75 Years Since the Miracle at Dunkirk

Three quarters of a century ago you'd have had a very different view across the English Channel from Samphire Hoe. From 27 May to 4 June 1940 a fleet of 670 naval, merchant and civil ships, boats and barges rescued the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches and harbour of the French town of Dunkirk. In all some 338,000 allied soldiers were rescued, Over 200 vessels were sunk and the losses were high in both terms of men and equipment but was one of the most significant achievements of World War 2 and it enabled the British to continue the War and to eventually prevail.

We've been very fortunate to have been granted permission to hold a one off event at Samphire Hoe to commemorate this 75th Anniversary of the start of the Dunkirk evacuations. You'll be running under the White Cliffs of Dover, which would have been a welcome sight indeed for those 338,000 Allied soldiers as they returned from France, many of them just a mile or so away at the docks at Dover.

It's our aim that this event makes an impactful difference to Samphire Hoe in a positive fashion and as such £5 from each entry fee will be donated directly to the nature reserve to aid them in maintaining this lovely environment.

This event is of special significance to the Race Director as his late Grandfather was there and was awarded the DSM for his actions during the Dunkirk evacuations whilst serving on HMS Codrington. The event will be a six hour timed challenge event. Complete as many loops as you wish within the time limit.

This will be a one off event, and the commemorative medal will reflect that, it will be of our usual high standards along with our usual goody bag of the essential "C" requirents of runners. Chocolate, cookies, crisps, cheddars and cider (or beer!).

The course is a mix of very high quality gently rolling trail and a nice dead flat sea wall, quite literally all within the shadow of the famous White Cliffs of Dover, there is some wild life to keep an eye out for, you'll be able to see what's going on at both Dover and Folkestone Harbours, there will no doubt be some ships to see and some trains to spot too for good measure!

We put on marathons run exactly the way we wish they were all run. Low key, friendly and with most of the entry fee being spent on the runners. Please consider joining us on the Kent Coast!

" This little steamer, like all her brave and battered sisters,is immortal. She'll go sailing proudly down the years in the epic of Dunkirk. And our great-great-grand-children, when they learn how we began this war by snatching glory out of defeat, and then swept on to victory, may also learn how the little holiday steamers made an excursion to hell and came back glorious. " JB Priestley