On the left of the painting stretch sand-dunes covered with groups and long lines of khaki-dressed troops. Small boats loaded with troops move out from the sea shore towards larger vessels to the right of the work. Across the centre troops queue along a makeshift jetty towards the waiting ships. In the left background huge black smoke clouds from the town fill the sky. Aircraft fly amongst explosions from anti-aircraft fire, one plane plummeting towards the right horizon.
The Withdrawal from Dunkirk, June 1940. © IWM (Art. IWM ART LD 305) IWM Non Commercial Licence