Dunkirk: A Miracle of Deliverance

by David Boyle

Dunkirk has gone into British history as a myth, with its patient queuing on the beaches, its ferry boats and stew in cocktail glasses. We have forgotten the blood, thirst and desperation, and the extraordinary feat of organisation. This day-by-day account puts the story back in context. It records those crucial nine days in summer, looking not just at the beaches, the rearguard, the naval operation and the little ships, but at what was happening in the military headquarters, in the cabinets in London and Paris, and how people felt at the time about what was taking place - events that were to change Europe and the UK forever. It reveals not just a miracle, but an amazing feat of administration and endurance, that made the reputation of one man in particular - Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military History, World War II, Ebooks, Military Fiction

142 pages, Paperback

Published May 30, 2017

About the author

David Courtney Boyle was a British author and journalist who wrote mainly about history and new ideas in economics, money, business, and culture. He lived in Steyning in West Sussex.
He conducted an independent review for the Treasury and the Cabinet Office on public demand for choice in public services which reported in 2013. Boyle was a co-founder and policy director of Radix, which he characterized in 2017 as a radical centrist think tank. He was also co-director of the mutual think tank New Weather Institute.

Reviews

[Susan]

This is a short account of events surrounding Dunkirk from the 19th May to the 3rd June, 1940, when the British Expeditionary Force found itself forced into retreat. With evacuation looking necessary, the British attempted to organise the impossible, while also placating their French allies, who were in disarray. It is not an exaggeration to say that Dunkirk was a turning point for both Britain and Europe. Had the evacuation not happened, most of the British forces would have been captured and the country could have easily been invaded – something which, in 1940, looked increasingly likely.

The author tells how the evacuation was planned in tunnels under Dover Castle, with Churchill believing that only a small number of those lined up on the beaches could be rescued. This then, is the story of how every ship, boat and ferry that could be manned were sent out across the Channel, under enemy fire, to try to bring home the British forces. So desperate were the times that the BBC actually broadcast a request for every boat to be called into action, while over seventy young men at navigation school left London and headed for the harbour, some in their suits and bowler hats. There was, literally, no time to be lost and everyone who had any knowledge of the sea was needed.

Fortunately, Hitler made some bad judgement calls, giving the troops a little more time and the majority of the men were brought back, to continue the war. The Germans called it a disaster. It was, but, somehow, it also became something of a triumph. This is a good introduction to events – sadly, a few typos cropped up, making you wonder why books are not properly proof read before being published. That said, an interesting overview of what happened in those momentous days.

[Charlie]

I'll be brief because the book was brief and to the point.
A good quick look at how Dunkirk became a reality in its rescue mission and who were the main responsible people for pulling it off.
The Dunkirk movie (2017) was excellent and this book is a good follow up to the events that took place before and after.
Got this book at the local Half-Price bookstore for cheap-cheap.

[Katie]

I picked up this book after I saw the movie Dunkirk and wanted to learn more about the actual history. I pretty much just typed 'Dunkirk' into Amazon's search bar and this was one of the top results. I chose it because it was short (less than 150 pages) and cheap (only $0.99 - but I think the price has increased since), but I'm glad I chose this one over a longer one.

One of the main benefits I found to this book was that it was concise. I feel that the information was presented in a way that was quick to get through but also included all the main points. And I feel I understand what happened at Dunkirk a lot better now than I did before.

There were two downsides to this book that I found. First, I noticed a lot of typos as I was reading. I wasn't looking for them, but there were multiple instances where I had to reread sentences because it didn't make sense as written, only to realize that a word was misspelled, and if it had been correct, the sentence would have made sense. Additionally, maybe it's just because my knowledge of history (in general) is practically non-existent due to lack of good history education in school, but I felt that this book was tailored for people who had more of a background with WWII. There was certain terminology that was used that I didn't really understand because I didn't have that background.

While there were these downsides, I felt that what I gained from reading was greater than the issues I had with the writing. I really liked reading this history and learning more about this tragic, yet successful moment during WWII.

I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about this specific event because it was very informative, but also concise and quick to read.

[Keith Currie]

A good, brief account of the Dunkirk campaign, which nicely supplements the recent film for the general reader. Do not expect any great detail, but do expect a concise and clear account with some perceptive commentary.

[Dlmrose]

3+

[Dan Weber]

Quick read before seeing the movie

Concise overview of what led to having 400000 troops on the beach at Dunkirk. The diplomatic issues, the British, French and German commands, the halt order and the massive logistics it took to evacuate 338000 men from Dunkirk. It could benefit w having a few maps.

