CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>British Expeditionary Force (World War II) - Wikipedia</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikimwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy", "wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"b4d8b634-83bc-4276-b391-c60da6651618","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)","wgTitle":"British Expeditionary Force (World War II)","wgCurRevisionId":1260554053,"wgRevisionId":1260554053,"wgArticleId":19942628,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["CS1 German-language sources (de)","Webarchive template wayback links","Articles with short description","Short description matches Wikidata","Use dmy dates from May 2020","Use British English from February 2020","Articles containing French-language text","Short description is different from Wikidata","Articles containing German-language text","Commons category link is on Wikidata","Battle of France", "Commands of the British Army","Expeditionary units and formations","Field armies of the United Kingdom in World War II","Military units and formations established in 1939","Military units and formations disestablished in 1940","Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)","wgRelevantArticleId":19942628,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":false,"wgFlaggedRevsParams":{"tags":{"status":{"levels":1}}},"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":0,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true,"tagline":false,"nearby":true}, "wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":70000,"wgRelatedArticlesCompat":[],"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgULSPosition":"interlanguage","wgULSisCompactLinksEnabled":false,"wgVector2022LanguageInHeader":true,"wgULSisLanguageSelectorEmpty":false,"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q3277777","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform","platformVersion"],"GEHomepageSuggestedEditsEnableTopics":true,"wgGETopicsMatchModeEnabled":false,"wgGEStructuredTaskRejectionReasonTextInputEnabled":false,"wgGELevelingUpEnabledForUser":false};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","mediawiki.page.gallery.styles":"ready","skins.vector.search.codex.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles":"ready","skins.vector.icons":"ready","jquery.makeCollapsible.styles":"ready", "ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript":"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready","ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["ext.cite.ux-enhancements","mediawiki.page.gallery","mediawiki.page.media","ext.scribunto.logs","site","mediawiki.page.ready","jquery.makeCollapsible","mediawiki.toc","skins.vector.js","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.gadget.ReferenceTooltips","ext.gadget.switcher","ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.bootstrap","ext.popups","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visualEditor.targetLoader","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.uls.interface","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns","ext.cx.uls.quick.actions","wikibase.client.vector-2022","ext.checkUser.clientHints","ext.growthExperiments.SuggestedEditSession","wikibase.sidebar.tracking"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediaBadges%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cjquery.makeCollapsible.styles%7Cmediawiki.page.gallery.styles%7Cskins.vector.icons%2Cstyles%7Cskins.vector.search.codex.styles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector-2022"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.5"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="948"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="800"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="632"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg/640px-The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="640"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="506"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1120"> <meta property="og:title" content="British Expeditionary Force (World War II) - Wikipedia"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikipedia (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikipedia Atom feed" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-British_Expeditionary_Force_World_War_II rootpage-British_Expeditionary_Force_World_War_II skin-vector-2022 action-view"><a class="mw-jump-link" href="#bodyContent">Jump to content</a> <div class="vector-header-container"> <header class="vector-header mw-header"> <div class="vector-header-start"> <nav class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-main-menu-dropdown vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Main menu" > <label id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-label" for="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-menu mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-menu"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Main menu</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-main-menu" class="vector-main-menu vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-main-menu-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="main-menu-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-main-menu" data-pinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Main menu</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-navigation" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-navigation" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Navigation </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-mainpage-description" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Main_Page" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Main page</span></a></li><li id="n-contents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents" title="Guides to browsing Wikipedia"><span>Contents</span></a></li><li id="n-currentevents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Current_events" title="Articles related to current events"><span>Current events</span></a></li><li id="n-randompage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Visit a randomly selected article [x]" accesskey="x"><span>Random article</span></a></li><li id="n-aboutsite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About" title="Learn about Wikipedia and how it works"><span>About Wikipedia</span></a></li><li id="n-contactpage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us" title="How to contact Wikipedia"><span>Contact us</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-interaction" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-interaction" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Contribute </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Contents" title="Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-introduction" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" title="Learn how to edit Wikipedia"><span>Learn to edit</span></a></li><li id="n-portal" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal" title="The hub for editors"><span>Community portal</span></a></li><li id="n-recentchanges" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges" title="A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]" accesskey="r"><span>Recent changes</span></a></li><li id="n-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard" title="Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia"><span>Upload file</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page" class="mw-logo"> <img class="mw-logo-icon" src="/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png" alt="" aria-hidden="true" height="50" width="50"> <span class="mw-logo-container skin-invert"> <img class="mw-logo-wordmark" alt="Wikipedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"> <img class="mw-logo-tagline" alt="The Free Encyclopedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg" width="117" height="13" style="width: 7.3125em; height: 0.8125em;"> </span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-header-end"> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-collapses vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <a href="/wiki/Special:Search" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only search-toggle" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </a> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail cdx-typeahead-search--auto-expand-width"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="searchform" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia" aria-label="Search Wikipedia" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-user-links vector-user-links-wide" aria-label="Personal tools"> <div class="vector-user-links-main"> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-preferences" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-userpage" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown " title="Change the appearance of the page's font size, width, and color" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Appearance" > <label id="vector-appearance-dropdown-label" for="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-appearance mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-appearance"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Appearance</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-notifications" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-overflow" class="vector-menu mw-portlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en" class=""><span>Donate</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-createaccount-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=British+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory" class=""><span>Create account</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-login-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=British+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o" class=""><span>Log in</span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-user-menu vector-button-flush-right vector-user-menu-logged-out" title="Log in and more options" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Personal tools" > <label id="vector-user-links-dropdown-label" for="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-ellipsis mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-ellipsis"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Personal tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal user-links-collapsible-item" title="User menu" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en"><span>Donate</span></a></li><li id="pt-createaccount" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=British+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-userAdd mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-userAdd"></span> <span>Create account</span></a></li><li id="pt-login" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=British+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-logIn mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-logIn"></span> <span>Log in</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-user-menu-anon-editor" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-user-menu-anon-editor" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Pages for logged out editors <a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" aria-label="Learn more about editing"><span>learn more</span></a> </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-anoncontribs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyContributions" title="A list of edits made from this IP address [y]" accesskey="y"><span>Contributions</span></a></li><li id="pt-anontalk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyTalk" title="Discussion about edits from this IP address [n]" accesskey="n"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="mw-page-container"> <div class="mw-page-container-inner"> <div class="vector-sitenotice-container"> <div id="siteNotice"></div> </div> <div class="vector-column-start"> <div class="vector-main-menu-container"> <div id="mw-navigation"> <nav id="mw-panel" class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav id="mw-panel-toc" aria-label="Contents" data-event-name="ui.sidebar-toc" class="mw-table-of-contents-container vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-toc-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-toc" class="vector-toc vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-toc-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="toc-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-toc" > <h2 class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Contents</h2> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">(Top)</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-History" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#History"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>History</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-History-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle History subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-History-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Background" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Background"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>Background</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Background-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-1918–1932" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#1918–1932"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1.1</span> <span>1918–1932</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-1918–1932-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Rearmament" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Rearmament"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1.2</span> <span>Rearmament</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Rearmament-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Limited_Liability" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Limited_Liability"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1.2.1</span> <span>Limited Liability</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Limited_Liability-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Continental_commitment" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Continental_commitment"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1.2.2</span> <span>Continental commitment</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Continental_commitment-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Prelude" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Prelude"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>Prelude</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Prelude-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Despatch_of_the_BEF" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Despatch_of_the_BEF"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2.1</span> <span>Despatch of the BEF</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Despatch_of_the_BEF-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Phoney_War" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Phoney_War"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2.2</span> <span>Phoney