Dunkirk evacuation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Operation Dynamo
Part of Battle of Dunkirk during the Battle of France in the Second World War
British troops lined up on the beach awaiting evacuation
Date 26 May – 4 June 1940 Location France, Dunkirk, and the English Channel 51°3′27″N 2°21′27″E / 51.05750°N 2.35750°E / 51.05750; 2.35750 (East mole) Result Successful retreat Evacuation of 338,226 soldiers
Belligerents
United Kingdom India Belgium Canada France French West Africa Netherlands Poland	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Lord Gort Bertram Ramsay Harold Alexander William Tennant Robert Peverell Hichens J.M. Charles Abrial	Gerd von Rundstedt Hermann Göring

The Dunkirk evacuation, also known as Operation Dynamo, was a huge rescue mission during World War II. Between May 26 and June 4, 1940, over 338,000 Allied soldiers were saved. These soldiers were trapped on the beaches and in the harbor of Dunkirk, a town in northern France. They had been surrounded by German troops during the Battle of France. This amazing rescue is often called the "Miracle of Dunkirk."

After Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, France and the British Empire declared war. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) went to France to help defend it. In May 1940, Germany invaded Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. German forces quickly moved towards the English Channel. This trapped the BEF, Belgian, and French troops along the coast. The British commander, Viscount Gort, realized evacuation was their best option. He began planning a retreat to Dunkirk, which had a good port.

A surprising order from German commanders on May 23, 1940, told their tank units to stop. Adolf Hitler approved this order the next day. This pause gave the Allied soldiers precious time. They used it to build defenses and move many troops to Dunkirk. From May 28 to 31, French soldiers bravely fought a delaying battle at Lille. This fight helped protect the main evacuation effort.

On the first day, only 7,669 soldiers were evacuated. But over eight days, 338,226 soldiers were rescued. A large fleet of over 800 ships, big and small, helped in the rescue. Many soldiers boarded larger ships from the harbor's long mole. Others waded into the sea, waiting for hours in deep water. Smaller boats, known as the Little Ships of Dunkirk, ferried them to bigger ships. These "little ships" were hundreds of civilian boats, like fishing boats and yachts.

The BEF lost 68,000 soldiers during the French campaign. They also had to leave behind almost all their tanks, vehicles, and equipment. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the event "a colossal military disaster." However, he also praised the rescue as a "miracle of deliverance." He reminded everyone that "wars are not won by evacuations."

The Dunkirk Evacuation: A Story of Rescue

How the Battle Began

In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. This started World War II. The United Kingdom sent the BEF to help France. By May 1940, the BEF had ten divisions. They worked with the Belgian Army and several French armies.

Situation on 21 May 1940; German forces occupied the area shaded in pink.

France had built the Maginot Line. These were strong forts along its border with Germany. The French hoped this line would stop a German invasion. They thought any attack would go through Belgium instead. The area north of the Maginot Line was the Ardennes forest. French generals believed this forest was too difficult for a large army to cross. Because of this, the area was not heavily defended.

Germany's plan for invading France was different. General Erich von Manstein suggested attacking through the Ardennes. His plan was for fast tank divisions to break through. They would then quickly drive to the English Channel. This would trap the Allied armies in Belgium. This strategy was called the Sichelschnitt ("sickle cut"). Adolf Hitler approved a version of this plan.

On May 10, Germany invaded Belgium and the Netherlands. German tank armies quickly moved through the Ardennes. They drove towards the Channel. The BEF moved into Belgium to meet them. But the Belgian and French defenses on their sides failed. The BEF was ordered to retreat. On May 19, General Gort realized the French had no troops to stop the Germans from reaching the sea. He decided that evacuating across the Channel was the only way. Dunkirk was the closest port with good facilities. It had old forts and a long sandy beach. On May 20, the British Admiralty began preparing ships for the rescue. After more fighting, the BEF and other Allied forces were trapped. They were surrounded along the coast of northern France and Belgium.

Preparing for a Great Escape

The British started planning "Operation Dynamo" on May 20. They did this without telling the French at first. Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay led the planning from his headquarters in Dover Castle. Ships began gathering at Dover. Brigadier Gerald Whitfield was sent to Dunkirk to start evacuating non-essential staff. He found many soldiers already moving towards Dunkirk. There was a shortage of food and water.

On May 22, Churchill ordered the BEF to attack south. This was to link up with other French forces. This plan was called the Weygand Plan. However, on May 25, Gort had to give up on this idea. He decided to retreat with French forces behind the Lys Canal. Sluice gates were opened to flood the canal system. This created a water barrier against the German advance.

The German Halt Order

Soldiers were attacked by German aircraft while awaiting transport.

