Dunkirk

Let's spend a moment thinking of events 70 years ago, when over the next nine days a third of a million men were evacuated across the Channel by over 700 boats, some of which would have been more suited to a boating lake. There were huge losses- over 200 boats were sunk and 400 aircraft shot down whilst trying to protect them against the Luftwaffe

40 000 men did not make it onto the boats; most became prisoners of War and were marched back to forced labour camps in Germany but a few escaped, making their way into Spain before being smuggled home. There must be a thousand tales of heroism, sacrifice, betrayal and sheer luck buried in those events, which almost seem to belong in a different world.

Mind you if I was in charge we'd have a National Holiday, financed by paying no Benefits for a day.