Page 53 - All About History - Issue 54-17

Little Ships, Great Escape
Li t

The spirit

of Dunkirk
Social historian Henry Buckton says
that Dunkirk has been woven into
the British identity, but experts
view it differently
How have historians’
perspectives on the
evacuations changed?
Dunkirk is perhaps unique because
it has been written and spoken
A view of ruined buildings and rubble on about in the same exalted company
the Rue de la Marine in Dunkirk, 1940 as Agincourt, Waterloo and the
Normandy Landings for decades. However, it was, of
course, a defeat. Yes, it was a logistical victory and
did wonders for public morale, but militarily it was a
disaster. I think today the perspective in the eyes of the
public has changed to appreciate this point; historians
have largely always understood it.
Why were Allied forces so badly beaten in France
that they had to retreat?
The Germans launched a new type of warfare: it was
fast-paced and direct, and took the Allies by complete
surprise. They were digging in expecting a long drawn-
out campaign similar to the trenches of the First World
War but the Nazis had other ideas.
How would you describe the impact of the
little ships fleet?
Immense! This was a remarkable and typically British
response to a disaster that very few other nations would
even have contemplated. It is doubtful that the Royal
Navy would have been able to rescue the vast numbers
achieved without the help of the little ships. Time would
have been against them and many more Allied soldiers
would have been left behind and taken prisoner.
Crew members of the French destroyer Bourrasque, sunk by a mine at
Dunkirk, are hauled aboard a British vessel from their sinking life-raft
How did the public react to the evacuations?
Most people in Britain knew absolutely nothing of what
was occurring — in fact, they believed the army to be
bits and pieces like that. So now our captain said Another paddle steamer, Crested Eagle, shared invincible — so when word got around Bristol that they
to me, ‘Just pretend you are back in your uncle’s a similarly bleak fate. Its engine room was struck were bringing soldiers back, people were confused.
shop and they’re animals. They’re not human and flames engulfed it off the coast of Zuydcoote, Women and children in their droves went down to
Stapleton Road station to cheer them on and wave flags.
beings. And they might unsettle your stomach, some miles northeast of Dunkirk. Those able to The sight that met their eyes was not at all what they
so have a drop of this’.” escape into the sea were picked off by German had expected: train after train unloading men that were
As the first troops came home, there was much machine-gunners in low-flying aircraft. All 300 dirty, unshaven and desperately tired. Some were on
crutches, others wearing dirty, blood-stained bandages.
curiosity from civilians. “People living in houses soldiers on board lost their lives. Leading seaman
beside the railways in some southern suburbs of Vic Viner’s older brother, Albert, had been rescued What affect did Dunkirk have on the rest of the war?
London have been watching a stream of troop from the destroyer Grenade after it was attacked, In reality, it probably had very little impact militarily.
Even if the BEF had surrendered, Britain would have
trains bringing men back,” reported The Times of but in a cruel twist of fate, his saviour was the remained free and was able to build new armies and in
London on 30 May 1940. “Many of the trains are soon-to-be-stricken Crested Eagle. time provide a training ground for the armies of America
made up of dining cars. Through the windows, “She [the boat] was dive-bombed by 12 bombers, and Canada as well as a springboard from which to
tired out soldiers, some with several days’ growth as she was going out towards the open sea, she launch the reconquest of occupied Europe in 1944.
of beard, can be seen sprawling fast asleep, their was bombed,” he told McKay. “Everyone involved Why does Dunkirk still resonate so strongly
heads on the dining tables.” was burned to death.” Vic died aged 99 in 2016, with Brits today?
Exhaustion was setting in for the crews of the the longest surviving ‘beach master’ of Dunkirk. Probably because the very word ‘Dunkirk’ has become
little ships, but still they carried on. However, The Gracie Fields, which had rescued 280 part of Britain’s identity and DNA. It is used to describe
perceived traits of the British character like defiance,
for some they would come to a tragic end. The soldiers on the first day, was struck on the next bravery, stoicism, all pulling together to overcome
paddle steamer Waverley had begun its return to while trying to save another 750. A shell blew adversity: the so-called Dunkirk spirit.
England with 600 soldiers when it took a fatal up its engine room, but, unlike the Waverley and
hit. The crew of a nearby destroyer sprung into Crested Eagle, the ailing vessel’s soldiers were Henry Buckton’s new book Retreat: Dunkirk And The
action, rescuing 200 men from the water, but the rescued by another boat. Evacuation Of Western Europe is out now.
remaining 400 perished — weakened by hunger Other paddle steamers were fortunate to get
and fatigue, they were no match for the currents. away. The Medway Queen evacuated 7,000 men
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