Operation Dynamo Commemorations
Day of Remembrance for the Evacuation of Dunkirk
Operation Dynamo Veterans travel to Dunkirk
On Thursday 27 May 2010, Veterans of Operation Dynamo and their families
will be traveling over to Dunkirk on a specially commissioned Norfolkline
Vessel. Also on board for this special commemorative voyage will be The
Parachute Regimental Band, the Royal Choral Society, school children from
both the UK and from France, UK and European Dignitaries as well as
representatives from organisations including the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission and the Royal British Legion.
Departing from Dover
The ship will set sail at 10am from Dover with a farewell committee
comprising the Lord Lieutenants Office (Kent), local authority representatives,
trade and commerce representatives, government officials, police and senior
military. The Parachute Regimental Band will perform on the dockside at
Dover, together with a 200-voice choir from the Royal Choral Society. Both
the band and the choir will then accompany the Veterans on the journey to
Dunkirk. As the ship leaves the harbour, there will also be a fly over by two
World War II planes, a Hurricane and a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain.
Arrival in Dunkirk
Once in Dunkirk, the Parachute Regimental Band will ceremoniously lead the
disembarkation of WWII military vehicles. The Vessel will then proceed to
Dunkirk Old Town Harbour where she will become a floating venue.
Greeting The Little Ships
Fifty of the original Little Ships involved in the evacuation will arrive in Dunkirk
later in the day. Upon their arrival everyone on board the Norfolkline Vessel
will give the Little Ships a rousing welcome with the Parachute Regiment
Band performing a marching band musical display and the Royal Choral
Society performing a moving tribute.
Remembrance Ceremony
There will then be a ceremony of remembrance conducted by UK and French
clergy that will then be followed by a lone bugle playing The Last Post.
This will be followed by a moment’s silence. Rose petals will be scattered and
white doves released, symbolising peace.
An Evening of Remembrance
The Norfollkline ship will then become a floating venue for a
Commemorative Dinner, which will be the very first formal dinner in
Dunkirk for Operation Dynamo.
Along with a brief welcome from Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Norfolkline
Group, there will also be speeches from a selection of special guests
including:
M Waghemacker, Deputy Mayor of Dunkirk
Veteran Lloyd Thomas who was a driver for the 91st Field Regiment,
Royal Artillery and was evacuated on the 29th May.
Veteran Ethel Lote, who was a nurse at a hospital in Birmingham who
treated the first evacuees from Dunkirk.
French historian and journalist Jean-Pierre Richardot, (Le Monde,
L’Express, de France 2 et de RTL) will speak on the events of
Operation Dynamo from a French perspective.
Commenting on the hosting of this very special day, Thomas Woldbye said,
“Every day of every week of every year, we at Norfolkline travel to and from
Dover and Dunkirk. The heritage of this historic route is inescapable; today we
all owe such a debt to the brave men and women who were at Dunkirk and
this is why we are so delighted and honoured to host this special day of
commemoration.
“We also felt that it was as important for the children to be part of this event as
it is for the veterans because they are, after all, the future generation. In many
ways today is as much about looking forward as it is about looking back.”
VIPs attending this day of commemoration include:
Cabinet Member for Public Health (Alan Marsh)
Charlie Elphicke, newly appointed Conservative MP for Dover
Chief Executive of Dover District Councillor (Nadim Aziz)
Coastguard RCC Manager (Spike Hughes)
Commodore of the Little Ships Association (John Tough)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Richard & Ann Kellaway)
Danish Defence Attache (Niels Soerensen)
High Sheriff of Kent (Peregrine Tatton Eyre Massey)
Kent County councillor (Leland Ridings)
Lord Lieutenant (Alan Willet) and his two aides
Mayor elect of Dover (Councillor Jones)
Mayoress of Dover (Councillor Philpott)
Mayor of Dunkirk (M.Delebarre)
Mayor of Esquelbecq (Jean Michel Devynck)
President of Flanders Artois Tourism (Armel Leleu)
Polish Deputy Ambassador (Zdzislaw Czerniszewski)
Ends
Media contacts: Emma Batchelor or Susan Granger on
emma@westgatecomms.com or 01732 779 087.
Editors Notes:
Leading ferry operator, Norfolkline, provides award-winning passenger ferry
services on the Dover to Dunkirk route, operating up to 24-ferry crossings
each day.
The company began its service between Dover and Dunkirk in 2000 and
already accounts for almost three in ten (28%) cars carried from Dover. In
2008, Norfolkline carried in excess of 600,000 cars, and in 2009 the figure
rose to almost 800,000 with two and a half million passengers (figures
compiled by IRN Research).
Norfolkline operates three purpose-built vessels between Dover and Dunkirk,
offering the Channel’s most relaxing sailing experience. The company is
steadily building up its customer base - once a customer travels with
Norfolkline they tend to become a loyal advocate. This is due to a competitive
price, modern ships and Dunkirk being an increasingly popular point of entry
into France, with its lack of congestion and easy access to major arterial
roads.
Norfolkline’s success was recognised in 2009 when, for the second year
running, the company won the Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk travel
award for "Best Ferry Company”.