The neighbors showed true Dunkirk spirit after the storm.
Dunkirk spirit
idiomThe spirit of the British public pulling together to overcome times of adversity.
Origin
first recorded 20th c.The phrase came into use following the evacuation of allied troops across the English Channel by flotillas of pleasure boats, working barges and other civilian craft at the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940.
When the flood destroyed the local park, the town showed a real Dunkirk spirit by working together to clean it up.
Despite the severe economic downturn, the community displayed a remarkable Dunkirk spirit, organizing volunteer networks to support those most affected by the crisis.