What was the codename given to the evacuation?
On This Day 1940 The Dunkirk evacuation: Code-named Operation Dynamo, also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk.
Why was the evacuation of Dunkirk referred to as a miracle of deliverance?
British, French, Canadian, and Belgian troops had been forced back to Dunkirk by the advancing German army. Nearly all the escape routes to the English Channel had been cut off; a terrible disaster had appeared inevitable. At the time Prime Minister Winston Churchill called it “a miracle of deliverance”.
How many soldiers died at Dunkirk beach?
While more than 330,000 Allied troops were rescued, British and French military forces nonetheless sustained heavy casualties and were forced to abandon nearly all their equipment; around 16,000 French soldiers and 1,000 British soldiers died during the evacuation.
What was the name of the evacuation of Dunkirk?
On This Day 1940 The Dunkirk evacuation: Code-named Operation Dynamo, also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk. At 6:57pm on the 26th May 1940, the signal was received to start Operation Dynamo. The evacuation of Dunkirk, which has been called the ‘miracle of deliverance’ by Winston Churchill, was nothing if not epic.
How many RAF sorties were flown over Dunkirk?
The RAF flew a total of 4,822 sorties over Dunkirk losing approximately 100 aircraft compared to 240 for the Germans. The Allied forces were also very fortunate that inclement weather precluded the Luftwaffe from flying during much of the evacuation time frame of the evacuation preventing additional loss of life.
Who was the commander of the BEF during the Battle of Dunkirk?
By 21 May, German forces had trapped the BEF, the remains of the Belgian forces, and three French field armies along the northern coast of France. BEF commander General Viscount Gort immediately saw evacuation across the Channel as the best course of action, and began planning a withdrawal to Dunkirk, the closest good port.
How many French soldiers were captured in Dunkirk?
There were also several thousand French soldiers captured in the Dunkirk pocket and a total of six UK and three French destroyers sunk during the operation along with nine large boats. Additionally, 19 destroyers were damaged and more than 200 of the Allied sea craft were sunk with just as many damaged.