The result was a rag-tag flotilla of more than 800 civilian fishing boats, barges and paddle steamers, along with 220 naval vessels, crossing the English Channel. The Dunkirk Veterans Association, set up after the war to care for the injured and to keep the Dunkirk spirit of endurance and co-operation alive, is soon to be disbanded as most of the surviving members are in their 80s. Clearly, keeping the memory of Dunkirk alive and relevant is proving to be an uphill challenge. An ad-hoc survey by BBC News Online found few young adults could pin down exactly what happened on 4 June 1940. But they did have strong views about whether the spirit of Dunkirk lived on.
People today are too selfish.
Even at the war museum, some students confessed to some confusion when asked about the events at Dunkirk. It was when they went over and got stuck on the beach. I know a bit about it - I spoke to one of the officers and he told me about Dunkirk. I was really curious and asked him how it was, was he scared and that. He said it was very scary - he said that when you are tired, you just have to work hard.