War</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Phoney_War-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Dyle_plan,_Breda_variant" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Dyle_plan,_Breda_variant"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2.3</span> <span>Dyle plan, Breda variant</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Dyle_plan,_Breda_variant-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Battle" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Battle"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Battle</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Battle-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-10–21_May_1940" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#10–21_May_1940"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.1</span> <span>10–21 May 1940</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-10–21_May_1940-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Operation_David" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Operation_David"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.2</span> <span>Operation David</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Operation_David-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Ardennes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Ardennes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.2.1</span> <span>Ardennes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Ardennes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-BEF_retreat" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#BEF_retreat"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.2.2</span> <span>BEF retreat</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-BEF_retreat-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Loss_of_the_construction_divisions" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Loss_of_the_construction_divisions"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.2.3</span> <span>Loss of the construction divisions</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Loss_of_the_construction_divisions-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-21–26_May" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#21–26_May"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.3</span> <span>21–26 May</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-21–26_May-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Retreat_to_Dunkirk" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Retreat_to_Dunkirk"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.4</span> <span>Retreat to Dunkirk</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Retreat_to_Dunkirk-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Le_Paradis_massacre" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Le_Paradis_massacre"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.4.1</span> <span>Le Paradis massacre</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Le_Paradis_massacre-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-II_Corps_rearguard" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#II_Corps_rearguard"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.4.2</span> <span>II Corps rearguard</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-II_Corps_rearguard-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Dunkirk" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Dunkirk"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3.5</span> <span>Dunkirk</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Dunkirk-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-After_Dunkirk" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#After_Dunkirk"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4</span> <span>After Dunkirk</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-After_Dunkirk-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Lines-of-communication" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Lines-of-communication"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4.1</span> <span>Lines-of-communication</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Lines-of-communication-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Second_BEF" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Second_BEF"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4.2</span> <span>Second BEF</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Second_BEF-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-St_Valery" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#St_Valery"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4.3</span> <span>St Valery</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-St_Valery-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Le_Havre" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Le_Havre"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4.4</span> <span>Le Havre</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Le_Havre-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Retreat_from_Normandy" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Retreat_from_Normandy"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4.5</span> <span>Retreat from Normandy</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Retreat_from_Normandy-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Operation_Aerial" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Operation_Aerial"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4.6</span> <span>Operation Aerial</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Operation_Aerial-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Aftermath" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Aftermath"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Aftermath</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Aftermath-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Aftermath subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Aftermath-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Analysis" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Analysis"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Analysis</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Analysis-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Casualties" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Casualties"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>Casualties</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Casualties-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Map_gallery" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Map_gallery"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Map gallery</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Map_gallery-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Map gallery subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Map_gallery-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Commemoration" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Commemoration"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>Commemoration</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Commemoration-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Footnotes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Footnotes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Footnotes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Footnotes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Further reading subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Books" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Books"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.1</span> <span>Books</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Books-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Reports" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Reports"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.2</span> <span>Reports</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Reports-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Theses" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Theses"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.3</span> <span>Theses</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Theses-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">British Expeditionary Force (World War II)</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 24 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-24" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">24 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-az mw-list-item"><a href="https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britaniya_Ekspedisiya_Q%C3%BCvv%C9%99l%C9%99ri" title="Britaniya Ekspedisiya Qüvvələri – Azerbaijani" lang="az" hreflang="az" data-title="Britaniya Ekspedisiya Qüvvələri" data-language-autonym="Azərbaycanca" data-language-local-name="Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Azərbaycanca</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%81#Втора_световна_война" title="Британски експедиционен корпус – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Британски експедиционен корпус" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cos_Expedicionari_Brit%C3%A0nic#II_Guerra_Mundial" title="Cos Expedicionari Britànic – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Cos Expedicionari Britànic" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force#Anden_verdenskrig" title="British Expeditionary Force – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="British Expeditionary Force" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force#Zweiter_Weltkrieg" title="British Expeditionary Force – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="British Expeditionary Force" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuerza_Expedicionaria_Brit%C3%A1nica_(Segunda_Guerra_Mundial)" title="Fuerza Expedicionaria Británica (Segunda Guerra Mundial) – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Fuerza Expedicionaria Británica (Segunda Guerra Mundial)" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britainiar_Espedizio_Indarra_(Bigarren_Mundu_Gerra)" title="Britainiar Espedizio Indarra (Bigarren Mundu Gerra) – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Britainiar Espedizio Indarra (Bigarren Mundu Gerra)" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corps_exp%C3%A9ditionnaire_britannique#Seconde_Guerre_mondiale" title="Corps expéditionnaire britannique – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Corps expéditionnaire britannique" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%98%81%EA%B5%AD_%EC%9B%90%EC%A0%95%EA%B5%B0_(%EC%A0%9C2%EC%B0%A8_%EC%84%B8%EA%B3%84_%EB%8C%80%EC%A0%84)" title="영국 원정군 (제2차 세계 대전) – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="영국 원정군 (제2차 세계 대전)" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britanske_ekspedicijske_snage" title="Britanske ekspedicijske snage – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Britanske ekspedicijske snage" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasukan_Ekspedisi_Britania_(Perang_Dunia_II)" title="Pasukan Ekspedisi Britania (Perang Dunia II) – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Pasukan Ekspedisi Britania (Perang Dunia II)" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force#Seconda_guerra_mondiale" title="British Expeditionary Force – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="British Expeditionary Force" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%99%D7%9C_%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%97_%D7%94%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%98%D7%99_(%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%9E%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%9D_%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%99%D7%94)" title="חיל המשלוח הבריטי (מלחמת העולם השנייה) – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="חיל המשלוח הבריטי (מלחמת העולם השנייה)" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-mr mw-list-item"><a href="https://mr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B6_%E0%A4%8F%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%AB%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8_(%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87_%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7)" title="ब्रिटिश एक्स्पिडिशनरी फोर्स (दुसरे महायुद्ध) – Marathi" lang="mr" hreflang="mr" data-title="ब्रिटिश एक्स्पिडिशनरी फोर्स (दुसरे महायुद्ध)" data-language-autonym="मराठी" data-language-local-name="Marathi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>मराठी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasukan_Ekspedisi_British_(Perang_Dunia_Kedua)" title="Pasukan Ekspedisi British (Perang Dunia Kedua) – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Pasukan Ekspedisi British (Perang Dunia Kedua)" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AE%E3%83%AA%E3%82%B9%E6%B5%B7%E5%A4%96%E6%B4%BE%E9%81%A3%E8%BB%8D_(%E7%AC%AC%E4%BA%8C%E6%AC%A1%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E5%A4%A7%E6%88%A6)" title="イギリス海外派遣軍 (第二次世界大戦) – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="イギリス海外派遣軍 (第二次世界大戦)" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(andre_verdenskrig)" title="British Expeditionary Force (andre verdenskrig) – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="British Expeditionary Force (andre verdenskrig)" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpul_Expedi%C8%9Bionar_Britanic_(Al_Doilea_R%C4%83zboi_Mondial)" title="Corpul Expediționar Britanic (Al Doilea Război Mondial) – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Corpul Expediționar Britanic (Al Doilea Război Mondial)" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5_%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8B_(%D0%92%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0)" title="Британские экспедиционные силы (Вторая мировая война) – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Британские экспедиционные силы (Вторая мировая война)" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B5_%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B5_%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B5_(%D0%94%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B3%D0%B8_%D1%81%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82)" title="Британске експедиционе снаге (Други светски рат) – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Британске експедиционе снаге (Други светски рат)" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%8A_(%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B1%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87)" title="กองกำลังรบนอกประเทศบริติช (สงครามโลกครั้งที่สอง) – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="กองกำลังรบนอกประเทศบริติช (สงครามโลกครั้งที่สอง)" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britanya_Sefer_Kuvveti" title="Britanya Sefer Kuvveti – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Britanya Sefer Kuvveti" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%86%D1%96%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%81_(%D0%94%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B3%D0%B0_%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%96%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0_%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0)" title="Британський