[David Highton]

a short book but pretty comprehensive, with a Naval perpsective and detail of the planning and implement of which I was not aware

[Stephanie]

With historical accuracy, Dunkirk: A Miracle of Deliverance describes the evacuation of the British forces from the beaches of Dunkirk. I have always enjoyed reading about historical events, especially when they are brought back into the spotlight by pop culture; I like knowing the facts from the fiction. This was a concise overview of the events leading up to the evacuation and the evacuation itself. I learned about Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsey along with the difficult decisions and unique calls that he had to make. I was very interested in the planning and decisions made on Ramsey's end and Hitler's end and the eventual outcome, since this book provided a general overview, I'm sure there is much more to learn and discover when delving into those specifics. I was also amazed at how many people were willing to use their boats to deliver the soldiers from Dunkirk and I would definitely like to delve more into their stories. Overall, I was amazed simply by the facts of how many people were able to escape. I would have loved to have seen pictures, maps and any other historical artifacts included in the book; however, this was a wonderful primer of the overall event.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Chris Wells]

I have a keen interest in history, and in particular the second world war, and found this short book very informative. It reads quickly and for me that helped to convey the frantic nature of the events it explains. No time to plan, no time to think, just get the job done. How was this done and by who? The answer of course is by brilliant people in the most exceptional of circumstances who managed to think and plan despite the lack of time to do so. There's no padding to this book, every word is there for a reason and every word relays the facts of those incredible days in 1940. It's not meant to be the definitive account of the 'Miracle of Dunkirk' but rather an overview but it's still packed with information of the major players and what they had to do. I found I learnt a lot and found the suggested reading at the end extremely helpful.

I think this book tells you what happened without getting bogged down in unnecessary details that may be better served in other books. It's a useful starting point for anyone wanting to know more about those days.

[L S Hardy]

Brief Explanation of a Well-known Event

The evacuation of the British from France in 1940 has been studied, romanticized, and dramatized ever since it happened, but the book tries to give the facts in a straightforward manner with a minimum of subjectiveness. It reminds the reader that, although one remembers the hundreds of small boats that made the crossing, it was primarily a naval operation organized by one extraordinary man who most people never heard of, Bartrum Ramsey.

[Maryann]

A Very Concise History of the Evacuation at Dunkirk

Easy to follow, not romanticized, this book gives the reader a clear idea of the organization required to rescue the BEF and the speed with which events occurred. The evacuation wasn't as simple as putting out a call for anything that could sail to come pick up some soldiers. The book also finds room for how abandoned the French felt and how inadequate the French generals were.

[Jerold Aronson]

Dry but detailed. Lacks the human impact. Conveys the extraordinary challenge of deliverance by ordinary man and women. Well done to those who participated and the author.

Good, fast read. Recommend as overview to this horrendous episode of war. Plan to read additional book's on Dunkirk in near future and to see the movie.

[Anthony Cavaliere]

Short and pithy

This account of the evacuation of the BEF from Dunkirk is a short overview of what occurred in the late Spring of 1940. In tells of the activities of the high ranking officers who were involved as well as the Royal Navy and other ships that helped save so many men. It does provide a brief peek at the incompetence that led to the defeat and strips away the romantic notions popular culture has assigned to the event. Good as an introduction and overview.

[M. I.]

A terrific read after the movie

Quick, to the point account but lacks maps and a bit of background on the principal characters and events. Still, a worthwhile account and a useful quick study of Operation Dynamo.

[Kattia]

Heroismo, tragedia, suerte, afortunadamente malas decisiones de Hitler, mucho estres, tension politica y... George Orwell. Aún no puedo creer que no sabia sobre este hecho histórico tan trascendental.

[Nana]

Historical events to rescue those of their own.

The determination of those in charge of rescuing all those left on Dunkirk; shows how organized and willing everyone was to do their part. The sacrifice of all is more than we can imagine.

[Jennifer Eckel]

A very basic overview of the retreat and battle. Supposedly, the story is told from Admiral Bertram Ramsay's "viewpoint." Ramsay was the mastermind of the rescue. Recalled from retirement twice, he saved the day with his ferries and small ships.

[Amanda Morrissey]

Needs some editing

I love to read history and was excited about this book, but it was pretty bland. Also, the editing is pretty poor. Far too many grammar and punctuation issues for a published work, which made it hard to get through.

[wayne]

Brave, Changing World

This short story is actually very important for the British and the entire WW2 effort. It's a what if story that has a good ending. Now I want to see the movie.

[Jane Thompson]

War Story

This is a short book, sort of an outline of the subject. The book is about Dunkirk. It hits the high points, but not the details of this grand evacuation.

[Mohammad Abu Arqoub]

A Thrilling details behind WW2 changing event, the event that made defeating the Nazis possible.

[Robert]

Very good

The book seemed to be a who's who in the world of Dunkirk. Who did what and how they achieve it.

[Dan Warford]

Easy read

Would have been helpful to have a map of the affected area, despite that still I learned so much more than I had previously known.

[Mike Briley]

A excellent summary and timeline of the events that made up this important moment in history.

[Silver_Neurotic]

DNF

[Mairo Dilworth]

Very interesting and detailed account. Gives a real insight into the reality of what happened and the effect that it had.

[Dotty Strickland]

Quick read.

Provides a quick moving but sometime confusing account of events. Would like to have read more about the actions of the rear guard.

[MR CHRISTOPHER]

Fascinating

It is really interesting to get an insight into the figures rescued and the number of ships lost. A dark period in our history.

[Jene Hurney]

Dunkirk: A Miracle of Deliverance

An easy read, and very informative! I didn't realize that the evacuation of Dunkirk was so perilous! The courage of these men, particularly the private operators, was remarkable....

[Pepnkak]

Kak read this one.
Just didn't do it for me. Wasn't a fan of the movie either so...