By May 24, the Germans had captured nearby ports. Only one British battalion stood between them and Dunkirk. On May 23, German General Gerd von Rundstedt ordered his tank units to halt. He was worried about his army's exposed sides. He also thought the marshy ground around Dunkirk was not good for tanks. Hitler agreed with this order on May 24.

Air Marshal Hermann Göring wanted the German air force (the Luftwaffe) to destroy the trapped Allies. However, the Luftwaffe was tired and depended on good weather. Rundstedt's halt order was sent without codes. The Royal Air Force (RAF) intercepted it. This order said German tanks would not cross the canal. Later, Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to stop the Allied escape. But the tank units took another 16 hours to restart their attack. This delay was very important. It gave the Allies time to set up defenses for the evacuation. It also prevented the Germans from stopping the French retreat from Lille.

Historians have discussed this halt order a lot. Many believe it was a major German mistake. It allowed the Allied forces to escape.

The Rescue Mission: Operation Dynamo

First Days of Evacuation

British troops during the evacuation from France.

The retreat was very messy. Roads were blocked with abandoned vehicles. Refugees were also moving in the opposite direction. The British public did not know the full extent of the disaster at first. A special prayer service was held in Westminster Abbey on May 26. This showed the public how serious the situation was. Just before 7:00 PM on May 26, Churchill ordered Operation Dynamo to begin. By then, 28,000 men had already left. The first plan was to rescue 45,000 men in two days. But only 25,000 escaped in that time. On the very first day, 7,669 men were rescued.

On May 27, the first full day, many ships were active. Naval officers searched for small boats. These boats could ferry soldiers from the beaches to larger ships. An urgent call for help went out. By May 31, almost 400 small civilian boats were helping.

Air Battles Over Dunkirk

Troops evacuated from Dunkirk arrived at Dover on May 31, 1940.

On May 27, the Luftwaffe heavily bombed Dunkirk. The town and port were attacked. The water supply was destroyed, so fires could not be put out. About a thousand civilians died. RAF squadrons were ordered to protect the Royal Navy ships. They fought the Luftwaffe over Dunkirk and the English Channel. The RAF claimed 38 enemy planes shot down on May 27. They lost 14 of their own aircraft. The Luftwaffe lost 23 bombers. They dropped 15,000 high explosive bombs and 30,000 incendiary bombs. This destroyed oil tanks and damaged the harbor.

Over 3,500 RAF flights supported Operation Dynamo. The RAF continued to fight German bombers all week. Soldiers on the beaches often did not see these air battles. They were happening high above or further out at sea. Because of this, many soldiers thought the RAF was not helping.

On May 25 and 26, the Luftwaffe attacked other Allied groups. They did not focus on Dunkirk. Calais, held by the BEF, surrendered on May 26. French soldiers at Lille fought bravely until May 31. They held off seven German divisions. This gave more time for the Dunkirk evacuation. The Germans honored the Lille defenders for their courage.

The Final Days of Rescue

Situation on June 4, 1940; the remaining French rearguard held a small area around Dunkirk.

The Belgian Army surrendered on May 28. This left a large gap on Dunkirk's east side. British divisions quickly moved to cover it. The Luftwaffe flew fewer missions over Dunkirk that day. The weather was bad for bombing. The RAF flew 11 patrols and claimed 23 enemy planes. On May 28, 17,804 soldiers reached British ports.

On May 29, 47,310 British troops were rescued. However, the Luftwaffe caused heavy damage to ships. Several British and French destroyers were sunk or damaged. Many other smaller boats were also hit.

On May 30, Churchill learned that all British divisions were behind the defense lines. More than half of the French First Army was also there. The defense line was along canals, about 7 miles from the coast. This marshy land was difficult for tanks. German air attacks had made the harbor docks unusable. Captain William Tennant first ordered men to be evacuated from the beaches. This was too slow. He then directed soldiers to two long stone breakwaters, called moles. These moles were not made for docking ships. But most troops were rescued this way. Almost 200,000 troops boarded ships from the east mole. Low clouds kept Luftwaffe activity low that day.

On May 31, 53,823 more men were evacuated. This included the first French soldiers. Lord Gort and 68,014 men left on May 31. Major-General Harold Alexander took command of the rearguard. Another 64,429 Allied soldiers left on June 1. After this, air attacks made daylight evacuations too dangerous. The British rearguard of 4,000 men left on the night of June 2–3. An additional 75,000 French troops were rescued over the nights of June 2–4. The operation then ended. The remaining 40,000 French troops surrendered on June 4.

Among the rescued soldiers were Indian and Cypriot mule handlers. They were part of the transport units. A small number of French Senegalese and Moroccan soldiers were also present.

The Navy's Role in the Evacuation

Safe Routes to England

Map of the three evacuation routes.

