rdfs:comment
| - The evacuation was ordered on 26 May 1940. Operating under the direction of Vice Admiral Ramsey, the evacuation was carried out, under the cover of RAF Fighter Command, by a force of destroyers, yachts and other vessels, including a number of trawlers, cross channel ferries, pleasure steamers and cabin cruisers operated by their civilian owners, who declined to hand their craft over to the Royal Navy due to their determination to directly assist with the evacuation effort.
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abstract
| - The evacuation was ordered on 26 May 1940. Operating under the direction of Vice Admiral Ramsey, the evacuation was carried out, under the cover of RAF Fighter Command, by a force of destroyers, yachts and other vessels, including a number of trawlers, cross channel ferries, pleasure steamers and cabin cruisers operated by their civilian owners, who declined to hand their craft over to the Royal Navy due to their determination to directly assist with the evacuation effort. On 28 May, the deterioration in weather conditions resulted in the French coast being covered in very low cloud. This ensured that the Luftwaffe were unable to carry out attacks against the beach head, resulting in the evacuation of 17,084 troops. The following day, visibility in the area improved sufficiently to permit attacks against the evacuation fleet by Junkers Ju-87s of VIII Fligerkorps, supported by Junkers Ju 88s of KG30 and LG1. These attacks resulted in the loss of three escorting destroyers and damage to seven other ships. German losses amounted to fifteen Bf 109Es and a single Ju-88, shot down by the Boulton Paul Defiants of 264 Squadron. The return of bad weather on 31 May, which persisted over the next few days, led to the Ju-87s being grounded by fog. By the end of 31 May, a further 47,310 troops had been evacuated. Thanks to the assistance of the civilian ships, Operation Dynamo resulted in the evacuation of 200,000 British troops, as well as 130,000 French and 10,000 from other nations. The speed of the evacuation meant a lot of equipment had to be left behind, including a number of Boys Anti-tank rifles, which the Germans briefly used, as the 13.9mm Panzerabwehrbusche 792(e), to supplement their defences during the construction of the Atlantic Wall.
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