OPERATION DYNAMO
"The Admiralty have made an Order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30' and 100' in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned"
BBC announcement on the 14th May 1940.
What is Operation Dynamo and the events surrounding the biggest evacuation in military history.
THE LITTLE SHIPS
A collection of approximately 850 private boats and 20 warships participated in Operation Dynamo, not all were documented or known. More than 200 ships were lost at Dunkirk.
The term Little Ship applies to all craft that were originally privately owned and includes commercial vessels such as barges, British, French, Belgian and Dutch fishing vessels and pleasure steamers. The Association does include some ex-Service vessels, which are now privately owned, and ex-Lifeboats.
WAS MY BOAT AT DUNKIRK?
How do I identify if my boat took part in the Dunkirk Evacuations ?
If you think your boat took part in Operation Dynamo, Cycle or Aerial please read the following information on researching a Dunkirk Little Ships provenance.
EVENTS
The Association meets several times a year on 'official business', some of these events are for the Little Ships and members only, however, at any of the public events that we take our Little Ships to, we warmly encourage the support from the public. Please see below for 2020's schedule.
AGM
CLOSED EVENT - MEMBERS ONLY
Friday 5th March 2021
FITTING OUT SUPPER
CLOSED EVENT - MEMBERS ONLY
Saturday17th April 2021
Details on this will be confirmed early in 2021
OSTEND AT ANCHOR
DATE 2021 TBC
Friday16th to Sunday 18th July 2021
September 2021
Date TBC
September 2021
Date TBC
LAYING UP SUPPER
CLOSED EVENT - MEMBERS ONLY
2021 TBC
CONTACT US
The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships is a private members organisation who collectively aim to commemorate the events surrounding Operations Dynamo, Cycle & Aerial in May/June 1940.
We are a non - profit organisation and are not a Charity or a Trust. Although many of the individual ships may be part of trusts, they are not run or organised by the ADLS, whilst we encourage all members, private, trust and charitable alike we do not raise or ask for funds.
The Committee of the ADLS is made up of volunteers and we will endeavour to answer all enquiries, many of which can be answered by our events page and or following us on social media.
Thank you for your continued interest and support.