Dunkirk Spirit at St Katharine Docks

PRESS RELEASE

March 2023: Union jack bunting and signal flags at the ready. Dunkirk spirit is coming to St Katharine Docks for the Royal Coronation Weekend (5th-8th May).

The Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May. In celebration, St Katharine Docks will be hosting what is thought to be ‘the largest UK gathering of Dunkirk Little Ships in years’.

The Dunkirk evacuation​, code-named Operation Dynamo, saw the evacuation of Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, between 26 May and 4 June 1940. A collection of approximately 850 private boats and 20 warships participated in Operation Dynamo and more than 200 ships were lost. Known as ‘Little Ships’, many of these courageous vessels live on, privately-owned and exquisitely preserved.

The marina is very proud to be welcoming 36 vessels from the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. The largest will be ‘Greta’, a 24-metre 19th century sailing barge, and what is thought to be the tiniest little ship of all, 26ft ‘Firefly’. The vessels be arriving on Thursday 4th. Occupying the Docks centre basin, the vessels will be opening to public on Friday 5th and Sunday 7th May. Festivities on Friday will correspond with a May Tea Dance to be held on Marble Quay, with lessons and toe-tapping fun with dance troop, the Ragroof Players.

For St Katharine Docks Marina information please contact:
Claire Frew – Sales & Marketing Executive
[email protected]

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About St Katharine Docks Marina, an IGY destination
St Katharine Docks is London’s largest marina comprising 520,000 sq ft of office, retail and residential. The marina has 185 berths in three basins, for vessels up to 40m long, as a visitor or on long-term berth contracts. St Katharine Docks has outstanding facilities and services along with a social calendar of events and all-year-round activities. The marina is managed, operated and branded by Island Global Yachting (IGY) Marinas, who are bringing their industry-leading knowledge to further enhance the marina operations and customer service.

For more information about St Katharine Docks Marina, visit the website: www.skdocks.co.uk/marina, or follow St Katharine Docks Marina on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

For more information about IGY Marinas, visit: www.www.igymarinas.com

About the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships
The Association, known also as the ADLS, exists to keep alive and preserve for posterity the memory and identity of those ‘Little Ships’ that went to the aid of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940 and took part in Operations Dynamo, Cycle and Aerial, and to preserve the ‘Spirit of Dunkirk’. Vessels from all three Operations are included within the ADLS and are collectively known as ‘Dunkirk Little Ships’. Every 5 years the Little Ships, supported by the Royal Navy, return under their own power to Dunkirk. Considering the youngest Little Ship is now over 80 years old, this is no small undertaking.

For more information about the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, visit the website: www.adls.org.uk, or follow St Katharine Docks Marina on Twitter and Facebook.