експедиційний корпус (Друга світова війна) – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Британський експедиційний корпус (Друга світова війна)" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8B%B1%E5%9B%BD%E8%BF%9C%E5%BE%81%E5%86%9B_(%E7%AC%AC%E4%BA%8C%E6%AC%A1%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E5%A4%A7%E6%88%98)" title="英国远征军 (第二次世界大战) – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="英国远征军 (第二次世界大战)" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q3277777#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Article</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Talk:British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)" rel="discussion" title="Discuss improvements to the content page [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown emptyPortlet" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Change language variant" > <label id="vector-variants-dropdown-label" for="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation" class="vector-collapsible"> <nav aria-label="Views"> <div id="p-views" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-views" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-view" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-edit" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-tools-dropdown" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Tools" > <label id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-label" for="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-page-tools" class="vector-page-tools vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-page-tools-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="page-tools-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-page-tools" data-pinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Tools</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-has-collapsible-items" title="More options" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Actions </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-more-view" class="selected vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-edit" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-history" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=history"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> General </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)" title="List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard" title="Upload files [u]" accesskey="u"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="t-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages" title="A list of all special pages [q]" accesskey="q"><span>Special pages</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&oldid=1260554053" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=British_Expeditionary_Force_%28World_War_II%29&id=1260554053&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBritish_Expeditionary_Force_%28World_War_II%29"><span>Get shortened URL</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener-qrcode" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:QrCode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBritish_Expeditionary_Force_%28World_War_II%29"><span>Download QR code</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-coll-print_export" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-coll-print_export" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Print/export </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="coll-download-as-rl" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=British_Expeditionary_Force_%28World_War_II%29&action=show-download-screen" title="Download this page as a PDF file"><span>Download as PDF</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&printable=yes" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-wikibase-otherprojects" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-wikibase-otherprojects" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> In other projects </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-commons mw-list-item"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:British_Expeditionary_Force_1939-1940" hreflang="en"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></a></li><li id="t-wikibase" class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikibase-dataitem mw-list-item"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q3277777" title="Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]" accesskey="g"><span>Wikidata item</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-column-end"> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-appearance" class="vector-appearance vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">British Army in Western Europe from 1939 to 1940</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For force during the First World War, see <a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_I)" title="British Expeditionary Force (World War I)">British Expeditionary Force (World War I)</a>.</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox" style="width:25.5em;border-spacing:2px;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">British Expeditionary Force</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image" style="text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Bren carriers of the 13/18th Royal Hussars during an exercise near Vimy, 11 October 1939" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg/250px-The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="198" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg/375px-The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg/500px-The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="632" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption"><a href="/wiki/Universal_Carrier" title="Universal Carrier">Bren carriers</a> of the 13/18th Royal Hussars during an exercise near Vimy, 11 October 1939</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Active</th><td class="infobox-data">2 September 1939 – 31 May 1940</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Disbanded</th><td class="infobox-data">1940</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Country</th><td class="infobox-data">Britain</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Branch</th><td class="infobox-data">Army</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Type</th><td class="infobox-data">Expeditionary Force</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Role</th><td class="infobox-data">Field operations in France and the <a href="/wiki/Low_Countries" title="Low Countries">Low Countries</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Size</th><td class="infobox-data">390,000<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><br />13 divisions (maximum)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Part of</th><td class="infobox-data">1<sup>re</sup> <span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">groupe d'armées</i></span> (1st Army Group)<br /><span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Front du Nord-est</i></span> (North-Eastern Front)</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Commanders</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Notable<br />commanders</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/John_Vereker,_6th_Viscount_Gort" title="John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort">John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort</a> (Lord Gort)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Military unit</div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Western_Front_ofWorld_War_II" style="margin:0;float:right;clear:right;width:25.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:1em;;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks navbox-vertical mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Campaignbox_Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Template:Campaignbox Western Front (World War II)"><abbr title="View this template" style="color:inherit">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Campaignbox_Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Template talk:Campaignbox Western Front (World War II)"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="color:inherit">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Campaignbox_Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Campaignbox Western Front (World War II)"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:inherit">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Western_Front_ofWorld_War_II" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><span style="line-height:1.6em"><a href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western Front of<br />World War II</a></span></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><b><a href="/wiki/Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_River_Forth" title="Battle of the River Forth">River Forth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saar_Offensive" title="Saar Offensive">Saar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Heligoland_Bight_(1939)" title="Battle of the Heligoland Bight (1939)">The Heligoland Bight</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Operation_Wikinger" title="Operation Wikinger">Wikinger</a></i></li></ul> <p><b><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Luxembourg" title="German invasion of Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a></b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Schuster_Line" title="Schuster Line">Schuster Line</a></li></ul> <p><b><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_the_Netherlands" title="German invasion of the Netherlands">The Netherlands</a></b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Maastricht" title="Battle of Maastricht">Maastricht</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Mill" title="Battle of Mill">Mill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_for_The_Hague" title="Battle for The Hague">The Hague</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Rotterdam" title="Battle of Rotterdam">Rotterdam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Zeeland" title="Battle of Zeeland">Zeeland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Grebbeberg" title="Battle of the Grebbeberg">The Grebbeberg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Afsluitdijk" title="Battle of the Afsluitdijk">Afsluitdijk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_bombing_of_Rotterdam" title="German bombing of Rotterdam">Rotterdam Blitz</a></li></ul> <p><b><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Belgium_(1940)" title="German invasion of Belgium (1940)">Belgium</a></b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Eben-Emael" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Fort Eben-Emael">Fort Eben-Emael</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hannut" title="Battle of Hannut">Hannut</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_David" title="Operation David"><i>David</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gembloux_(1940)" title="Battle of Gembloux (1940)">Gembloux</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Lys_(1940)" title="Battle of the Lys (1940)">La Lys</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Ypres%E2%80%93Comines_Canal" title="Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal">Ypres–Comines Canal</a></li></ul> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">France</a></b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Sedan_(1940)" title="Battle of Sedan (1940)">Sedan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Montcornet" title="Battle of Montcornet">Montcornet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Saumur_(1940)" title="Battle of Saumur (1940)">Saumur</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1940)" title="Battle of Arras (1940)">Arras</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Boulogne" title="Battle of Boulogne">Boulogne</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1940)" title="Siege of Calais (1940)">Calais</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Dunkirk" title="Battle of Dunkirk">Dunkirk</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dunkirk_evacuation" title="Dunkirk evacuation"><i>Dynamo</i></a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Abbeville" title="Battle of Abbeville">Abbeville</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Lille_(1940)" title="Siege of Lille (1940)">Lille</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Paula" title="Operation Paula"><i>Paula</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_France" title="Italian invasion of France">1st Alps</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Haddock_Force" title="Haddock Force">Haddock Force</a></li></ul></li></ul> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Britain</a></b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Kanalkampf" title="Kanalkampf">Kanalkampf</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Adlertag" title="Adlertag">Adlertag</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Hardest_Day" title="The Hardest Day">The Hardest Day</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain_Day" title="Battle of Britain Day">Battle of Britain Day</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Sea_Lion" title="Operation Sea Lion"><i>Sea Lion</i></a></li></ul> <p><b>1941–1943</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Channel_Dash" title="Channel Dash"><i>Cerberus</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Donnerkeil" title="Operation Donnerkeil"><i>Donnerkeil</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baedeker_Blitz" title="Baedeker Blitz">Baedeker Blitz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Commando_raids_on_the_Atlantic_Wall" title="List of Commando raids on the Atlantic Wall">Commando Raids</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid" title="St Nazaire Raid">St Nazaire Raid</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">Dieppe Raid</a></li></ul></li></ul> <p><b>1944–1945</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Steinbock" title="Operation Steinbock">Baby Blitz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Overlord" title="Operation Overlord"><i>Overlord</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Chastity" title="Operation Chastity"><i>Chastity</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon"><i>Dragoon</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siegfried_Line_campaign" title="Siegfried Line campaign">Siegfried Line</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Netherlands_in_World_War_II#The_final_year" title="Netherlands in World War II">Netherlands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden" title="Operation Market Garden"><i>Market Garden</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_H%C3%BCrtgen_Forest" title="Battle of Hürtgen Forest">Hürtgen Forest</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Aachen" title="Battle of Aachen">Aachen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Queen" title="Operation Queen"><i>Queen</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Scheldt" title="Battle