More than 70 Dunkirk Little Ships will be sailing into Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour this month to commemorate the 85th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.

The fleet, some of which are more than 100 years old, will mark the largest gathering of Little Ships in Ramsgate since the Second World War.

The ships will start arriving at the harbour from Friday, May 16, before 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.

The ships, including the Medway Queen, will be docked at Ramsgate Harbour for five days before setting sail to Dunkirk, where visitors can admire the boats and hear stories about the part they played in the rescue mission.

There will also be a free festival taking place around the harbour as part of the commemorations.

The anniversary celebration starts with an exhibition at the nearby Ramsgate Tunnels, an outdoor trail detailing the stories of war evacuees, an art installation of 400 paper boats at St George's Church and a chance to step aboard the Medway Queen – and that’s just one day.

The festival, which runs until Monday, May 26, also includes a street party at the Queen’s Head, funfair rides, a vintage fair, classic cars, parades, live music, film screenings at the Granville Theatre and a service of remembrance.

The town’s Dunkirk memorial will also be unveiled during the festival and there will be a short film to honour the ships that sank during the crossing.

You can find the full programme of events here.

It’s all free and you don’t need to book to attend. However, timings will be confirmed for some events closer to the time on social media.