SukritiSailing Spies
In 1939, the dark clouds of World War II were slowly covering Europe. The navy looked for Charles help once again. The couple was recruited to pursue top-secret missions pretending to be an elderly couple who are just out for vacations. The couple put their life in threat and yet continued the missions on the German coastlines. The duo managed to collect important information and reached home right before the war broke out. Charles conscience couldn’t sit at ease when his nation was at war and his people were dying.
Ran Into Action
After making it to home with safety, Charles and Sylvia spent the first year of the war working in their farms. The second year started but the war didn’t seem to reach an end. By the end of 1940, the Nazis invaded France and the allied troops were finding nowhere to go. The conflict was becoming unresolved and the people’s suffering was increasing every day. Charles couldn’t take it anymore, he decided to help.
The Dunkirk Dilemma
More than 330,000 soldiers were trapped on the coast of Dunkirk. The British, French, and Belgian soldiers were starving to death and France was about to be overpowered by the Nazis. All the huge ships that headed towards Dunkirk, were destroyed by the Nazis and that’s when the high forces came up with a plan. With an approval from their then leader, Winston Churchill, the forces decided to help their soldiers. And that’s when Charles Lightoller received a fateful call.
Summoned For The Cause
To extract these soldiers from the Dunkirk shore, the army was using civilian boats. And Charles received one such call to give his Sundowner to help the mission. This was the opportunity Charles was looking for in order to help his nation. While everyone happily gave their boats to the army, Charles wanted to go a step ahead.
Operation Dynamo
The numbers were huge but these soldiers could help England win the war and hence the dangerous operation named Operation Dynamo was given a green signal. According to the instructions Charles agreed to give his Sundowner to the government for war purpose to which he agreed but made only one request.
From Retirement To Rescuer
Navy Commander Charles Lightoller wanted to sail the boat to Dunkirk himself. Knowing his background and extraordinary past, the government approved him to take part in the mission. With his eldest son Roger and a young sea scout, Gerald Ashcroft, Charles sailed towards Dunkirk.