Supplement 35305 — Gort’s France and Belgium despatch

17 OCTOBER, 1941 59<>5 as instructors to assist in the training of new I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the formations, while an equal number have been chief of the Mission, General de Division Voruz, attached to the Force, for instruction, from and to all his staff for their ever ready help to units at home. the-British Army on all occasions. Despite the almost complete absence of battle Thanks to their efforts, matters relating to casualties the supply of officers has caused me billeting, hire of land, and local purchase of concern. Over four hundred candidates have material have been handled without f…

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 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…

' 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…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 5927 beaches were organised at La Panne, Bray Dunes While at the Bastion, General Koeltz asked and Malo-les-Bains, one being allotted to each me, shortly after n p.m. whether I had yet Corps ; and military beach parties were impro- heard that H.M. the King of the Belgians had vised on each Corps beach. They carried on asked for an armistice from midnight that without naval assistance for two days, but were night. This was. the first intimation I had hampered by a.shortage of small boats and by a received of this intention, although I had lack of experience in their use. The troops were already fo…

17 OCTOBER, 1941 5929 I communicated the gist of this report to the The arrival of these troops, though welcome C.I.G.S. and I asked that H.M. Government from-so many points of view, raised the question should consider the policy to be followed in the of embarkation in an acute form. Admiral Abrial event of a crisis arising, as well it might. had apparently received no orders from his In reply, I received two telegrams which Government that the whole of the British troops .read:— were to be embarked, and he professed great ". . . . H.M. Government fully approve surprise when he heard of my intentions. He ypur wit…

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…