of the Scheldt">Scheldt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge" title="Battle of the Bulge">Bulge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Northwind_(1944)" title="Operation Northwind (1944)"><i>Nordwind</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Second_Battle_of_the_Alps" title="Second Battle of the Alps">2nd Alps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Colmar_Pocket" title="Colmar Pocket">Colmar Pocket</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Atlantic_pockets" title="Atlantic pockets">Atlantic Pockets</a></li></ul> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germany" title="Western Allied invasion of Germany">Germany</a></b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Blackcock" title="Operation Blackcock"><i>Blackcock</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Veritable" title="Operation Veritable"><i>Veritable</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Grenade" title="Operation Grenade"><i>Grenade</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster" title="Operation Blockbuster"><i>Blockbuster</i></a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Operation_Lumberjack" title="Operation Lumberjack">Lumberjack</a></i> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Remagen" title="Battle of Remagen">Remagen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cologne_(1945)" title="Battle of Cologne (1945)">Cologne</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Gisela" title="Operation Gisela"><i>Gisela</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Undertone" title="Operation Undertone"><i>Undertone</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Plunder" title="Operation Plunder"><i>Plunder</i></a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Varsity" title="Operation Varsity"><i>Varsity</i></a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Paderborn_(1945)" title="Battle of Paderborn (1945)">Paderborn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ruhr_Pocket" class="mw-redirect" title="Ruhr Pocket">Ruhr</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Task_Force_Baum" title="Task Force Baum">TF Baum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Frankfurt" title="Battle of Frankfurt">Frankfurt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_W%C3%BCrzburg_(1945)" title="Battle of Würzburg (1945)">Würzburg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kassel_(1945)" title="Battle of Kassel (1945)">Kassel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Heilbronn_(1945)" title="Battle of Heilbronn (1945)">Heilbronn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Nuremberg_(1945)" title="Battle of Nuremberg (1945)">Nuremberg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Capture_of_Hamburg" title="Capture of Hamburg">Hamburg</a></li></ul> <p><b>Strategic campaigns</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/The_Blitz" title="The Blitz">The Blitz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Defence_of_the_Reich" title="Defence of the Reich">Defence of the Reich</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II" title="Strategic bombing during World War II">Strategic Bombing Campaign</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Commando_raids_on_the_Atlantic_Wall" title="List of Commando raids on the Atlantic Wall">Raids on the Atlantic Wall</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Battle of Atlantic</a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Battle_of_France" style="margin:0;float:right;clear:right;width:25.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:1em;;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks navbox-vertical mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Campaignbox_Battle_of_France" title="Template:Campaignbox Battle of France"><abbr title="View this template" style="color:inherit">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Campaignbox_Battle_of_France" title="Template talk:Campaignbox Battle of France"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="color:inherit">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Campaignbox_Battle_of_France" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Campaignbox Battle of France"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:inherit">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Battle_of_France" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><span style="line-height:1.6em"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France"><span class="wrap">Battle of France</span></a></span></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">France</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Operation_Royal_Marine" title="Operation Royal Marine">Royal Marine</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France#Central_front" title="Battle of France">Ardennes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Sedan_(1940)" title="Battle of Sedan (1940)">Sedan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Montcornet" title="Battle of Montcornet">Montcornet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maginot_Line#German_invasion_in_World_War_II" title="Maginot Line">Maginot Line</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France#Weygand_Plan" title="Battle of France">Weygand Plan</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1940)" title="Battle of Arras (1940)">Arras</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Boulogne" title="Battle of Boulogne">Boulogne</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1940)" title="Siege of Calais (1940)">Calais</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Dunkirk" title="Battle of Dunkirk">Dunkirk</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dunkirk_evacuation" title="Dunkirk evacuation"><i>Dynamo</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wormhoudt_massacre" title="Wormhoudt massacre">Wormhoudt</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Abbeville" title="Battle of Abbeville">Abbeville</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Lille_(1940)" title="Siege of Lille (1940)">Lille</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Paula" title="Operation Paula"><i>Paula</i></a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Fall_Rot" title="Fall Rot">Fall Rot</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_France" title="Italian invasion of France">Alps</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Haddock_Force" title="Haddock Force">Haddock Force</a></li></ul></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Operation_Cycle" title="Operation Cycle">Cycle</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Lagarde_(1940)" title="Battle of Lagarde (1940)">Lagarde</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Saumur_(1940)" title="Battle of Saumur (1940)">Saumur</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Operation_Aerial" title="Operation Aerial">Aerial</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fall_Braun#1940" class="mw-redirect" title="Fall Braun"><i>Fall Braun</i></a></li></ul> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_the_Netherlands" title="German invasion of the Netherlands">Netherlands</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Maastricht" title="Battle of Maastricht">Maastricht</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Mill" title="Battle of Mill">Mill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_for_The_Hague" title="Battle for The Hague">The Hague</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Rotterdam" title="Battle of Rotterdam">Rotterdam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Zeeland" title="Battle of Zeeland">Zeeland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Grebbeberg" title="Battle of the Grebbeberg">The Grebbeberg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Afsluitdijk" title="Battle of the Afsluitdijk">Afsluitdijk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_bombing_of_Rotterdam" title="German bombing of Rotterdam">Rotterdam Blitz</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Belgium_(1940)" title="German invasion of Belgium (1940)">Belgium</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Eben-Emael" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Fort Eben-Emael">Fort Eben-Emael</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/K-W_Line" title="K-W Line">K-W Line</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/French_war_planning_1920%E2%80%931940" title="French war planning 1920–1940">Dyle Plan</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_David" title="Operation David"><i>David</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hannut" title="Battle of Hannut">Hannut</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gembloux_(1940)" title="Battle of Gembloux (1940)">Gembloux</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Lys_(1940)" title="Battle of the Lys (1940)">Lys</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Ypres%E2%80%93Comines_Canal" title="Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal">Ypres–Comines Canal</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Luxembourg" title="German invasion of Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Schuster_Line" title="Schuster Line">Schuster Line</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p>The <b>British Expeditionary Force</b> (<b>BEF</b>) was the contingent of the <a href="/wiki/British_Army" title="British Army">British Army</a> sent to <a href="/wiki/French_Third_Republic" title="French Third Republic">France</a> in 1939 after Britain and France declared war on <a href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</a> on 3 September, beginning the <a href="/wiki/Second_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Second World War">Second World War</a>. The BEF existed from 2 September 1939 when the BEF GHQ was formed until 31 May 1940, when GHQ closed down and its troops reverted to the command of Home Forces. During the 1930s, the British government had planned to deter war by abolishing the <a href="/wiki/Ten_Year_Rule" title="Ten Year Rule">Ten Year Rule</a> and rearming from the very low level of readiness of the early 1930s. The bulk of the extra money went to the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> but plans were made to re-equip a small number of Army and <a href="/wiki/Territorial_Army_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="Territorial Army (United Kingdom)">Territorial Army</a> divisions for service overseas. </p><p><a href="/wiki/General_(United_Kingdom)" title="General (United Kingdom)">General</a> <a href="/wiki/Lord_Gort" class="mw-redirect" title="Lord Gort">Lord Gort</a> was appointed to the command of the BEF on 3 September 1939 and the BEF began moving to France on 4 September 1939. The BEF assembled along the <a href="/wiki/Belgian%E2%80%93French_border" class="mw-redirect" title="Belgian–French border">Belgian–French border</a>. The BEF took their post to the left of the French <a href="/wiki/First_Army_(France)" class="mw-redirect" title="First Army (France)">First Army</a> under the command of the French 1st Army Group (<span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_d%27arm%C3%A9es_n%C2%B0_1" class="extiw" title="fr:Groupe d'armées n° 1">fr:Groupe d'armées n° 1</a></i></span>) of the North-Eastern Front (<span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Front du Nord-est</i></span>). Most of the BEF spent the <a href="/wiki/Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</a> (3 September 1939 to 9 May 1940) digging field defences on the border. When the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">Battle of France</a> (<span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Fall_Gelb" class="mw-redirect" title="Fall Gelb">Fall Gelb</a></i></span>) began on 10 May 1940, the BEF constituted 10 per cent of the <a href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allied</a> forces on the <a href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western Front</a>. </p><p>The BEF participated in the <a href="/wiki/Dyle_Plan" class="mw-redirect" title="Dyle Plan">Dyle Plan</a>, a rapid advance into Belgium to the line of the <a href="/wiki/Dyle_(river)" title="Dyle (river)">Dyle River</a>, but the 1st Army Group had to retreat rapidly through Belgium and north-western France, after the German breakthrough further south at the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Sedan_(1940)" title="Battle of Sedan (1940)">Battle of Sedan</a> (12–15 May). A local counter-attack at the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1940)" title="Battle of Arras (1940)">Battle of Arras (1940)</a> (21 May) was a considerable tactical success but the BEF, French and Belgian forces north of the <a href="/wiki/Somme_River" class="mw-redirect" title="Somme River">Somme River</a> retreated to <a href="/wiki/Dunkirk" title="Dunkirk">Dunkirk</a> on the French North Sea coast soon after, British and French troops being evacuated in <a href="/wiki/Operation_Dynamo" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Dynamo">Operation Dynamo</a> (26 May – 4 June) to England after the capitulation of the Belgian army. </p><p>Saar Force, the <a href="/wiki/51st_(Highland)_Infantry_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="51st (Highland) Infantry Division">51st (Highland) Infantry Division</a> and reinforcements, had taken over part of the <a href="/wiki/Maginot_Line" title="Maginot Line">Maginot Line</a> for training. The force fought with local French units after 10 May, then joined the <a href="/wiki/Tenth_Army_(France)" class="mw-redirect" title="Tenth Army (France)">Tenth Army</a> south of the Somme, along with the improvised <a href="/wiki/Beauman_Division" title="Beauman Division">Beauman Division</a> and the <a href="/wiki/1st_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom)">1st Armoured Division</a>, to fight in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Abbeville" title="Battle of Abbeville">Battle of Abbeville</a> (27 May – 4 June). The British tried to re-build the BEF with Home Forces divisions training in Britain, troops evacuated from France and lines-of-communications troops south of the Somme river (informally known as the 2nd BEF) but BEF GHQ was not reopened. </p><p>After the success of the second German offensive in France (<span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Fall_Rot" title="Fall Rot">Fall Rot</a></i></span>), the 2nd BEF and Allied troops were evacuated from <a href="/wiki/Le_Havre" title="Le Havre">Le Havre</a> in <a href="/wiki/Operation_Cycle" title="Operation Cycle">Operation Cycle</a> (10–13 June) and the French Atlantic and Mediterranean ports in <a href="/wiki/Operation_Aerial" title="Operation Aerial">Operation Aerial</a> (15–25 June, unofficially to 14 August). The Navy rescued 558,032 people, including 368,491 British troops but the BEF lost <span class="nowrap">66,426 men</span> of whom <span class="nowrap">11,014 were</span> killed or died of wounds, <span class="nowrap">14,074 wounded</span> and <span class="nowrap">41,338 men</span> missing or captured. About 700 tanks, 20,000 motor bikes, 45,000 cars and lorries, 880 field guns and 310 larger equipments, about 500 anti-aircraft guns, 850 anti-tank guns, 6,400 anti-tank rifles and 11,000 machine-guns were abandoned. As units arrived in Britain they reverted to the authority of the <a href="/wiki/Commander-in-Chief,_Home_Forces" title="Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces">Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Background">Background</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Background"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="1918–1932"><span id="1918.E2.80.931932"></span>1918–1932</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: 1918–1932"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Ten_Year_Rule" title="Ten Year Rule">Ten Year Rule</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:18pdrMkIVTowedByMorrisTractor1930-2.