NFR - Thank the Royal Navy Today or You could be Speaking German

[finnster01]

One of the finer and most ignored and underrated moments of the Royal Navy is being marked today. 330 000 allied lives were saved.

Rule Britannia!!   :sir_roy:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8707657.stm

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

why there has never been a film made about this I'll never know :49: :49:
A few of the things that make the people of this little island of ours so special are our sense of humour, that we can keep our nerve when it's all gone pear shaped and when needed, people will stand up and be counted and look after our brothers and sisters-they are the things that got us through those few days :clap_hands:

[The Equalizer]

I don't think that 'pride' is a big enough word to describe my feelings about the efforts of those people and the British nation in general all those years ago.

An amazing story.

[LBNo11]

...Rambling Syd - they did make a dramatised film in 1958 staring John Mills:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkirk_(film)

Some people used to snearingly say that only the British could make a defeat appear like a victory, it was a victory, one of endurance in the face of adversity, one of human spirit, backs to the wall and fighting for the very fabric of our nation and the remainder of the free world.



One can only imagine what it was like to be involved in all this organised chaos, that so many were saved to fight again was indeed a victory...

[epsomraver]

One of the finer and most ignored and underrated moments of the Royal Navy is being marked today. 330 000 allied lives were saved.

Rule Britannia!!   :sir_roy:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8707657.stm

Sorry Mr Finn I must take you to task regarding the Royal Navy at Dunkirk, must not take a way the part the civilian fishermen and pleasure boat crews , A lot  of the crews of the warships were also merchant navy. However they all played a magnificent role, also let's not forget the soldiers left behind to hold up the Gerry advance with no chance of surrender, My dad's regiment did such a good job that when they surrended  they were taken to a farm at Paridis and all 90 plus were shot dead by the Germans, luckily there were a couple badly wounded under the bodies that survived and were able to identify the commander and he was tried for war crimes and shot.

[finnster01]

One of the finer and most ignored and underrated moments of the Royal Navy is being marked today. 330 000 allied lives were saved.

Rule Britannia!!   :sir_roy:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8707657.stm

Sorry Mr Finn I must take you to task regarding the Royal Navy at Dunkirk, must not take a way the part the civilian fishermen and pleasure boat crews , A lot  of the crews of the warships were also merchant navy. However they all played a magnificent role, also let's not forget the soldiers left behind to hold up the Gerry advance with no chance of surrender, My dad's regiment did such a good job that when they surrended  they were taken to a farm at Paridis and all 90 plus were shot dead by the Germans, luckily there were a couple badly wounded under the bodies that survived and were able to identify the commander and he was tried for war crimes and shot.

Of course not Mr Epsom, never my intention to ignore the civilians.
The civilians did a fantastic job and the army that held the Germans as well. They are all heroes.
However, without the Royal Navy that whole exercise never gets planned nor executed. It is just one of those really important moments in history that for some reason tends to get overlooked and/or ignored. I am glad they are finally marking it, that is all I was trying convey.

[epsomraver]

I totally share your sentiments Mr Finn, it is really "British" to "celebrate" an unmitigated  military disaster that had it not been for the brave souls who got the BEF off would have finished the war there and then

[Lighthouse]

The last of my Uncles still alive was at Dunkirk. He never talks about it and never to my knowledge joins in any of the anniversary goings on. I do remember My Mum saying that she was told by her Mum that he contacted her after arriving back in England. He was in tears and had stood in the Sea up to his neck for what appeared like many many hours.

So to all those who don't want to talk about it but experienced it. We  remember with thanks.

[HatterDon]

why there has never been a film made about this I'll never know :49: :49:
A few of the things that make the people of this little island of ours so special are our sense of humour, that we can keep our nerve when it's all gone pear shaped and when needed, people will stand up and be counted and look after our brothers and sisters-they are the things that got us through those few days :clap_hands:

Julian, there have been several movies which include the rescue from Dunkirk.

I'm a little surprised to see this described as a triumph of the British Navy. They played their part, but the heroism here was from the hundreds of small private fishing boats and even pleasure craft that navigated the Channel in the dark to rescue individual soldiers. Durnkirk is VERY OFTEN cited as a prime example of the indomitable British spirit.

And I'm certain that I saw it celebrated in 1970 and in 1990 when I was living in England

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

why there has never been a film made about this I'll never know :49: :49:
A few of the things that make the people of this little island of ours so special are our sense of humour, that we can keep our nerve when it's all gone pear shaped and when needed, people will stand up and be counted and look after our brothers and sisters-they are the things that got us through those few days :clap_hands:

Julian, there have been several movies which include the rescue from Dunkirk.

I'm a little surprised to see this described as a triumph of the British Navy. They played their part, but the heroism here was from the hundreds of small private fishing boats and even pleasure craft that navigated the Channel in the dark to rescue individual soldiers. Durnkirk is VERY OFTEN cited as a prime example of the indomitable British spirit.

And I'm certain that I saw it celebrated in 1970 and in 1990 when I was living in England

I knew you would know Sandy,it's just when you see Band of Brothers,The Pacific and others you wonder why we don't have something like that,we are always the baddie in most things you see and this,or even the Africa campaign,Battle of the North Atlantic we have done some heroic, honorable things,you just never here of them,it would be nice to be the good guy once in a while.........

[LordNelson]

Thank you also, Finn, for your service!!!

[flynny]

As opposed to all the other languages on the tube this morning yeah great job well done thanks for the effort no cigar.