As the German Army swept through Belgium and Northern France a massive naval operation was launched in May 1940 to bring home the British Expeditionary Force. At Dunkirk about   335,000 troops were taken off the beaches.

The 2nd Battalion was part of the force whose task it was to delay the German advance while the evacuation took place. It suffered very heavy losses and many men were taken prisoner. The 2nd Battalion had been a thousand strong but only 139 officers and men returned from Dunkirk.