More than 70 Little Ships will set sail from Kent to Dunkirk in honour of the 85th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.

Commemorative events, exhibitions, services and parades are set to take place throughout Ramsgate over the next 10 days.

Yesterday (May 16), dozens of vessels, including The Medway Queen, arrived at the town with festivities ramping up over the weekend and beyond.

Some of the ships are more than 100 years old and all played a vital role in rescuing more than 330,000 Allied troops stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940.

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.”

On Wednesday (May 21), the Little Ships will depart between 6am and 8am.

They will make their journey – a journey of 45 miles – to arrive back in Ramsgate on the Early May Bank Holiday Monday (May 26) between approximately 3pm to 4pm.

Visitors will also be allowed to board The Medway Queen – weather permitting – which has been moored at the Commercial Quay.

To have a look at the programme of events, please click here.

The head of the Little Ship fleet will be Brown Owl, where yachtsman Chris Cox will be helping with some of the helming duties.

He added: “As we go across the Channel, we've got to cross the traffic shipping lane, which is the busiest shipping lane in the world.

“It is going to be like riding a bicycle across a motorway.

“Depending on the day, with wind, waves and conditions, it should take us about seven hours.”