Mj Pearce, James Burnell-Nugent

Dunkirk Operation Dynamo 26th May - 4th June 1940 An Epic of Gallantry (Britannia Naval Histories of World War II) (eBook, ePUB)

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

The successful evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Belgium and northern France through the port of Dunkirk and across adjacent beaches is rightly regarded as one of the most significant episodes in the nation's long history, although Winston Churchill sagely cautioned in Parliament on 4th June that the country "must be careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations". Nevertheless, the Dunkirk evacuation, Operation "Dynamo", was a victory and, like many others before it, it was a victory of sea power. The Royal Navy achieved what it set out to do, despite grievous losses, in the teeth of determined opposition. It denied an aggressive and ruthless continental power a potentially war-winning total victory that could have changed the direction of civilization for generations to come. The loss of the main British field army would have enfeebled the nation militarily and psychologically, prompting political upheaval, potentially resulting in a negotiated peace with Nazi Germany on unfavourable terms dictated by Adolf Hitler. The undeniable success of the evacuation was certainly a crucial naval and military achievement but its positive effect on the nation's morale was just as important, instilling confidence in the eventual outcome of the war, whatever the immediate future might hold, and creating optimism in the face of adversity that added "the Dunkirk spirit" to the English language.This edition of Dunkirk, Operation "Dynamo" 26th May - 4th June 1940, An Epic of Gallantry, publishes the now declassified Battle Summary No 41, a document once classified as 'Restricted' and produced in small numbers only for official government purposes. This Summary, The Evacuation from Dunkirk, lodged in the archive at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, is one of the very few surviving copies in existence and records events in minute detail, being written soon after the evacuation using the words of the naval officers involved. This makes it a unique record and a primary source for the history of Operation "Dynamo" from mid-May 1940 until its conclusion on 4th June. The original document has been supplemented in this title by a Foreword written by Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, formerly the Royal Navy's Commander-in-Chief, Fleet, whose father commanded one of the destroyers sunk off Dunkirk when rescuing troops. In addition, there is a modern historical introduction and commentary, putting the evacuation into context and this edition is enhanced by the inclusion of a large number of previously unpublished photographs of the beaches, town, and harbour of Dunkirk taken immediately after the conclusion of the operation, together with others illustrating many of the ships that took part.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Paul Honeywill
• Erscheinungstermin: 2. Mai 2021
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781838010720
• Artikelnr.: 61784701

Autorenporträt

James Burnell-Nugent joined the Royal Navy at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in 1971 after the award of an Honours Degree in Mathematics at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal while under naval general training and the Admiral Sir Max Horton Prize for excellence in submarine training. He commanded in every rank from Lieutenant to Admiral. After the "Perisher" qualifying course for submarine commanding officers, his first command was the conventional submarine HMS Olympus 1979-80. He then served as a Lieutenant Commander, by command of the nuclear powered submarine HMS Conqueror 1984-86, carrying out many Cold War patrols hunting down Soviet ballistic missile submarines. After time in the MoD and the Joint Service Defence College, he had the triple command of the 2nd Frigate Squadron, the frigate HMS Brilliant and Captain Initial Sea Training 1992-93. HMS Brilliant was part of a Task Group in the early stages of the Bosnia Crisis, one of whose roles was to be ready to withdraw UK troops. After a somewhat unusual secondment to HM Treasury working on areas other than defence, he was appointed in command of the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible. In his time she made two joint operational deployments to the Gulf for air operations over Iraq and then conducted further air operations during the Kosovo War. These were the first operations for an integrated RN and RAF Joint Harrier Force, with 16 jet aircraft and 6 helicopters embarked. As a Rear Admiral, Commander UK Maritime Forces 2001-02, he was in command of a large deployed RN Task Group at the time of the New York Twin Towers attack by Al Qaeda. Having opened his Headquarters alongside the US Navy in Bahrain, this then evolved into him being the Maritime Commander of the UK Joint Force and the Deputy Maritime Commander of the Coalition for the early stages of the campaign in Afghanistan. This was a combined force of 40,000 men and women in 104 ships, including 5 aircraft carriers. In 1999 as a Rear Admiral, he joined the Admiralty Board as the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff. On promotion to Vice Admiral, he became Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command with responsibility for all personnel matters. He flew his flag in HMS Victory, making frequent use of Nelson's Great Cabin. From 2005 as Commander-in-Chief Fleet, he was responsible for the preparation and operation of all the ships, submarines and aircraft of the Royal Navy.