I Was There...The True Story Of Dunkirk [VHS]

The documentary footage, graphics often discreetly enhanced, has been well chosen to convey the desperation of those on the beach, reinforced by the often candid recollections of the veterans. Volume level may need to be adjusted between reportage and interviews, though the dovetailing has been unobtrusively done--the contrast between "then" and "now" is effectively and movingly drawn. These 52 minutes give you the essence of a defining event in World War II. --Richard Whitehouse

With the defeat of France and the surrender of Belgium, Europe was now in the grip of Adolph Hitler and with his forces poised just 21 miles from the British coastline, the fall of Great Britain - now standing alone - seemed just days away. The possible loss of vital men and invaluable equipment could not be tolerated, especially if the United Kingdom was to survive. Surely a deal would now have to be struck between the two great forces of Europe?

In London though, an ambitious plan was already underway, conducted in the highest secrecy from the Cabinet's War Room and instigated by the Royal Navy. But could the rescue of 35,000 men possible succeed with no guarantees of sufficient air cover?

In the dead of night, escorted by warships from the Royal Navy, a flotilla of small boats silently congregated around the coasts of South and South East England. The desperate mission had begun. It was vital that they were not discovered.

This is the true story of Operation Dynamo, as told by the people who were actually there, who really faced the terrible bombing from the air and who really withstood the vicious bombardment from the mainland. This video tells the real story of the ferocious battles as, heavily outnumbered and outgunned, British soldiers fought on against hopeless odds, in the hope that at least some of their comrades might escape back into the sea.

Over 7 days and nights 338,226 men were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk, almost exactly 3 times the amount of men rescued from the beaches of Gallipoli. 222 naval vessels and 665 civilian craft had continuously ferried between Dunkirk and the British coast, a miraculous landmark in modern military history.

This is their story.
The real story.