Supplement 35305 — Gort’s France and Belgium despatch

17 OCTOBER, 1941 4. On landing the fighting troops were passed The towns of Le Mans and- Laval were rapidly through transit camps and their vehicles fifty miles apart, and the base ports were on an were cleared at once to Vehicle Marshalling average one hundred and fifty miles from the Parks, whence they were despatched in convoys, assembly area. Helpful though the French while troops left by rail on the same day as authorities were, the unfamiliar conditions made they landed. telephone communication difficult, apart from Since the troops and their vehicles were the danger of breach of security which it entailed.…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 ^5901 was provided at these river crossings. The certain French technical troops continued to weather was fine throughout the whole period of work in the sector under the command of the the move. French Commander of the Defensive Sector The first stage was one hundred and of Lille, Colonel (now General de Brigade) twenty miles. An average of five hundred Bertschi. vehicles moved daily over each stage of the route, While defences continued to develop on the maintaining a distance of one hundred yards lines of the original plan, based on the close between each vehicle as a precaution against defenc…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 5907 28th March; 44th Division, on disembarkation, The sub-machine gun was taken into experi- moved into 3rd Corps reserve in the St. Pol area, mental use by patrols in the Saar front: its and 50th Division into 2nd Corps reserve, south- value had already been recognised and I trust west of Lille ; 42nd Division, on arrival, moved that a weapon of this type will be permanently to the area south-west of Amiens, in G.H.Q. included in the armament of the infantry. reserve. Preparation for Further Expansion. 5. The German invasion of Denmark and 7. In the meantime I had been preparing for Norway on g…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 declared an open town and that British troop Air Force to impede the enemy advance; but movements would prejudice its safety, but no such opportunities were of a fleeting character, adequate alternative routes to the Dyle were since the enemy established strong anti-aircraft available and I was therefore compelled to defences soon after his arrival, particularly in adhere to the original plan of using the outskirts towns at which roads converged. Tactical of the city. reconnaissance became virtually impossible The 3rd Division, on arrival, reported that a without fighter support, and the demands…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 59*3 vulnerable points, were ordered to relieve units 23rd Division moved to their positions during of ist and 2nd Corps on protection and traffic I7th May; they were provided with about forty control of main routes in Belgium. Railheads, field, anti-tank, and anti-aircraft guns from which had been advanced on i3th May to the ordnance reserves. general line Enghien—Ninove, were now moved The enemy break-through was now offering back across the frontier. an imminent threat to rear G.H.Q., to the During the night i6/i7th May the withdrawal communications over the Somme at Amiens to the Senne positi…

59^4 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 OCTOBER, 1941 of Military Intelligence. The force was known occupied by the French. It was not however as Macforce and its task was to cover the practicable to move the 23rd Division again crossings over the Scarpe between Raches (3 and G.Q.G. were informed to this effect. Yet, miles N.E. of Douai) and St. Amand. It began by next morning no French troops had appeared to assemble at Orchies on the afternoon of i7th either on the right of 23rd Division or to relieve May. them. Later in the day, however, an order was received by which the commander of the French Withdrawal t…

17. OCTOBER/1941 "59*5 The enemy had, during the previous day, the abandonment of large quantities of equip- penetrated as far as Amiens, and rail communica- ment. It would obviously be unwelcome to tion with the bases was severed' at that'point. the Belgians who would be faced with the 'Communications by road and rail over the alternatives of withdrawing with us and aban- Sorrime at Abbeville were still holding on igth doning Belgian soil, fighting on a perimeter of May and the town was being placed in a state their own, or seeking an armistice. of defence with such resources as were available, So far as I am aw…

•5916 -SUPPLEMENT TO THE. LONDON GAZETTE, -17 -OCTOBER: Macforce. The remainder of the division was - I .discussed,--these- instructions- with,'.the moved that night (i9/20th) to the same area, .C.I.G.S. at- my Command Post at Wahagnies and was thus suitably placed for the counter at 8.15 a.m.; I put to him my view that attack in which they took part on 2ist May. withdrawal to "the south-westwards, however I also ordered I2th Lancers with a field desirable in principle, was not. in the circum- battery to move to Arras and carry'out necessary stances practicable. ; reconnaissances south and south-westwards, . In t…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 5919 On return from the meeting, orders were issued evacuation was carrie.d out under the orders of to implement these decisions, and that evening the War Office, being completed on the night I moved my command post to the Chateau de of 23/24th May. Premesques, midway between Armenti&res and Lille. The Administrative Situation. 37. During the whole of this period I had The final severance of the L. of C. and the invest- been kept in the closest touch with the adminis- ment of Boulogne. trative situation by the Quarter-Master-General 36. During the gist May the enemy penetra- (Lieutenant-General W…

5906 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 OCTOBER, 1941 SECOND DESPATCH f (Covering the period from ist February, 1940, to 3ist May, 1940, with an Appendix covering operations of ist Corps from 6 p.m. 3ist May, to midnight 2nd/3rd June). | i. The narrative portions of this despatch have been compiled from the war diaries and other records of the General Staff at G.H.Q. These have been supplemented by war diaries, including those of the Swayne Mission, and by diaries, notes and records made by various commanders and staff officers at the time, or within a few days of their arrival in England. The records of the Ge…

5920 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 OCTOBER, 1941 port could not be worked for military require- execution has hope of restoring the situation. ments at short notice. A certain amount of Weygand reports French VII Army is advanc- rations and small arms ammunition was sent ing successfully and has captured Peronne, by air up to 23rd May, but from then onwards Albert and Amiens. While realising fully it became impossible for aircraft to land. On dangers and difficulties of your position which 23rd May therefore, on the advice of the Q.M.G., has been explained to Weygand it is essential I decided to place the…