Small wooden boats used to rescue more than 338,000 British soldiers trapped on the beaches in northern France in the Second World War delighted Gravesend residents during a sail-past.

Last week 19 Dunkirk Little Ships sailed past the town on a journey from Royal Victoria Dock in east London as part of a fleet of 55 boats crossing the Channel to help mark the 75th anniversary of the rescue dubbed Operation Dynamo.

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Picture by Jason Arthur

Ian Gilbert, commodore of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, said: "As we go further away from 1940 the little ships become the sole living reminder of Operation Dynamo which resulted in the phrase 'the Dunkirk spirit'.

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Picture by Jason Arthur

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"The little ships represent that and there are very few veterans left who can tell that story, but the ships help with that.

"I think it gives us all a sense of pride and purpose."