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/18pdrMkIVTowedByMorrisTractor1930-2.jpg/220px-18pdrMkIVTowedByMorrisTractor1930-2.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="156" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/18pdrMkIVTowedByMorrisTractor1930-2.jpg/330px-18pdrMkIVTowedByMorrisTractor1930-2.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/18pdrMkIVTowedByMorrisTractor1930-2.jpg/440px-18pdrMkIVTowedByMorrisTractor1930-2.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="569" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">Early mechanisation of the Royal Artillery; an <a href="/wiki/QF_18-pounder_gun" title="QF 18-pounder gun">18-pounder gun</a> towed by a <a href="/wiki/Morris_Commercial" class="mw-redirect" title="Morris Commercial">Morris Commercial</a> half-track in 1930.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>After 1918, the prospect of war seemed so remote, that Government expenditure on the armed forces was determined by the assumption that no great war was likely. Spending varied from year to year and between the services but from July 1928 to March 1932, the formula of the <a href="/wiki/Committee_of_Imperial_Defence" title="Committee of Imperial Defence">Committee of Imperial Defence</a> (CID) was </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>...that it should be assumed for the purpose of framing the estimates of the fighting services that at any given date there will be no major war for ten years.</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>CID<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan19521_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan19521-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote> <p>and spending on equipment for the army varied from £1,500,000 to £2,600,000 per year from 1924 to 1933, averaging £2,000,000 or about 9 per cent of armaments spending a year. Until the early 1930s, the War Office intended to maintain a small, mobile and professional army and a start was made on motorising the cavalry and the artillery. By 1930, the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Army_Service_Corps" title="Royal Army Service Corps">Royal Army Service Corps</a> (RASC) had been mechanised, some of the artillery could be moved by tractors, and a few engineer, signals and cavalry units had received lorries. From 1930–1934, the <a href="/wiki/Army_Reserve_(United_Kingdom)" title="Army Reserve (United Kingdom)">Territorial Army</a> (TA) artillery, engineer, signals units were equipped with lorries and in 1938 the <a href="/wiki/Regular_army" title="Regular army">regular army</a> gained its establishment of wheeled vehicles and half of its tracked vehicles, except for tanks. From 1923 to 1932, <span class="nowrap">5,000 motor</span> vehicles were ordered at a rate of about <span class="nowrap">500 a</span> year, just under half being six-wheeler lorries. By 1936, the army had <span class="nowrap">379 tanks,</span> of which <span class="nowrap">209 were</span> <a href="/wiki/Light_tanks_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Light tanks of the United Kingdom">light tanks</a> and <span class="nowrap">166 were</span> mediums; <span class="nowrap">304 were</span> considered obsolete; <span class="nowrap">69 of</span> the light tanks were modern but did not begin to reach the army until 1935.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan19521–2,_6–7_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan19521–2,_6–7-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The rule had reduced war spending from £766 million in 1920 to £102 million when it was abolished on 23 March 1932. The British army had fewer men than in 1914, no organisation or equipment for a war in Europe, and it would have taken the <a href="/wiki/War_Office" title="War Office">War Office</a> three weeks to mobilise only an infantry division and a cavalry brigade.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECollier200421_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECollier200421-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Rearmament">Rearmament</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Rearmament"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Limited_Liability">Limited Liability</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Limited Liability"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/British_re-armament" class="mw-redirect" title="British re-armament">British re-armament</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Light_Tank_Mk_VIC.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Light_Tank_Mk_VIC.jpg/220px-Light_Tank_Mk_VIC.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="133" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Light_Tank_Mk_VIC.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="325" data-file-height="197" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;"><a href="/wiki/Mk_VI_light_tank" title="Mk VI light tank">Light Tank Mk VIC</a></div></figcaption></figure> <p>In March 1932, the Ten-Year Rule was abolished and in 1934, the Cabinet resolved to remedy equipment deficiencies in the armed forces over the next five years. The army was always the least favoured force but equipment spending increased from £6,900,000 from 1933–1934 financial year (1 April to 31 March), to £8,500,000 the following year and to more than £67,500,000 by 1938–1939 but the share of spending on army equipment only grew beyond 25 per cent of all military equipment spending in 1938. The relative neglect of the army led to a theory of "limited liability" until 1937, in which Britain would not send a great army to Europe in time of war. In 1934, the Defence Requirements Sub-Committee (DRC) of the CID assumed that a regular field army of five divisions was to be equipped as an expeditionary force, eventually to be supplemented by parts of the Territorial Army. The force and its air support would act as a deterrent greatly disproportionate to its size; plans were made to acquire sufficient equipment and training for the TA to provide a minimum of two extra divisions on the outbreak of war. It was expected that a British army in Europe would receive continuous reinforcement and in 1936, a TA commitment of twelve divisions was envisaged by <a href="/wiki/Duff_Cooper" title="Duff Cooper">Duff Cooper</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Secretary_of_State_for_War" title="Secretary of State for War">Secretary of State for War</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan19529,_27–29_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan19529,_27–29-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>As rearmament of the navy and the air force continued, the nature of an army fit to participate in a European war was kept under review and in 1936, the Cabinet ordered the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee of the CID to provide a report on the role of an expeditionary force and the relative values of the army and the air force as deterrents for the same cost. The chiefs were in favour of a balanced rearmament but within financial limits, the air force should be favoured. In 1937, the Minister argued that a continental commitment was no longer feasible and that France did not now expect a big land army along with the navy and air force, Germany had guaranteed Belgian neutrality and that if the quantity of money was limited, defence against air attack, trade protection and the defence of overseas territories were more important and had to be secured before Britain could support allies in the defence of their territories. The "continental hypothesis" came fourth and the main role of the army was to protect the empire, which included the anti-aircraft defence of the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> (with the assistance of the TA). In 1938, "limited liability" reached its apogee, just as rearmament was maturing and the army was considering the "new conspectus", a much more ambitious rearmament plan.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195229–30_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195229–30-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In February 1938, the CID ruled that planning should be based on "limited liability"; between late 1937 and early 1939, equipment for the five-division field army was reduced to that necessary for colonial warfare in the Far East. In Europe, the field force could only conduct defensive warfare and would need a big increase in ammunition and the refurbishment of its tank forces. The field force continued to be the least-favoured part of the least-favoured military arm and in February 1938, the Secretary of State for War, <a href="/wiki/Leslie_Hore-Belisha" title="Leslie Hore-Belisha">Leslie Hore-Belisha</a>, warned that possible allies should be left in no doubt about the effectiveness of the army. The re-armament plans for the field force remained deficiency plans, rather than plans for expansion. The July 1934 deficiency plan was estimated at £10,000,000 but cut by 50 per cent by the cabinet; by the first rearmament plan of 1936, the cost of the deficiency plan for the next five years had increased to £177,000,000. In the first version of the "new conspectus", spending was put at £347,000,000, although in 1938 this was cut to £276,000,000, still substantially more than the deficiency plan for 1936 but much of this sum was for anti-aircraft defence, a new duty imposed on the army.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195229–30_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195229–30-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Continental_commitment">Continental commitment</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Continental commitment"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable" align="right" style="margin:0 0 1em 1em"> <caption>Army equipment scales<br /><small>December 1938 and April 1939<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195273_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195273-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></small> </caption> <tbody><tr> <th>Items </th> <th>1938 </th> <th>1939 </th></tr> <tr> <td>Tanks<br />Carriers</td> <td align="right">5,025</td> <td align="right">7,096<br />tanks </td></tr> <tr> <td>Carriers</td> <td align="right">above</td> <td align="right">11,647 </td></tr> <tr> <td>vehicles<br />Field/AA<br />guns</td> <td align="right">25,545</td> <td align="right">376,299 </td></tr> <tr> <td>2-pdr<br />guns</td> <td align="right">nil</td> <td align="right">13,561 </td></tr> <tr> <td>Shells<br />(non-AA)</td> <td align="right">14.8<a href="/wiki/1,000,000" title="1,000,000">m</a></td> <td align="right">64.4m </td></tr> </tbody></table> <p>Obtaining equipment for the Field Force benefited from plans for the TA which, sometimes covertly, was used as a device to get more equipment which could be used by the regular army. At first it was admitted in the deficiency programmes of 1935–1936, in which an expansion of the TA in three stages to twelve divisions, was to complement the five regular divisions. The Cabinet postponed this plan for three years, during which the policy of limited liability precluded such developments, except for the purchase of the same training equipment for the TA as that used by the army, equivalent to that needed to equip two regular divisions, which was the maximum commitment promised to the French in 1938.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34Ellis20045_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34Ellis20045-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The mobile division was split into two divisions and some extra equipment went to artillery and engineer units. By 1938 the deficiency programme was due to mature; in the wake of the <a href="/wiki/Munich_Crisis" class="mw-redirect" title="Munich Crisis">Munich Crisis</a> in September and the loss of the 35 divisions of the Czechoslovak Army, the Cabinet approved a plan for a ten-division army equipped for continental operations and a similar-sized TA, in early 1939.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34_72_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34_72-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By reacting to events, the British Cabinet made it inevitable that </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>...the size of the Army was bound to be adjusted to what the French thought was the least they needed and the British the most that they could do.</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Michael Postan<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195272_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195272-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote> <p>The British made a commitment on 21 April 1939 to provide an army of six regular and 26 Territorial divisions, introduced equipment scales for war and began conscription to provide the manpower.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195272–73_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195272–73-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In February 1939, the first four regular army divisions of the Field Force had been promised to the French, scheduled to reach the assembly area in France on the thirtieth day after mobilisation. Until this commitment, no staff work had been done, there was no information about French ports and railways and no modern maps.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBond20011–2_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBond20011–2-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Prelude">Prelude</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Prelude"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Despatch_of_the_BEF">Despatch of the BEF</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Despatch of the BEF"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</a> and <a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_order_of_battle_(1940)" title="British Expeditionary Force order of battle (1940)">British Expeditionary Force order of battle (1940)</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Expeditionary_Force_(BEF)_in_France_1939-1940_O87.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_O87.jpg/220px-The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_O87.