The Front Page. - Copy 182 ( The Dover Castle Dunkirk Exhibition)
10 June 2011
Yesterday saw the official opening at Dover Castle of a brand new exhibition. The exhibition is called "Operation Dynamo: Rescue from Dunkirk" and it highlights in fine style that miraculous escape of legend. The famous evacuation was masterminded by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsey from the secret tunnels at the Castle. In the picture above is his son Major General Charles Ramsey ( left ) who spoke lovingly about his father. Also in the picture is John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism and Heritage, who officially opened the exhibition.
The exhibition shows that 338,000 troops were amazingly evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk...some 125,000 of these were French. Meanwhile 40,000 French troops held the Germans at bay in the outskirts of Dunkirk to allow the evacuation to take place. These were later captured. It was initially thought by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsey that it would only be possible to get something like 45,000 troops out, so the figures reached in the end were truly extraordinary. As we know, everything that could float did float and went to collect the troops from the beaches in extremely dangerous circumstances.
Picture left shows the Town Mayor of Dover Cllr Ronnie Philpott enjoying the exhibition in the company of Town Clerk Alison Burton.
On the left you can see one of the original 'war rooms'. It is sobering to note the very rudimentary levels of technology available at the time. How on earth did they manage. Makes the co-ordination all the more remarkable.
Below you can see one of the many visual displays beamed onto the tunnel walls for your enjoyment. Moving pictures showing the beach being attacked from the air while thousands try to make their escape in harrowing conditions are strikingly informative. The exhibition is now open to the public.
Pictures from Colette Boland and Paul Boland. Words Paul Boland.
Yesterday saw the official opening at Dover Castle of a brand new exhibition. The exhibition is called "Operation Dynamo: Rescue from Dunkirk" and it highlights in fine style that miraculous escape of legend. The famous evacuation was masterminded by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsey from the secret tunnels at the Castle. In the picture above is his son Major General Charles Ramsey ( left ) who spoke lovingly about his father. Also in the picture is John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism and Heritage, who officially opened the exhibition.
The exhibition shows that 338,000 troops were amazingly evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk...some 125,000 of these were French. Meanwhile 40,000 French troops held the Germans at bay in the outskirts of Dunkirk to allow the evacuation to take place. These were later captured. It was initially thought by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsey that it would only be possible to get something like 45,000 troops out, so the figures reached in the end were truly extraordinary. As we know, everything that could float did float and went to collect the troops from the beaches in extremely dangerous circumstances.Picture left shows the Town Mayor of Dover Cllr Ronnie Philpott enjoying the exhibition in the company of Town Clerk Alison Burton.
On the left you can see one of the original 'war rooms'. It is sobering to note the very rudimentary levels of technology available at the time. How on earth did they manage. Makes the co-ordination all the more remarkable.Below you can see one of the many visual displays beamed onto the tunnel walls for your enjoyment. Moving pictures showing the beach being attacked from the air while thousands try to make their escape in harrowing conditions are strikingly informative. The exhibition is now open to the public.
Pictures from Colette Boland and Paul Boland. Words Paul Boland.