Mmmmmmm, this has me thinking about an old movie I watched not to long ago on TMC starring Walter Pigeon.

Annette

I love Walter Pigeon! Also, since Chuck and I are such lovers of History and he seems to know everything about WWII, I do know this. What a lift this gave to the British and to anyone who reads about it!

Certainly, Churchill's words still resonate.

Good subject for today, Nancy.

Cynthia

Walter Pidgeon - ah yes, and one of my favourite movies, to boot!! And he was born in New Brunswick, doncha know!!

Nancy.

I didn't know that! Cool.

No wonder everyone thinks we speak with a British accent!! lol.

Nancy.

Apparently I also didn't know how to spell his name-thought it didn't look quite right, but... Thanks for correcting it so tactfully! :)

Anyway, he is still one of my all-time favorites!

Cynthia

You stumped me. I looked it up and now have tears in my eyes. Sometimes people get the opportunity to be guardian angels for a brief period of time. A whole lot of people functioned as angels during Operation Dynamo, bless their souls.

Cyn, I didn't spell his name right either, I guess I didn't hit the 'd' hard enough, well......that's my story and I'm sticking to it LOL.

Annette

Lorna - this is a day for Angels!!

Nancy.

It is a good question for today since so many private boats also ferried New Yorkers home ten years ago.

Since we all know and it is a school night and I need to shut down, I will say Operation Dynamo was the rescue of British and many French troops from Dunkirk.

"...we shall not flag or fail...we shall never surrender."

I watch PBS which is heavy on British history so also knew this was the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk. I can see an image of boats of all sizes heading through the fog on their way to or fro.

Sorry I've been late posting this weekend. I've been working outside and have just come in to turn on the computer and make dinner.

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender ..." This is part of Churchill's speech from Parliament. It was known as the 'Miracle of Dunkirk'. The term "Dunkirk Spirit" still refers to a popular belief in the solidarity of the British people in times of adversity.

I have a friend who owns a 'Little Ship' - kinda cool. His kids grew up on it, on the Rideau Canal in summers. They swear it is haunted!! How could it not be. It came over to Canada on one of our aircraft carriers, in the 50's. I believe has just been fully restored for the umpteenth time - these craft are a truly a labour of love!! She took Best Boat in Show, at the 1935 London Boat Show!! Hard to imagine such a small(35'), lovely vessel was up to such a grim task.
I just wanted to add two more bits of trivia here, sort of a 'Nancy Light' reveal:
{{gwi:612167}}
Sundowner(58'): owned by Charles Lightoller, former second officer of the Titanic, was requisitioned by the Admiralty on 30 May. Lightoller insisted that, if anyone was going to take her to Dunkirk, it would be him and his eldest son, Roger, together with Sea Scout Gerald Ashcroft. Leaving Port of Ramsgate at 10:00 on 1 June, the yacht crossed the Channel in company with five other ships. On their way, they rescued the crew of the motor cruiser Westerly, which had broken down and was on fire. On arrival at Dunkirk, Lightoller realized that the piers were too high, and so drew alongside the destroyer HMS Worcester and started to take on soldiers. Seventy-five men were crammed into the cabin, and another fifty-five on deck, a total of 130. Sundowner then returned to Ramsgate, avoiding fire from enemy aircraft through evasive manoeuvres on the way, though the greatest danger was being swamped by the wash from fast-moving destroyers(the Sundowner was capable of a top speed of 8 knots). After disembarking the troops at Ramsgate, she was preparing to return, but by then only ships capable of doing 20 knots were allowed to go.
{{gwi:612169}}
In the end, Germany captured Dunkirk, of course. But the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who escaped France that day lived to fight another day against Germany. Four years later, almost to the day, a great many of those men were on ships headed back to France, on D-Day.

So, for Annette, Cyn, Chuck (yes, Cyn, he is getting his own stars!!!) and mnswgal:

Thanks for playing!! I'm glad no one was offended by the 'war' theme today! As Lorna so eloquently noted - it is more about angels.

Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Full Story

Thanks, Nancy, for the extra bits of trivia. That looks like a very nice boat.

I agree, this was not about war as much as about the heroic actions of civilians.

That is a wonderful story. I bet Chuck doesn't know it! I will check and let you know!

Thanks for the stars Nancy. I think it was a thoroughly appropriate choice as it speaks to the courage of ordinary folk during extraordinary crises. Angels indeed.