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="173" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_O87.jpg/330px-The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_O87.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_O87.jpg/440px-The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_O87.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="628" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">Men of the 2nd Battalion, <a href="/wiki/Coldstream_Guards" title="Coldstream Guards">Coldstream Guards</a>, part of the <a href="/wiki/1st_Armoured_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="1st Armoured Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)">1st Guards Brigade</a>, arrive in <a href="/wiki/Cherbourg-Octeville" title="Cherbourg-Octeville">Cherbourg</a>, <a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a>, in the autumn of 1939.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>After the <a href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland" title="Invasion of Poland">Invasion of Poland</a> by Germany on 1 September 1939, the Cabinet appointed General <a href="/wiki/John_Vereker,_6th_Viscount_Gort" title="John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort">John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort</a> (Lord Gort) to the command of the BEF on 3 September, subordinate to General <a href="/wiki/Alphonse_Georges" class="mw-redirect" title="Alphonse Georges">Alphonse Georges</a>, the French commander of the North-eastern Theatre of Operations, with the right of appeal to the British government.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200411_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200411-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The BEF was to assemble on the <a href="/wiki/Belgium%E2%80%93France_border" title="Belgium–France border">Franco-Belgian border</a> and advanced parties of troops left <a href="/wiki/Portsmouth" title="Portsmouth">Portsmouth</a> on 4 September under "Plan W4" and the first troop convoy left the ports on the <a href="/wiki/Bristol_Channel" title="Bristol Channel">Bristol Channel</a> and <a href="/wiki/Southampton" title="Southampton">Southampton</a> on 9 September, disembarking at <a href="/wiki/Cherbourg-Octeville" title="Cherbourg-Octeville">Cherbourg</a> on 10 September and <a href="/wiki/Nantes" title="Nantes">Nantes</a> and <a href="/wiki/Saint_Nazaire" class="mw-redirect" title="Saint Nazaire">Saint Nazaire</a> on the French Atlantic coast two days later. German submarines had been held back by Hitler to avoid provoking the Allies and only a few mines were laid near <a href="/wiki/Dover" title="Dover">Dover</a> and <a href="/wiki/Weymouth,_Dorset" title="Weymouth, Dorset">Weymouth</a>. By 27 September, <span class="nowrap">152,000 soldiers,</span> <span class="nowrap">21,424 vehicles,</span> 36,000 long tons (36,578 t) tons of ammunition, 25,000 long tons (25,401 t) of petrol and 60,000 long tons (60,963 t) of frozen meat had been landed in France.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200415_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200415-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 3 October, <a href="/wiki/I_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="I Corps (United Kingdom)">I Corps</a> with the <a href="/wiki/History_of_the_British_1st_Division_during_the_World_Wars" class="mw-redirect" title="History of the British 1st Division during the World Wars">1st Infantry Division</a> and <a href="/wiki/2nd_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)">2nd Infantry Division</a> began to take over the front line allocated to the BEF and <a href="/wiki/II_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="II Corps (United Kingdom)">II Corps</a> with the <a href="/wiki/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="3rd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)">3rd Infantry Division</a> and <a href="/wiki/4th_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)">4th Infantry Division</a> followed on 12 October; the <a href="/wiki/5th_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)">5th Infantry Division</a> arrived in December.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBond20016_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBond20016-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By 19 October, the BEF had received 25,000 vehicles to complete the first wave. The majority of the troops were stationed along the Franco-Belgian border but British divisions took turns to serve with the French <a href="/wiki/Third_Army_(France)" class="mw-redirect" title="Third Army (France)">Third Army</a> on the <a href="/wiki/Maginot_Line" title="Maginot Line">Maginot Line</a>. In April 1940, the <a href="/wiki/51st_Highland_Infantry_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="51st Highland Infantry Division">51st Highland Infantry Division</a>, reinforced by additional units and called <a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_order_of_battle_(1940)#Saar_Force" title="British Expeditionary Force order of battle (1940)">Saar Force</a> took over part of the French line.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200420,_249–252_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200420,_249–252-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a> were neutral and free of Allied or German military forces and for troops along the Maginot Line, inactivity and an undue reliance on the fortifications, which were believed to be impenetrable, led to "Tommy Rot" (portrayed in the song "<a href="/wiki/Imagine_Me_in_the_Maginot_Line" title="Imagine Me in the Maginot Line">Imagine Me in the Maginot Line</a>"). Morale was high amongst the British troops but the limited extent of German actions by 9 May 1940, led many to assume that there would not be much chance of a big German attack in that area.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200433_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200433-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H27.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H27.jpg/220px-The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H27.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="163" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H27.jpg/330px-The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H27.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H27.jpg/440px-The_British_Army_in_the_United_Kingdom_1939-45_H27.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="594" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">Troops from the first contingent of the BEF embarking for France at <a href="/wiki/Southampton" title="Southampton">Southampton</a>, <a href="/wiki/England" title="England">England</a>, September 1939.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>From January to April 1940, eight Territorial divisions arrived in France but the <a href="/wiki/12th_(Eastern)_Infantry_Division" title="12th (Eastern) Infantry Division">12th (Eastern) Infantry Division</a>, <a href="/wiki/23rd_(Northumbrian)_Division" title="23rd (Northumbrian) Division">23rd (Northumbrian) Division</a> and <a href="/wiki/46th_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="46th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)">46th Infantry Division</a>, informally called labour divisions, were not trained or equipped to fight.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBond20018_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBond20018-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The labour divisions consisted of 26 new infantry battalions which had spent their first months guarding vulnerable points in England but had received very little training. Battalions and some engineers were formed into nominal brigades but lacked artillery, signals or transport. The divisions were used for labour from St Nazaire in Normandy to <a href="/wiki/Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise" title="Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise">Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise</a> (St Pol) in French Flanders, on the understanding that they would not be called upon to fight before they had completed their training.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTETackle200923_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETackle200923-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>By May 1940 the <a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_order_of_battle_(1940)" title="British Expeditionary Force order of battle (1940)">BEF order of battle</a> consisted of ten <a href="/wiki/Infantry" title="Infantry">infantry</a> <a href="/wiki/Division_(military)" title="Division (military)">divisions</a> ready for field service, in I Corps, II Corps, III Corps and Saar Force. BEF GHQ commanded the Field Force and the BEF Air Component <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> (RAF) of about 500 aircraft but the <a href="/wiki/Advanced_Air_Striking_Force" class="mw-redirect" title="Advanced Air Striking Force">Advanced Air Striking Force</a> (AASF) long-range bomber force was under the control of <a href="/wiki/RAF_Bomber_Command" title="RAF Bomber Command">RAF Bomber Command</a>. GHQ consisted of men from Headquarters (HQ) Troops (consisting of the 1st Battalion, <a href="/wiki/Welsh_Guards" title="Welsh Guards">Welsh Guards</a>, the 9th Battalion, <a href="/wiki/West_Yorkshire_Regiment" title="West Yorkshire Regiment">West Yorkshire Regiment</a> and the 14th Battalion, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Fusiliers" title="Royal Fusiliers">Royal Fusiliers</a>), the <a href="/wiki/1st_Army_Tank_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="1st Army Tank Brigade (United Kingdom)">1st Army Tank Brigade</a>, <a href="/wiki/1st_Light_Armoured_Reconnaissance_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="1st Light Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade">1st Light Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade</a>, HQ Royal Artillery and the 5th Infantry Division.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200419,_357–368_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200419,_357–368-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Phoney_War">Phoney War</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Phoney War"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/French_war_planning_1920%E2%80%931940" title="French war planning 1920–1940">French war planning 1920–1940</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Georges_and_Gort_at_Arras_WWII_IWM_F_2094.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Georges_and_Gort_at_Arras_WWII_IWM_F_2094.jpg/220px-Georges_and_Gort_at_Arras_WWII_IWM_F_2094.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="176" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Georges_and_Gort_at_Arras_WWII_IWM_F_2094.jpg/330px-Georges_and_Gort_at_Arras_WWII_IWM_F_2094.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Georges_and_Gort_at_Arras_WWII_IWM_F_2094.jpg/440px-Georges_and_Gort_at_Arras_WWII_IWM_F_2094.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="639" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;"><a href="/wiki/General_(United_Kingdom)" title="General (United Kingdom)">General</a> <a href="/wiki/Lord_Gort" class="mw-redirect" title="Lord Gort">Lord Gort</a>, commander of the BEF, with <a href="/wiki/Army_general_(France)" title="Army general (France)">General</a> <a href="/wiki/Alphonse_Georges" class="mw-redirect" title="Alphonse Georges">Alphonse Georges</a>, commander of the <a href="/wiki/French_Ninth_Army" class="mw-redirect" title="French Ninth Army">French Ninth Army</a>.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>The period from September 1939 to 10 May 1940 was known as the "<a href="/wiki/Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</a>", which consisted of little more than minor clashes by <a href="/wiki/Reconnaissance" title="Reconnaissance">reconnaissance</a> patrols. The section of the Franco-Belgian border to be held by the BEF at that time stretched from <a href="/wiki/Armenti%C3%A8res" title="Armentières">Armentières</a> westward towards <a href="/wiki/Menen" title="Menen">Menin</a>, then south to the junction of the border and the River Escaut (the French name for the <a href="/wiki/Scheldt" title="Scheldt">Scheldt</a>) at <a href="/wiki/Maulde" title="Maulde">Maulde</a>, forming a salient around <a href="/wiki/Lille" title="Lille">Lille</a> and <a href="/wiki/Roubaix" title="Roubaix">Roubaix</a>. The British began to dig trenches, weapons pits and pill boxes of the Gort Line.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007509–511,_7,_172_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007509–511,_7,_172-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The first BEF fatality was 27-year-old <a href="/wiki/Corporal" title="Corporal">Corporal</a> <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Priday" title="Thomas Priday">Thomas Priday</a>, from the 1st Battalion, <a href="/wiki/King%27s_Shropshire_Light_Infantry" title="King's Shropshire Light Infantry">King's Shropshire Light Infantry</a>, attached to the <a href="/wiki/3rd_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="3rd Infantry Brigade">3rd Infantry Brigade</a> of the 1st Infantry Division, killed on 9 December 1939, when his patrol set off a booby-trap and was fired upon by friendly troops.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECharman2010284_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECharman2010284-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By November 1939, the French had decided that a defence along the <a href="/wiki/Dyle_Line" class="mw-redirect" title="Dyle Line">Dyle Line</a> in Belgium was feasible but the British were lukewarm about an advance into Belgium. Gamelin talked them round and on 9 November, the Dyle Plan/Plan D was adopted and on 17 November, Gamelin issued a directive that day detailing a line from Givet to Namur, the Gembloux Gap, Wavre, Louvain and Antwerp. For the next four months, the Dutch and Belgian armies laboured over their defences, the BEF expanded and the French army received more equipment and training.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a7–8_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a7–8-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Dyle_plan,_Breda_variant"><span id="Dyle_plan.2C_Breda_variant"></span>Dyle plan, Breda variant</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Dyle plan, Breda variant"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/French_war_planning_1920%E2%80%931940#Dyle_Plan/Plan_D,_1940" title="French war planning 1920–1940">Dyle Plan/Plan D, 1940</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F2212.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F2212.jpg/170px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F2212.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="221" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F2212.jpg/255px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F2212.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F2212.jpg/340px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F2212.