Additional reporting by Gabriel Morris

A man has recalled the special role his grandfather played in the war during a commemorative event to mark the anniversary of Operation Dynamo.

It has been 85 years since the Little Ships set off from Ramsgate and rescued more than 330,000 Allied troops stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk.

And now, many of the vessels have returned to the town, with a range of festivities taking place over this weekend and beyond.

Their return marks a pivotal moment in Second World War history.

It is also to celebrate that many of the Little Ships have survived and are lovingly restored by their current custodians, helping to keep the story alive.

Each boat comes with its own personal story, which is passed down to each new owner.

More than 30 organisations have been involved in putting the 10-day event together.

Today (May 18), people were invited to join in with a parade through the town.

It started by the Sailors’ Church at around 10.30am and finished at St George’s Church, where a public service was then held.

Our reporter spoke to Tony Roberts-Bryant, who was the parade commander.

His grandfather, Alfred Charles Bryant, was a member of the 2nd Battalion of the Queen's Regiment, which was part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) at Dunkirk.

The 52-year-old said: “He was part of what they called the sacrifice army – they were on the defences holding back the Germans from the guys that were on the beach trying to get away.

“Unfortunately for him, they were overwhelmed and he spent the rest of the war as a prisoner. He wouldn't tell you about it unless you really asked him.

“But he did write his memoirs down and when he got older, we did manage to get some bits off him.

“If they weren't defending the beaches as well as the men coming over with the small boats, it could have been a whole different picture of what we do now and our day-to-day life that we cherish.”

Alfred died in 2003 after a battle with cancer aged 93.

Even though there are not many living Dunkirk veterans left, Tony believes it is still important to remember the efforts they made.

He said: “It’s always a part of history – we need to keep this alive, so the younger generations can see what we did back then.

“It's good for the town as well, which is such a historic place. All the events that go on bring tourists into the area, especially around the harbour.”

Further commemorative activities will be held throughout next week. You can find the full programme of events here.

This includes the Little Ships setting sail on the 10-hour trip across the English Channel to Dunkirk on Wednesday (May 21), accompanied by Royal Navy warships.

The trip will mirror the journey made by these ships during the Second World War as part of Operation Dynamo, a military operation where more than 330,000 British and Allied troops were rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk and brought back to England after they had been trapped on the French coast by German forces.

The operation was carried out between May and June 1940 and saw around 850 privately owned civilian boats join the Royal Navy’s efforts to evacuate soldiers and ferry them across the Channel.

These Little Ships were an integral part of the operation and were able to navigate the shallow waters near the coast and transport evacuees to the larger navy ships waiting further out at sea.

Dr Edward Smalley, historian at the University of Kent, said: “It's a key moment in the Second World War. It keeps Britain in the war.

“It allows them to rescue an army from the jaws of catastrophe.

“Even though France fortunately surrendered, Britain is able to keep its army, defend itself from invasion and then go back four years later and help liberate the continent.”

Members of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships (ADLS) have been making their way from all corners of the world for the event.

The event is supported by the Royal Temple Yacht Club, Ramsgate Tunnels, The Ramsgate Society, Ramsgate Town Council and many more.

Karen Cox, commodore of the yacht club, told KentOnline it had been around 10 years since the Little Ships had arrived, due to the last event being cancelled by Covid.

She also explained how it wasn’t just civilian ships used in Operation Dynamo.

“There were 19 RNLI boats in total that were requisitioned by the Navy and went across,” she said.

“Two of them were actually with their own crew, which was very unusual – and that was Ramsgate and Margate.

“In total, between the two of them, they saved 3,400 lives, which is an incredible feat.”