More than eighty years ago, a daring plan was needed to rescue hundreds of thousands of trapped Allied troops from the shores of Dunkirk, France.
They had been surrounded by Nazi and Axis forces following defeat in the Battle of France in May 1940 during the Second World War.
During Operation Dynamo, the name given to the evacuation, Britain called on assistance from every seaworthy vessel that could get close enough to the French shoreline – from yachts and speedboats to ferries and pleasure cruisers.
More than 850 ‘little ships’ were brought into service, setting off from Ramsgate on the Kent coast, to cross the English Channel.
In ten days, they helped rescue more than 330,000 troops, beating the odds to succeed.
Here, we take a look at some of the little ships still around today, to understand how different their backgrounds are.
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