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1772" data-file-height="2301" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">2nd Battalion <a href="/wiki/Royal_Warwickshire_Regiment" title="Royal Warwickshire Regiment">Royal Warwickshire Regiment</a> in the "Gort Line" at <a href="/wiki/Rumegies" title="Rumegies">Rumegies</a> in January 1940.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>By May 1940, the 1st Army Group (<span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Groupe_d%27arm%C3%A9es_n%C2%B0_1&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Groupe d'armées n° 1 (page does not exist)">Groupe d'armées n° 1</a><span class="noprint" style="font-size:85%; font-style: normal;"> [<a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_d%27arm%C3%A9es_n%C2%B0_1" class="extiw" title="fr:Groupe d'armées n° 1">fr</a>]</span></i></span>) defended the Channel coast to the west end of the Maginot Line. The <a href="/wiki/Seventh_Army_(France)" class="mw-redirect" title="Seventh Army (France)">Seventh Army</a> <span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">(Général d'armée</i></span> <a href="/wiki/Henri_Giraud" title="Henri Giraud">Henri Giraud</a>), BEF (General Lord Gort), First Army (<span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Général d'armée</i></span> <a href="/wiki/Georges_Maurice_Jean_Blanchard" title="Georges Maurice Jean Blanchard">Georges Maurice Jean Blanchard</a>) and Ninth Army (<span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Général d'armée</i></span> <a href="/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Corap" title="André Corap">André Corap</a>) were ready to advance to the Dyle Line, by pivoting on the right (southern) Second Army.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a11_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a11-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>a<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Seventh Army would take over west of Antwerp, ready to move into Holland and the Belgians were expected to delay a German advance and then retire from the Albert Canal to the Dyle, between Antwerp to Louvain. The BEF was to defend about 12 mi (20 km) of the Dyle from Louvain to Wavre and the First Army on the right of the BEF was to hold 22 mi (35 km) from Wavre across the Gembloux Gap to Namur. The gap from the Dyle to Namur north of the Sambre, with Maastricht and Mons on either side, had few natural obstacles and led straight to Paris. The Ninth Army would take post south of Namur, along the Meuse to the left (northern) flank of the Second Army.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a11_24-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a11-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Second and Ninth armies were dug in on the west bank of the Meuse on ground that was easily defended and behind the Ardennes, giving plenty of warning of a German attack. After the transfer of the Seventh Army, seven divisions remained behind the Second and Ninth armies and other divisions could be moved from behind the Maginot Line. All but one division were either side of the junction of the two armies, GQG being more concerned about a German attack past the north end of the Maginot Line and then south-east through the <a href="/wiki/Stenay" title="Stenay">Stenay</a> Gap, for which the divisions behind the Second Army were well placed.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a12_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a12-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 8 November, Gamelin added the Seventh Army, containing some of the best and most mobile French divisions, to the left flank of the 1st Army Group to move into Holland and protect the Scheldt estuary. In March, Gamelin ordered that the Seventh Army would advance to <a href="/wiki/Breda" title="Breda">Breda</a> to link with the Dutch. The Seventh Army, on the left flank of the Dyle manoeuvre, would be linked to it and if the Seventh Army crossed into the Netherlands, the left flank of the 1st Army Group was to advance to <a href="/wiki/Tilburg" title="Tilburg">Tilburg</a> if possible and certainly to Breda. The Seventh Army was to take post between the Belgian and Dutch armies turning east, a distance of 109 mi (175 km), against German armies only 56 mi (90 km) distant from Breda.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a8–9_28-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a8–9-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Battle">Battle</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Battle"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="10–21_May_1940"><span id="10.E2.80.9321_May_1940"></span>10–21 May 1940</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: 10–21 May 1940"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">Battle of France</a> and <a href="/wiki/Order_of_battle_for_the_Battle_of_France" class="mw-redirect" title="Order of battle for the Battle of France">Order of battle for the Battle of France</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4472.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4472.jpg/220px-The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4472.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="167" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4472.jpg/330px-The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4472.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4472.jpg/440px-The_British_Army_in_France_and_Belgium_1940_F4472.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2336" data-file-height="1772" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">British armoured vehicles passing through <a href="/wiki/Leuven" title="Leuven">Leuven</a>, Belgium, 14 May 1940.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>At <span class="nowrap">4:35 a.m.,</span> the German invasion of France and the Low Countries commenced. The French Seventh Army drove forward on the northern flank and advanced elements reached Breda on 11 May. The French collided with the 9th Panzer Division and the advance of the <a href="/wiki/25th_Motorized_Division_(France)" title="25th Motorized Division (France)">25<sup>e</sup> Division d'Infanterie Motorisée</a> was stopped by German infantry, tanks and <a href="/wiki/Ju_87" class="mw-redirect" title="Ju 87">Ju 87</a> (<span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Stuka</i></span>) dive-bombers, as the <a href="/wiki/1st_Light_Mechanized_Division_(France)" title="1st Light Mechanized Division (France)">1<sup>re</sup> Division Légère Mécanisée</a> was forced to retreat. (French heavy tanks were still on trains south of Antwerp.) The Seventh Army retired from the Bergen op Zoom–Turnhout Canal Line 20 mi (32 km) from Antwerp, to Lierre 10 mi (16 km) away on 12 May; on 14 May the Dutch surrendered.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTERowe1959142–143,_148Jackson200337–38_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERowe1959142–143,_148Jackson200337–38-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In Belgium, German glider troops captured fort Eben-Emael by noon on 11 May; the disaster forced the Belgians to retreat to a line from Antwerp to Louvain on 12 May, far too soon for the French First Army to arrive and dig in.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200337–38_30-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200337–38-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Corps de Cavalerie</i></span> fought the XVI Panzer Corps in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hannut" title="Battle of Hannut">Battle of Hannut</a> <span class="nowrap">(12–14 May)</span> the first ever tank-against-tank battle and the <span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr">Corps de Cavalerie</i></span> then withdrew behind the First Army, which had arrived at the Dyle Line. On 15 May, the Germans attacked the First Army along the Dyle, causing the <a href="/wiki/Meeting_engagement" title="Meeting engagement">meeting engagement</a> that Gamelin had tried to avoid. The First Army repulsed the XVI Panzer Corps but during the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gembloux_(1940)" title="Battle of Gembloux (1940)">Battle of Gembloux</a> (14–15 May) GQG realised that the main German attack had come further south, through the Ardennes. The French success in Belgium contributed to the disaster on the Meuse at Sedan and on 16 May, Blanchard was ordered to retreat to the French border.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200338–39_31-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200338–39-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Operation_David">Operation David</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Operation David"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Operation_David" title="Operation David">Operation David</a></div> <p>The armoured cars of the <a href="/wiki/12th_Royal_Lancers" title="12th Royal Lancers">12th Royal Lancers</a> crossed the border at <span class="nowrap">1:00 p.m.</span> on 10 May, cheered on by Belgian civilians.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200759–61_32-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200759–61-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The BEF sector ran along the Dyle about 22 mi (35 km) from <a href="/wiki/Louvain" class="mw-redirect" title="Louvain">Louvain</a>, south-west to <a href="/wiki/Wavre" title="Wavre">Wavre</a>. The 3rd Division (II Corps) took the north with the 1st Division and 2nd Division (I Corps) the south, some battalions defending a frontage double that recommended in British manuals.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007512–513,_78_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007512–513,_78-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The rest of the BEF formed a <a href="/wiki/Defence_in_depth" title="Defence in depth">defence in depth</a> back to the River Escaut. The Dyle north of Louvain was occupied by Belgian troops who refused to give way, even when Brooke appealed to the <a href="/wiki/King_of_the_Belgians" class="mw-redirect" title="King of the Belgians">King of the Belgians</a> and Georges ordered them out. The British infantry began to arrive on the Dyle on 11 May and dug in screened by light tanks and <a href="/wiki/Bren_carrier" class="mw-redirect" title="Bren carrier">Bren carriers</a> operating west of the river until 14 May, when the front line units were ready; the bridges were then blown.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200775–76_34-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200775–76-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Later that day probes by reconnaissance troops of three German infantry divisions were dispersed. Next day, attacks on Louvain by the German 19th Division were repulsed by the 3rd Division.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson200937–38_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson200937–38-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Further south, the river was only about 15 ft (4.6 m) wide, preventing tanks from crossing but passable by infantry. <a href="/wiki/Richard_Annand" title="Richard Annand">Richard Annand</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Durham_Light_Infantry" title="Durham Light Infantry">Durham Light Infantry</a> in the southern sector was awarded a <a href="/wiki/Victoria_Cross" title="Victoria Cross">Victoria Cross</a>. German bridgeheads across the Dyle were either eliminated or contained by British counter-attacks.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200777–79_36-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200777–79-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Ardennes">Ardennes</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Ardennes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Char_1935_S_Somua_1.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Char_1935_S_Somua_1.jpg/220px-Char_1935_S_Somua_1.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Char_1935_S_Somua_1.jpg/330px-Char_1935_S_Somua_1.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Char_1935_S_Somua_1.jpg/440px-Char_1935_S_Somua_1.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2016" data-file-height="1512" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">2005 photograph of a French SOMUA S35</div></figcaption></figure> <p>From <span class="nowrap">10–11 May,</span> the XIX Panzer Corps engaged the two cavalry divisions of the Second Army, surprising them with a far larger force than expected and forced them back. The Ninth Army to the north had also sent its two cavalry divisions forward, which were withdrawn on 12 May, before they met German troops. The first German unit reached the Meuse in the afternoon but the local French commanders thought that they were far ahead of the main body and would wait before trying to cross the Meuse. From 10 May, Allied bombers had been sent to raid northern Belgium, to delay the German advance while the First Army moved up but attacks on the bridges at Maastricht had been costly failures, the <span class="nowrap">135 RAF</span> day bombers being reduced to <span class="nowrap">72 operational</span> aircraft by 12 May. At <span class="nowrap">7:00 a.m.</span> on 13 May, the <span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Luftwaffe</i></span> began bombing the French defences around Sedan and continued for eight hours with about <span class="nowrap">1,000 aircraft</span> in the biggest air attack in history.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200339–43_37-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200339–43-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Little material damage was done to the Second Army but morale collapsed. In the French 55<sup>e</sup> Division at Sedan, some troops began to straggle to the rear and in the evening panic spread through the division. German troops attacked across the river at <span class="nowrap">3:00 p.m.</span> and had gained three footholds on the west bank by nightfall.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200343–46_38-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200343–46-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The French and the RAF managed to fly <span class="nowrap">152 bomber</span> and <span class="nowrap">250 fighter</span> sorties on the Sedan bridges on 14 May but only in formations of <span class="nowrap">10–20 aircraft.</span> The RAF lost <span class="nowrap">30 of 71</span> aircraft and the French were reduced to sending obsolete bombers to attack in the afternoon, also with many losses. On 16 May, the 1st Army Group was ordered to retreat from the Dyle Line, to avoid being trapped by the German breakthrough against the Second and Ninth armies but on 20 May, the Germans reached <a href="/wiki/Abbeville" title="Abbeville">Abbeville</a> on the Channel coast, cutting off the northern armies.