Consider your spring bank holiday plans well and truly sorted as a weekend of boats, biscuits and boogieing is taking place at St Katherine Docks to commemorate the Dunkirk evacuation.
Between May 26 – June 4 1940, the Dunkirk evacuation (code-named Operation Dynamo) saw many Allied soldiers evacuated from the harbour and beaches of Dunkirk in northern France by – what would later be known as – ‘Dunkirk Little Ships’.
Approximately 850 courageous private boats and warships were involved in the evacuation, and over 200 of them were lost. Many of them, however, are still around to this day; privately owned and perfectly preserved. And we lucky Londoners now have the chance to see some of those exact boats up-close-and-personal, as they moor up near Tower Bridge for what will be the ‘largest UK gathering of Dunkirk Little Ships in years’.
These valiant vessels will start sailing into London today (May 20) as part of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships’ Commemorative Cruise. Between May 24-26, visitors will have the opportunity to admire the boats, discover more about the integral role they played in WWII, meet the owners, and perhaps even climb aboard a few of them.
The Dunkirks at the Docks weekend will kick off with a traditional tea dance on May 23, where guests can immerse themselves in all things vintage. We’re talking period costumes, music from the 1920s-1950s, delightful dancing displays, and – most importantly – lots of tea and biscuits.
It sure is set to be a boat-iful weekend, indeed.
The pontoons will be open to the public from May 24 – 26. Find out more and plan your visit to Dunkirks at the Docks here.