Dunkirk 1940: Operation Dynamo May 2026

Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay directed the mission from naval headquarters beneath Dover Castle .

Over two-thirds of the rescued troops actually boarded from the East Mole , a long stone sea wall that allowed larger ships to dock despite the harbor's destruction. Dunkirk 1940: Operation Dynamo

, often referred to as the "Miracle of Dunkirk," was the massive naval evacuation of over 338,000 Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbor of Dunkirk, France, between May 26 and June 4, 1940 . Key Overview Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay directed the mission from

Churchill and his advisors originally hoped to save only 20,000 to 30,000 men . The Rescue Effort Key Overview Churchill and his advisors originally hoped

While nearly 40 Royal Navy destroyers carried the bulk of the troops, over 800 small civilian vessels —including fishing boats, yachts, and ferries—helped ferry soldiers from shallow beaches to larger ships or directly back to England.

The operation was launched after German "Blitzkrieg" tactics trapped the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and elements of the French and Belgian armies against the English Channel.