"The rapid assembly of over 600 small craft of all types was carried out by volunteers. These showed a magnificent and tireless spirit. The order for assembly of all available small vessels met with an instantaneous response. Fishermen, yachtsmen, yacht builders, yacht clubs, river boatmen and boat-building and hiring firms manned their crafts with volunteer crews and rushed them to the assembly point, although they did not then know for what purpose they were required.
"They operated successfully by day and night under the most difficult and dangerous conditions. The Admiralty cannot speak too highly of the services of all concerned. They were essential to the success of the operation and the means of saving thousands of lives.
"The withdrawal was carried out from Dunkirk and from beaches in the vicinity. The whole operation was screened by naval forces against any attempt by enemy at interference by sea. In addition to almost inces-sent bombing and machine-gun attacks on Dunkirk, beaches jand vessels operating off them, the port of Dunkirk and shipping plying to and fro were under frequent shell fire. This was to some extent checked by bomb-erdment of enemy artillery positions by our naval forces. Naval bombardment also protected the flanks of the withdrawal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.