Three main routes were used for the ships.

• Route Z was the shortest, about 39 miles. But it was close to the French coast. Ships using it could be attacked by German shore guns.
• Route X was safer from shore attacks. However, it went through a heavily mined part of the Channel. This route was about 55 miles long. It could not be used at night because of mines and sandbanks.
• Route Y was the longest, about 87 miles. It took twice as long as Route Z. Ships on this route were most likely to be attacked by German ships, submarines, and aircraft.

Despite the dangers, the goal was clear: get the soldiers home. Many soldiers felt a huge sense of relief when they saw the White Cliffs of Dover. It felt like a miracle.

Ships Big and Small

Troops evacuated from Dunkirk on a destroyer about to berth at Dover on May 31, 1940.

The Royal Navy provided many ships. This included 39 destroyers and other vessels. The Merchant Navy also supplied passenger ferries and hospital ships. Allies like Belgium, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and Poland also sent ships. Admiral Ramsay organized the routes and shipping flow. Larger ships, like destroyers, could carry about 900 men per trip. Soldiers often stayed on the upper decks. They feared being trapped below if the ship sank. After many losses on May 29, the Admiralty pulled back its best destroyers. They were needed for the future defense of the country.

The Famous "Little Ships"

Evacuated troops enjoying tea and other refreshments before boarding a train at Dover Station, May 26–29, 1940.

Many different small boats from southern England helped in the evacuation. These included speedboats, ferries, and pleasure craft. Motor lifeboats were very useful because they were fast and could carry many people. Some boats were taken without their owners knowing. Naval crews were supposed to sail them. But due to a shortage of sailors, many small boats crossed the Channel with civilian crews.

The first "little ships" arrived at Dunkirk on May 28. Large ships could not get close to the shore because of the wide sandy beaches. Even small boats had to stop about 100 yards from the water's edge. Soldiers had to wade out to them. Sometimes, soldiers would leave their small boat to get onto a larger ship. Then, other evacuees had to wait for the empty boats to drift back to shore. On the beaches, soldiers usually waited patiently in lines. But sometimes, panicked soldiers tried to rush the boats. They had to be stopped by guards. At some beaches, soldiers built makeshift piers. They drove abandoned vehicles into the sea at low tide. They then connected them with wooden walkways.

What Happened After Dunkirk

Losses and Prisoners of War

The French destroyer Bourrasque slowly sinking.

During the entire campaign, from May 10 to June 22, the BEF lost 68,000 soldiers. This included 3,500 killed and 13,053 wounded. Most heavy equipment had to be left behind. This meant losing 2,472 pieces of artillery and nearly 65,000 vehicles. Almost all of the 445 British tanks sent to France were abandoned.

Six British and three French destroyers were sunk. Nine other large ships were also lost. In total, over 200 British and Allied ships were sunk. A similar number were damaged. The Royal Navy lost six destroyers:

• Grafton, sunk on May 29.
• Grenade, sunk by air attack on May 29.
• Wakeful, sunk by a torpedo on May 29.
• Basilisk, Havant, and Keith, sunk by air attack on June 1.

The French Navy lost three destroyers:

• Bourrasque, sunk by a mine on May 30.
• Siroco, sunk by German E-boats on May 31.
• Le Foudroyant, sunk by air attack on June 1.

The RAF lost 145 aircraft. The Luftwaffe lost 156 aircraft during the nine days of Operation Dynamo.

For every seven soldiers who escaped, one became a prisoner of war. Most of these prisoners were forced to march into Germany. Prisoners reported harsh conditions and difficult journeys. These often involved long marches with little food or water. Many were marched to the city of Trier. Some journeys took as long as 20 days. Others were sent by barge to the Ruhr river. From there, they went by train to prisoner of war camps in Germany. Most of these prisoners worked in German factories and farms for the rest of the war.

The 4,504 BEF men who died in 1940 and have no known grave are remembered at the Dunkirk Memorial.

The Dunkirk Jack Flag

The Dunkirk Jack flag.

The St George's Cross flag, with the arms of Dunkirk added, is the special flag for the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. It is called the Dunkirk Jack. Only civilian boats that took part in the Dunkirk rescue can fly this flag.

Dunkirk in Movies and Books

The amazing story of Dunkirk has been told in many films and books:

• Mrs. Miniver (1942)
• Dunkirk (1958)
• Weekend at Dunkirk (1964)
• Atonement (2007)
• Dunkirk (2017)
• Darkest Hour (2017)

There was also a TV series:

• Dunkirk (2004)

And a famous book:

• The Snow Goose: A Story of Dunkirk, a novella by Paul Gallico

See also

In Spanish: Operación Dinamo para niños

• 1940 Dunkirk Veterans' Association
• Dunkirk Medal