World War II veterans have begun a series of events to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation.

Thousands of civilian small ships helped the Royal Navy rescue stranded Allied forces from French beaches in a daring operation between May 26 and June 4, 1940 - one of the defining moments of the war.

The British Royal Navy, along with thousands of civilian boats set sail in a heroic attempt to rescue the nearly half a million British and French troops stranded there in the face of an advancing German army.

In all, 338,000 soldiers were rescued thanks to the improvised flotilla and sometimes chaotic mission.

This week Britain will remember the thousands of men left behind on the beaches 70 years ago and those who died trying to escape.

From the English seaside town of Ramsgate a flotilla of small ships will set sail for France in a recreation of the Dunkirk mission.