Voyage to Dunkirk - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: Voyage to Dunkirk – A SEVEN man crew and a reporter from the Leigh On Sea News, traveling on Leigh’s Endeavour, joined more than 60 other boats in a flotilla traveling back to Dunkirk,

Voyage to Dunkirk – A SEVEN man crew and a reporter from the Leigh On Sea News, traveling on Leigh’s Endeavour, joined more than 60 other boats in a flotilla traveling back to Dunkirk,

Leigh On Sea News: Voyage to Dunkirk – A SEVEN man crew and a reporter from the Leigh On Sea News, traveling on Leigh’s Endeavour, joined more than 60 other boats in a flotilla traveling back to Dunkirk,

A SEVEN man crew and a reporter from the Leigh On Sea News, traveling on Leigh’s Endeavour, joined more than 60 other boats in a flotilla traveling back to Dunkirk, to commemorate ‘Operation Dynamo’, the historic WW2 rescue mission carried out by the ‘Little Ships’, 85 years ago.

The Dunkirk ‘Little Ships’ played a vital part in rescuing an estimated 338,000 British soldiers and Allied Troops from the Dunkirk beaches in 1940, as the German military attempted to wipe them out.

Leigh’s ‘Little Ship’ Endeavour and her crew, skippered by Alan Barttram, began their journey to Dunkirk at around 5am on May 19, arriving at Ramsgate Harbour in the late afternoon.

A number of commemorative events have, and will, take place in Ramsgate between May 19 and May 26. These include a Town Parade from Sailors’ Church to St. George’s Church, followed by a public service. The church was also host to an installation of over 3,000 mini paper boats.

The 6th Ramsgate Royal Harbour Sea Scouts created a poppy display at Jacob’s Ladder for the occasion. Every single poppy was hand-painted by the Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts.

A memorial was unveiled during a service attended by dignitaries, including the Duke of Kent and the High Sheriff of Kent, Jonathan Neame.

Heralded as the largest gathering of the ‘Little Ships’ since the original mission, the flotilla set out from Ramsgate harbour at around 6 am on Wednesday May 21. Weather conditions, as the flotilla set off in 1940, were described as ‘low cloud, light wind with smoke obscuring the beaches’.

Minus the ‘smoke’, similar weather conditions prevailed during this commemorative crossing. Despite the relative calmness of the water, being such small craft, the ‘Little Ships’ were still thrown about by the waves, making every moment physically demanding for the crews. The Endeavour finally docked in Dunkirk’s Port du Bassin du Commerce at around 8 pm (Uk time) in Dunkirk. This included a 3 hour wait to pass through a lock into the Bassin du Commerce.

Crowds, along with the Town Crier, gathered, applauding, waving and cheering at Ramsgate Harbour as the flotilla had set off. Smaller, but equally as enthusiastic crowds applauded each Little Ship as it entered the Dunkirk Port. A Scottish military band, featuring mostly bagpipes, played stirring music from the harbour-side as the ‘Little Ships’ arrived.

At the time of writing, the Dunkirk Little Ships were expected to arrive back in Ramsgate from around 3pm on May 26 where they would be welcomed home with a Harbour Parade, including pipers, Queens Regiment Association Corps of Drums, standard bearers and a cannon salute.

However, due to expected poor weather conditions, the Endeavour along with around 20 ‘Little ships’, initially decided to return to Ramsgate early, on May 23. Following further advice the decision was reversed by the skippers of most vessels and the return trip was postponed until the weather improves.

It is not certain when the Endeavour will travel back to Leigh, although the crew are currently hoping to set off on Saturday May 31, depending on how the weather situation develops.

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