The Dunkirk evacuation was not facilitated by a fleet of ships.
 Initial plans called for the recovery of 45,000 men from the BEF within two days, at which time German troops were expected to block further evacuation
 Some were ferried to the larger ships by what became known as the Little Ships of Dunkirk, a flotilla of hundreds of merchant marine boats, fishing boats, pleasure craft, yachts, and lifeboats called into service from Britain

