28/05/2026
Throwback Thursday With Meaning
With Ramsgate’s recent commemorations still fresh in our minds, today’s Throwback Thursday takes us back to the dark, uncertain days of 1940 — a moment in history that shaped our town and its people.
On this very eve in 1940, requisitioned boats from across the country were assembling in Ramsgate. Taken from their civilian owners and handed to the Admiralty, these vessels were prepared to be crewed by members of the Royal Navy to support the desperate rescue of troops from Dunkirk, when it was feared the mole could no longer be used.
Some civilian owners insisted on sailing their own boats into danger. The RNLI also sent their lifeboats and crews to stand alongside the Navy, answering the call without hesitation.
Through hard work, battle, bombing and bullets, these Little Ships did everything they could to bring home as many men as possible from the beaches and the fall of France. Every vessel carried stories — of bravery, fear, determination, and the trauma that stayed with those who lived it.
Today, we remember them.
Photo credit: ADLS
