. "Interestingly, we don't know why this particular submarine - which should have been capable of staying underwater for long periods - was caught on the surface twice in a short space of time." The study suggests it may have had battery or operational problems from a previous attack which prevented it from submerging. The 105-metre Japanese KD7 class submarine I-178 and its 89 crew were declared lost in 1943 and have never been located. The last signal it sent back to headquarters was on June 18, 1943. Axis naval forces killed 214 people and sunk 23 ships in NSW waters in attacks between 1941 and 1944. Three midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour on May 31, 1942, but two were detected and attacked before launching their own offensives. The third submarine was discovered off Sydney's northern beaches in 2006.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Lost Alan Turing papers set to fetch £150K at auction
The incredible archive was found gathering dust in an attic in Bermondsey, London, after its owner moved into a care home and her daughters began clearing out her loft. Among the documents which were nearly destroyed was a personal copy of the mathematical genius' PHD dissertation from 1938-39 and his first published paper from 1935. The papers, known as "offprints", had originally been gifted by Turing's mother, Ethel to her son's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge. They were produced in very small numbers and distributed within academia, making them "incredibly scarce" survivors that rarely ever appear on the market. The documents were nearly destroyed. (Image: SWNS) The collection is now expected to sell for between £100,000-£150,000 when it goes under the hammer at Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffs, on June 17. Turing was one of the famous codebreakers at Bletchley Park who played a vital role in cracking the Enigma code, which led to Allied victory in World War Two. Despite helping to shorten the war by an estimated four years, on March 31 1952, he was prosecuted for homosexual acts and died from cyanide poisoning on June 7, 1954, aged 41. Shortly before pleading guilty, Turing sent a poignant letter to Norman Routledge, the original owner of the papers being sold. The letter, known as 'Yours in distress', was read by Routledge when he appeared in "The Strange Life and Death of Dr Turing" on the BBC's Horizon in 1992. It has also since been read by Benedict Cumberbatch after it was presented by Routledge to King's College, Cambridge, where it now resides in The Turing Archive. The collection is expected to make £150k. (Image: SWNS) But he kept the collection of Turing's offprints, which were eventually rescued by his nieces and nephews. One of the nieces explained: 'Following his retirement from Eton College, Norman bought and lived in a house in Bermondsey. "When he died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. "There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. "Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. "Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives. The papers were saved by Turing's friend, Norman. (Image: SWNS) Adding: "One cousin felt the Turing and Forster papers might be of interest to collectors. "After taking them home for a closer look, she decided to attend a local valuation day hosted by Hansons Auctioneers, who consigned them for research with their specialist saleroom, Rare Book Auctions. "We were bowled over by the valuations and level of enthusiasm.' The collection includes his PhD dissertation from 1938-39, Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals, which is signed by Turing, having been his personal copy. This document alone has been valued by the auction house at £40,000 to £60,000 as has his 1936-37 paper entitled On Computable Numbers. The paper introduced the world to the idea of a 'universal computing machine', which, despite the model's simplicity, is capable of implementing any computer algorithm, and has been described as the first programming manual of the computer age. The papers have been checked by experts. (Image: SWNS) Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, who is more famed for finding Harry Potter first editions, described the collection as "the most important archive I've ever handled.' He said the exchange of offprints had historically been a method of correspondence between scholars and is prized by collectors as representing the first separate edition of an important work. He added: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to find in that carrier bag. "These seemingly plain papers-perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers - represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing. "Literature has always been my forte, not mathematics, so the past few months of intensively researching and cataloguing these papers has left me feeling that Alan Turing was superhuman. The collection includes letters. (Image: SWNS) "For me, it's like studying the language of another planet, something composed by an ultra-intelligent civilisation." The collection also includes The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis, which dates from 1952, and is Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology. It has since become a basic model in theoretical biology, describing what have come to be known as 'Turing patterns'. Mr Spencer said: 'As recently as 2023, a study confirmed Turing's mathematical model hypothesis as outlined in The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis. "In this way the papers are still alive. They're still relevant and groundbreaking. 'We even have Turing's first published paper from 1935 – Equivalence of Left and Right Almost Periodicity – which is simply a single sheet of paper. The collection is set to get interest from around the world. (Image: SWNS) "And the provenance couldn't be better. The archive was gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Arthur Routledge (1928-2013) by Turing's mother Ethel - and we have her handwritten letter explaining this." In the letter, dated May 16, 1956, Ethel Turing says: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints...I don't know what people in Cambridge thought of the manner of Alan's death. "I am convinced it was accidental as the experiment of coke under electrolysis – which smelt of cyanide had been going on for weeks – I feel sure he got some of this on his fingers & so on to the apple he customarily ate in bed...I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan...I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Mr Spencer added: "This fascinating letter is a golden thread that neatly ties up and seals the authenticity of everything being offered. "The potential value compels us to offer the papers individually. The price is unknown and could run to any amount. Recommended Reading 'Anything with a direct connection to Turing is highly desirable and almost impossible to find. "These papers were owned by his close friend Norman, having been gifted to him by Turing's mother. That's what makes this collection so significant. 'Hardly anything like this appears on the open market, so predicting hammer prices is fortune-telling." Adding: "I suspect interest will be strong in Silicon Valley – where Turing's influence shines brightly – but it would be lovely to see material acquired by institutions who could share things with the public."
