The Evacuation from Dunkirk: 'Operation Dynamo', 26 May-June 1940This is the Naval Staff History of "Operation Dynamo", originally published internally in 1949. British ships evacuated nearly 100,000 men of the BEF from the beaches, and over 200,000 from harbours. Other nations' vessels carried more than 30,000. |
Contents
The German breakthrough on 17th18th | 1 |
Allied withdrawal into the Dunkirk perimeter on 30th | 2 |
The Week before Operation Dynamo 1925 May 1940 | 4 |
Boulogne evacuated | 8 |
CHAPTER III | 14 |
Sea and air patrols | 20 |
Germans take Ostend | 27 |
Beach and harbour evacuation compared | 33 |
sinking of the Havant | 91 |
Assembly of shipping | 97 |
British rearguard held up | 103 |
Summary of troops evacuated night 2nd3rd June | 109 |
Decision to terminate evacuation after night 3rd4th June | 113 |
Mining of the Emile Deschamps | 119 |
Analysis of the Operation | 122 |
Discipline | 127 |
Monas Queen sunk by mine | 38 |
Polly Johnson sunk | 44 |
Routes to Dunkirk and the beaches | 48 |
Plan for the night 29th30th May | 50 |
CHAPTER VII | 56 |
French ships arrive in larger numbers Bourrasque sunk | 62 |
Friday 31 May Evacuation Reaches its Zenith | 66 |
Signal communication established between Dunkirk and Dover | 67 |
The Cockle Bawley boats | 73 |
Bray beach parties return to England | 79 |
CHAPTER IX | 85 |
Appendices AZ | 129 |
B Part I British ships and vessels lost during Operation | 158 |
F Signals re the buildup of skoots | 164 |
J Signals re patrols in the North Sea south and on the routes | 172 |
P Signals re evacuation on 30th May additional to those | 178 |
S Signals re deliberate attacks on hospital ships on 2nd June | 186 |
Z Signals re Operation C K the blocking of Dunkirk inner | 194 |
195 | |
Note to Tables 13 | 209 |
Troop and Ship Summaries | 230 |
Other editions - View all
The Evacuation from Dunkirk: 'Operation Dynamo', 26 May-June 1940 W.J.R. Gardner Limited preview - 2014 |
The Evacuation from Dunkirk: Operation Dynamo, 26 May-4 June 1940 W. J. R. Gardner Limited preview - 2000 |
The Evacuation from Dunkirk: Operation Dynamo, 26 May-4 June 1940 W. J. R. Gardner Limited preview - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
2nd June 3rd June Admiral Abrial Admiralty air attack aircraft alongside Appendix barges beach parties Belgian berth blockships bombed bombers Bray beach buoy Calais Capt Captain Howson channel Coastal Command corvette Crested Eagle crew damaged daylight destroyers disembarked drifters Dunkirk harbour E-boat East Pier embark troops enemy England evacuation ferried fighter figures fire first force French troops Gort's Second Despatch Hebe hospital carriers La Panne large number Lieut lift Lord Gort Lord Gort's Second lst June Lydd Malo Margate Master Medway Queen miles minesweeper motor boats N.O.I.C. Ramsgate naval naval ratings night Nore Nore Command officers Operation Dynamo ordered Panne beach patrol personnel ships personnel vessels port Queen R.A.F. Narrative R.O.III Ramsgate Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker return to Dover Route S.N.O. Dunkirk S/Lt Sabre sailed sent shell shore signal Skipper skoots small craft sunk torpedo Total transport trawlers V.A. Dover VICE-ADMIRAL withdraw yacht