A COMMEMORATIVE service to mark the 75th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation was held at Poole Old Lifeboat station on Saturday.

Led by Reverend Lucy Holt, Poole Lifeboat's chaplain, scores of people reflected on the events which occurred in May 1940, when thousands of little boats sailed to Dunkirk to rescue hundreds of thousands of allied troops who had retreated from Hitler's forces.

The RNLI played its part when 19 lifeboats joined in the rescue mission, with one of only two surviving vessels, Thomas Kirk Wright, which was in service from 1939 to 1962 and is still available to see in the old lifeboat station's museum.

Rev Lucy Holt said at the service on Poole Quay: "We meet today to commemorate the 75 anniversary of the evacuation of allied forces from the beaches of occupied France in 1940.

"We thank God for the safe deliverance of troops from danger and especially for the brave and selfless efforts of many seafarers from Poole in this historic venture."

She also spoke of how the past few weeks had been a chance to reflect with VE Day events taking place on May 8. The commemoration and thanksgiving event also offered the chance for residents to reflect on those who had made the ultimate sacrifice with the loss of their lives.

In her first week in the role, the new Mayor of Poole, Cllr Anne Stribley, joined RNLI lifeboat crewmen to lay a wreath in Poole Bay in remembrance of the Dunkirk Evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo.

Music was provided by Poole Sea Cadets and Brian Traves, a volunteer for Poole Lifeboat Museum, gave an account of the evacuation during the service.

He added: "If we had not recovered 338,000 personnel, it is doubtful that D-Day would have been as successful as it was."