We recognise that not all members are able to be in Ramsgate or to visit the Harbour so we are providing background to this project and how it looks now, as well as, what is planned for the future.
This report is split into four sections:
- What was originally planned: A Project Overview
- How it appeared in the May 85th Anniversary Commemoration
- The addition now to come
- Supporting Statements for the project
1 What was originally planned: A Project Overview
The objective of the Slipway Project was to grow the awareness of a core part of Ramsgate’s maritime heritage. The Dunkirk story was to be told in words and pictures mounted on the railings that form the perimeter of the Slipways at the East Pier of the Royal Harbour; the place where 40,000 rescued soldiers walked to freedom 85 years ago.
A team led by Dominic Murphy worked, and continues to work, in collaboration with the Ramsgate Heritage Harbour Group (HHG) to complete and now extend the project.
2 How it appeared in the May 85th Anniversary Commemoration
The story was presented in 8 printed display boards each measuring 1 x 1.4 metres, made of laminated aluminium panelling and securely but reversibly fastened to the railings.
Below we reproduce some images and fragments of text:
May 1940 saw some of the darkest days of World War Two. Much of mainland Europe was falling prey to invasion and defeat. Over 300,000 British and allied troops were pinned down on the beaches of Dunkirk and facing destruction.
Some 850 small boats were mustered and centred on Ramsgate. These Little Ships sailed to rescue our trapped soldiers.
Under heavy fire the Little Ships save a third of the 309,739 troops rescued from Dunkirk beaches in Operation Dynamo.
From rowing boats and Little Ships, to larger ships, our soldiers made it home.
The rescue was vital, because the troops recovered from Dunkirk enabled Britain to fight on, to eventual victory in World War Two some five long years later.
A Rousing Ramsgate Welcome
Ramsgate’s Town Motto is: ‘Safety for the Shipwrecked, Health for the Sick.
The British army had been defeated. Returning soldiers expected a cool reception. Instead, they were celebrated as returning heroes.
Between May 27th and June 5th 1940 about 40,000 allied troops walked to freedom here along Ramsgate East Pier.
The people of Ramsgate scoured their town for food, blankets and medicines to support those rescued from Dunkirk, with the bakeries operating 24 hours a day.
Ramsgate helped the returning soldiers till they boarded 82 special trains at Ramsgate railway station, destined to prepare for what might come next.
3 The addition now to come
Following the May 2025 event, the display is to be extended down the railings of the Slipway perimeter away from the Pier Yard. The extra panels will celebrate the Little Ships that mustered in May 2025 to re-enact their part in Operation Dynamo. It will comprise some 10 more panels including introductory text and a QR code to link to supporting online information.
An outline silhouette of each Little Ship will be shown. The outlines will be filled with paintings by local children, to symbolise the freedom that the service of the Little Ships helped to preserve in 1940, and to encourage wider recognition within the current community. The plan is to complete this phase of the project by the end of September 2025.
A simple block graphic style will contrast with and accentuate the children’s images.
4a Supporting Statements for the Project: Chair of the Ramsgate Heritage Harbour Group
From John Walker:
“This project was selected by the Ramsgate Heritage Harbour Working Group as one they would like to support and help deliver. Ramsgate Royal Harbour was designated a National Heritage Harbour by Historic England and National Maritime Heritage Trust in July 2024 and was launched as part of the National Trust Heritage Open Days Event in September 2024.
The Heritage Harbour Group is a working group of the Ramsgate Society and has been formed to coordinate and help deliver the aims and objectives of the Heritage Harbour designation. It consists of representatives of a number of active stakeholders in the project including The Ramsgate Society, Thanet District Council, Ramsgate RNLI, Ramsgate Town Council, Royal Temple Yacht Club, Ramsgate Working History, the Cervia Preservation Trust and others.
The year 2020 was the 80th Anniversary of the evacuation of British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940, a significant historic event of WW2. Thousands of those troops came back to Ramsgate as part of Operation Dynamo when hundreds of “Little Ships” set sail from Ramsgate to the beaches of Dunkirk and brought the troops back to Ramsgate Harbour. It was an event that changed the course of the war. Because of the Covid Epidemic in 2020, the events planned to celebrate this historic anniversary had to be postponed but in May 2025 around 65 of the Dunkirk Little Ships returned to Ramsgate Royal Harbour to celebrate this great achievement. From Ramsgate they sailed across the Channel to Dunkirk with a Royal Navy Escort for more celebrations in Dunkirk.
This project seeks to help improve the quality of the public realm in Pier Yard which itself is the subject of a major improvement scheme that will turn the existing car park into a new town square. In addition to improving the quality of the public realm the project will continue to raise awareness of the part Ramsgate Harbour played in those momentous events of 1940 and draw attention to a younger generation the extent of the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women who took part.”
4b Supporting Statement from Commodore of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships
From Kevin Finn:
“The Harbour Slipway Display Project is delivering 2 strands. The first one is a display specific to Operation Dynamo and Ramsgate’s participation. The second stage is to depict our maritime history in full, potentially all the way up towards the Harbour Brasserie. It has approval from the Heritage Harbour Group and is a superb addition to our event both now and for the coming years.”
John Walker & Terry Prue