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 5909 the Belgian Government were wedded. The Both these plans were worked out in the French authorities were never in a position to greatest detail, and orders and instructions obtain reliable and accurate details of the plans kept up to date as new divisions arrived and of the Belgian General Staff for the defence of the role of divisions changed. their country in the event of an invasion by The Escaut plan was by far the simpler of Germany; staff conversations were out of the the two; it involved sending armoured car question, yet plans had to be framed in such a reconnaissances to the river De…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 and troop carrying companies were allotted to OPERATIONS—FIRST PHASE Corps in such a way as to complete the move (ioth-i6th MAY) in 90 hours. Belgium calls on Allies for assistance: advance At the same time 44th Division was to march to the River Dyle by British and French to an area north-west of Audenarde, with a Armies: the Belgian anti-tank obstacle is view to organising the defence of the Escaut in found to be sited further forward than had this area. been expected. The enemy penetrates the front Movement in the first phase was to be con- of French gth Army and crosses the Meuse. tinuous by…

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…

-SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON~GAZETTE; 17 OCTOBER, 1941 south-west was' entirely impossible until the •covered" had -already far e'xceeded the estimated situation had been retrieved on the front of the life of the tracks which were now beginning to French ist Army. break through wear. It v/as clear therefore that the attack of 33. 5th Division was therefore "ordered .to Frankforce would not maintain its momentum join 5oth Division in the Vimy area, and its .unless it was reinforced and supported by the commander, Major-General Franklyn, was placed French on its left. • During 22nd May, therefore, in command of all th…

' SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 OCTOBER, 1941 Carvin, and on the following day isgth Infantry near Maulde on the front of ist Division a Brigade of the same division joined the force. number of enemy had crossed the river dis- On 2ist May I27th Infantry-Brigade rejoined the guised as refugees, but had been detected and 42nd Division and the sector from Millonfosse driven out with the bayonet. The Corps Com- to St. Amand was handed over to the French. manders all felt that they could hot how hold Already on 2oth May, I had ordered Major- on for more than .twenty-four hours. We General Curtis, Commanding 46t…

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…

5908 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 OCTOBER, 1941 There were also deficiencies in technical units, including anti-aircraft. My Adjutant- apparatus for light anti-aircraft requirements, General's branch, in conjunction with the such as Kenison Predictors, signal lights, Adjutant-General's branch at the War Office, technical and specialised vehicles of many had in hand plans for the more economical use types and a number of smaller items. The same of man-power, the elimination of fit men from difficulties in provision of equipment were no sedentary or base duties and the reduction of doubt the cause of delays…

5912 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 OCTOBER, 1941 I visited H.M. the King of the Belgians and By the night of i5th May the movements General Van Overstraeten and reached agree- envisaged in Plan D were all running ahead of ment that the Belgian ist Corps should be schedule. 4th Division was moving into Corps withdrawn from the area of 2nd Corps and that reserve behind 3rd Division; 5th Division was the left boundary of the B.E.F. should be moving on to the Senne in place of 5oth Division adjusted so as to allow the Belgians the use of as originally planned, and the latter was now the road Vilvorde-Alost for…

5924 SUPPLEMENT TO .THE LONDON GAZETTE, 17 OCTOBER, 1941 some sectors were held jointly with the French. I replied that a plan for withdrawal north- The virtual closing of Dunkirk as a port of westward had been agreed with the French entry was making the supply situation ever tha't morning; I added that the news from the more difficult, and the ammunition situation Belgian front was disquieting,' and concluded permitted only of very restricted expenditure. by saying:— . . . " I must not conceal from you that The Plan for Withdrawal. a great part of the B.E.F. and its equipment will'inevitably be lost even in best…