On the beaches of Dunkirk Wren Jane Beacon saved many soldiers, taking them off to the ships waiting in deeper water offshore.  Near the end of the evacuation she was sent to collect a trapped group of rear-guard.  In chapter four, book one, her arrival was described as follows:

“Evening Gents. Leading Wren Jane Beacon at your service. Where are the men for Piccadilly?”

In the semi-darkness they looked at her in disbelief. “You’re driving this boat? That’s incredible. My men are in the dunes just behind me in close contact with the enemy. What do you suggest?”

“Get a boatload of about forty down now. I’ll take ‘em off to the ships but those are a few miles away so it’ll be a slow process. I suggest you post someone on the jetty here, and next time I come back get another boatload to come down to the end of the lorry jetty and I’ll take them off from the west side.”

“Those are your orders?”

“Well sir I’m only a Wren rating so I can hardly give you orders but yes, that’s what makes sense.”

“Right we’ll do it. Messenger, get forty men down here now.”

“Who are you sir?”

“Colonel Jerome of the Guards.”

‘I’m giving orders to a colonel?’ thought Jane. ‘Crikey.’ And she ducked as machine gun bullets went screaming by close overhead. This was a very active war zone. With forty rapidly embarked troops she set off to the West, found a paddle minesweeper, and was back at the jetty in just over an hour. “How many men have you still got here, colonel?” She asked.

“About a hundred and fifty left”

With a falling tide she knew her time was limited. “Ye Gods. We’ve only got three hours left. We’ll have to move you in three lots and I’ll have to overload to get you all on, but that’s a chance we’ve no choice but take. Hope you can swim.”

The Colonel barked a grim laugh. We’ll take our chances.” Just then one of the smaller deeper explosions erupted close by them. “What are those?” she queried.

“Mortar shells. Don’t you recognise them?”

“Afraid not colonel. We don’t get them at sea.”