Little Ships set sail to commemorate massive bravery of Dunkirk evacuation

The 85th anniversary of the evacuation of Dunkirk has been commemorated by 64 of the original little ships, leaving Ramsgate and heading back to the beaches.

At exactly 06:00 on the dot, the first of the historic vessels began moving away from the pontoons inside Ramsgate Harbour. 

Thousands of people had gathered to wave them on their way.

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All 64 of the ships leaving had taken part in the famous evacuation of nearly 340,000 British and Allied troops from Dunkirk in 1940.

They'd become trapped on the beaches by the advancing German military.

The call came for help, for ships of all shapes and sizes to rescue them, and 600 answered the call.

Had so many not made it back to Britain, the war could well have been lost. 

As the ships set off, there were light winds as pleasure cruisers, sailing boats, wherries, fishing boats and barges left the harbour. 

But even with just the merest swell, the smallest of the vessels were being bounced around. 

Accompanied by seven Royal Navy P2000s, the boats gradually disappeared into the dawn sunshine. 

By 07:30, they were merely scattered dots on the horizon.

It will take between eight and 10 hours for most of them to make it across the Channel – a fitting tribute to those brave civilian sailors who stepped up and helped bring the troops back from the jaws of capture.