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200348–52,_56_39-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200348–52,_56-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="BEF_retreat">BEF retreat</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: BEF retreat"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The plan for the BEF withdrawal was that under cover of darkness, units would thin-out their front and make a phased and orderly withdrawal before the Germans realised what was happening. The objective for the night of 16/17 May was the Charleroi to <a href="/wiki/Willebroek" title="Willebroek">Willebroek</a> Canal (the Line of the Senne), the following night to the <a href="/wiki/River_Dendre" class="mw-redirect" title="River Dendre">River Dendre</a> from <a href="/wiki/Maubeuge" title="Maubeuge">Maubeuge</a> to <a href="/wiki/Termonde" class="mw-redirect" title="Termonde">Termonde</a> and the Escaut to Antwerp (the Dendre Line), and finally on 18/19 May, to the Escaut from <a href="/wiki/Oudenarde" class="mw-redirect" title="Oudenarde">Oudenarde</a> to Maulde on the French border (the Escaut Line). The order to withdraw was greeted with astonishment and frustration by the British troops who felt that they had held their own, but they were unaware of the deteriorating situation elsewhere. The withdrawal went mainly according to plan but required hard fighting from the corps rearguards. A communication breakdown caused a loss of co-ordination with the Belgian Army to the north-west of II Corps and a dangerous gap opened up between the two; fortunately it was covered by British light armour before the Germans could discover and exploit it.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson200947,_63–65_40-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson200947,_63–65-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Loss_of_the_construction_divisions">Loss of the construction divisions</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Loss of the construction divisions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The three Territorial divisions, which had arrived in April equipped only with <a href="/wiki/Small_arms" class="mw-redirect" title="Small arms">small arms</a>, intended for construction and labouring tasks, were distributed across the path of the German spearhead. On 16 May, Georges realised that the Panzer divisions might reach the coast and outflank all the Allied armies to the north of them. He asked for the 23rd Division to defend the <a href="/wiki/Canal_du_Nord" title="Canal du Nord">Canal du Nord</a> at <a href="/wiki/Arleux" title="Arleux">Arleux</a>. The British Staff was of the opinion that the German breakthrough consisted of small detachments of light reconnaissance troops and that using these lightly armed and largely untrained troops against them did not seem unreasonable. The area was otherwise devoid of Allied units, so there was little alternative. The three divisions were grouped together in an improvised corps called Petreforce and on 18 and 19 May, the Territorials, lacking motor transport, began to march or entrain towards their defence positions.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTETackle200923_19-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETackle200923-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The 70th Brigade of the 23rd Division dug in on the Canal Line but was ordered to withdraw towards <a href="/wiki/Saulty" title="Saulty">Saulty</a> on 20 May; in the process they were caught in the open by elements of 6th and 8th Panzer Divisions, from which only a few hundred survivors escaped. The 69th Brigade defended <a href="/wiki/Arras" title="Arras">Arras</a> and the 12th Division fought to delay 2nd Panzer Division on the Canal Line near Arras, at <a href="/wiki/Doullens" title="Doullens">Doullens</a>, <a href="/wiki/Albert,_Somme" title="Albert, Somme">Albert</a> and Abbeville. The 138th Brigade of the 46th Division fought on the Canal Line but the 137th Brigade trains were attacked by the <span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Luftwaffe</i></span> en route; the survivors were able to withdraw to Dieppe and later fought on the Seine Crossings. The 139th Brigade fought on the <a href="/wiki/River_Scarpe" class="mw-redirect" title="River Scarpe">River Scarpe</a> and later defended the Dunkirk perimeter. By the end of 20 May, the divisions had ceased to exist, in most cases having only delayed the German advance by a few hours.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTETackle200926–37_41-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETackle200926–37-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="21–26_May"><span id="21.E2.80.9326_May"></span>21–26 May</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: 21–26 May"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The push by Army Group A towards the coast, combined with the approach of Army Group B from the north-east, left the BEF enveloped on three sides and by 21 May, the BEF had been cut off from its supply depots south of the Somme. The British counter-attacked at the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1940)" title="Battle of Arras (1940)">Battle of Arras</a> on the same day. This was well to the south of the main BEF force on the Escaut, where seven BEF divisions were placed in the front line. The British divisions were facing nine German infantry divisions, who began their attack on the morning of 21 May with a devastating artillery barrage. Shortly afterwards, infantry assaults started along the whole front, crossing the canalised river either by inflatable boats or by clambering across the wreckage of demolished bridges.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007521,_156–157_42-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007521,_156–157-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Although the Escaut line was penetrated in numerous places, all the German bridgeheads were either thrown back or contained by vigorous but costly British counter-attacks and the remaining German troops were ordered to retire across the river by the night of 22 May. Later that same night, events further south prompted an order for the BEF to retire again, this time back to the Gort Line on the Franco-Belgian border.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007171–172_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007171–172-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/English_Channel" title="English Channel">Channel</a> ports were at risk of capture. Fresh troops were rushed from England to defend <a href="/wiki/Boulogne" class="mw-redirect" title="Boulogne">Boulogne</a> and <a href="/wiki/Calais" title="Calais">Calais</a> but after hard fighting, both ports were captured by 26 May in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Boulogne" title="Battle of Boulogne">Battle of Boulogne</a> and <a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Calais_(1940)" title="Siege of Calais (1940)">Siege of Calais</a>. On May 26,<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981377_44-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981377-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Gort ordered the BEF to withdraw to Dunkirk, the only port from which the BEF could still escape.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004153–170,_149_45-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004153–170,_149-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In his biography of <a href="/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery" title="Bernard Montgomery">Bernard Montgomery</a>, <a href="/wiki/Nigel_Hamilton_(author)" title="Nigel Hamilton (author)">Nigel Hamilton</a> described Gort's order as 'the greatest decision of his life'.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981376_46-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981376-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Retreat_to_Dunkirk">Retreat to Dunkirk</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Retreat to Dunkirk"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Le_Paradis_massacre">Le Paradis massacre</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Le Paradis massacre"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Le_Paradis_massacre" title="Le Paradis massacre">Le Paradis massacre</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Dunkirk_1940_HU1137.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Dunkirk_1940_HU1137.jpg/220px-Dunkirk_1940_HU1137.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="144" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Dunkirk_1940_HU1137.jpg/330px-Dunkirk_1940_HU1137.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Dunkirk_1940_HU1137.jpg/440px-Dunkirk_1940_HU1137.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="525" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">Men of the 2nd Battalion, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Ulster_Rifles" title="Royal Ulster Rifles">Royal Ulster Rifles</a>, part of the 3rd Division, awaiting evacuation at Bray Dunes, near Dunkirk, 1940.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>Detached <a href="/wiki/Company_(military_unit)" title="Company (military unit)">rifle companies</a> of the 2nd Battalion, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Norfolk_Regiment" title="Royal Norfolk Regiment">Royal Norfolk Regiment</a> of the 1st Battalion and <a href="/wiki/Royal_Scots" title="Royal Scots">Royal Scots</a> of the 2nd Infantry Division provided rearguards during the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200394–97_47-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200394–97-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The 2nd Royal Norfolks held the line at <a href="/wiki/La_Bass%C3%A9e" title="La Bassée">La Bassée</a> Canal with the 1/8th <a href="/wiki/Lancashire_Fusiliers" title="Lancashire Fusiliers">Lancashire Fusiliers</a>, while the 2nd Royal Norfolks and 1st Royal Scots held the villages of <a href="/w/index.php?title=Riez_du_Vinage&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Riez du Vinage (page does not exist)">Riez du Vinage</a> and <a href="/w/index.php?title=Le_Cornet_Malo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Le Cornet Malo (page does not exist)">Le Cornet Malo</a>, protecting the battalion <a href="/wiki/Military_headquarters" class="mw-redirect" title="Military headquarters">headquarters</a> at <a href="/wiki/Le_Paradis" class="mw-redirect" title="Le Paradis">Le Paradis</a> for as long as possible. After an engagement with German forces at dawn on 27 May in Le Cornet Malo, C Company and HQ Company of the 2nd Royal Norfolks fell back to the headquarters at the Cornet Farm outside Le Paradis.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007285–292Jackson2003285–289_48-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007285–292Jackson2003285–289-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-roll_49-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-roll-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> They were told by radio that their units were isolated and would not receive any assistance.<sup id="cite_ref-pooley_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pooley-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>German forces attacked the farmhouse with tanks, <a href="/wiki/Mortar_(weapon)" title="Mortar (weapon)">mortars</a> and artillery, which destroyed the building and forced the Norfolks to retreat to a nearby barn.<sup id="cite_ref-knochlein_51-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-knochlein-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Royal Norfolks continued their defensive stand into the evening, by which point many had been wounded by the German bombardment. The last contact with Brigade Headquarters at L'Epinette occurred at <span class="nowrap">11:30 a.m.</span> but despite the lack of support the Norfolks held on until <span class="nowrap">5:15 p.m.</span> when they ran out of ammunition.<sup id="cite_ref-knochlein_51-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-knochlein-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson2003288–289_52-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson2003288–289-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Cornered, outnumbered and with many wounded, 99 Royal Norfolks made a rush into the open but eventually, under the orders of their commander Major Lisle Ryder, the Norfolks surrendered. In the confusion of battle and in part due to battle fatigue, the Norfolks had surrendered not to the German company they had been fighting but rather to the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the <a href="/wiki/SS_Division_Totenkopf" class="mw-redirect" title="SS Division Totenkopf">SS <i>Totenkopf</i> Division</a> (Death's Head) (SS-<span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Hauptsturmf%C3%BChrer" title="Hauptsturmführer">Hauptsturmführer</a></i></span> and <span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Obersturmbannf%C3%BChrer" title="Obersturmbannführer">Obersturmbannführer</a></i></span> <a href="/wiki/Fritz_Kn%C3%B6chlein" title="Fritz Knöchlein">Fritz Knöchlein</a>), which had been fighting another isolated BEF unit, the Royal Scots, at an adjacent farm.<sup id="cite_ref-pooley_50-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pooley-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Knöchlein <span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Totenkopt</i></span> unit, notorious for their ruthlessness, had been engaged in mopping-up operations against Allied forces to the north and east of <a href="/wiki/Cambrai" title="Cambrai">Cambrai</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESydnor197793Ripley200439–42_53-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESydnor197793Ripley200439–42-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The 99 prisoners were marched to farm buildings on a nearby farm and lined up alongside a barn wall. They were then fired upon by two machine-guns; Knöchlein then armed his men with <a href="/wiki/Bayonet" title="Bayonet">bayonets</a> to kill the survivors. All but two of the Norfolks were killed and their bodies buried in a shallow pit. Privates Albert Pooley and William O'Callaghan, hiding in a pigsty, were discovered later by the farm's owner, Mme Creton and her son. The two soldiers were later captured by a <a href="/wiki/Wehrmacht" title="Wehrmacht">Wehrmacht</a> unit and spent the rest of the war as <a href="/wiki/Prisoners_of_war" class="mw-redirect" title="Prisoners of war">prisoners of war</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-pooley_50-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pooley-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="II_Corps_rearguard">II Corps rearguard</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: II Corps rearguard"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Ypres%E2%80%93Comines_Canal" title="Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal">Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal</a></div> <p>The II Corps commander <a href="/wiki/Lieutenant-general_(United_Kingdom)" title="Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)">Lieutenant General</a> <a href="/wiki/Alan_Brooke" class="mw-redirect" title="Alan Brooke">Alan Brooke</a>, was ordered to conduct a holding action with the <a href="/wiki/3rd_Division_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="3rd Division (United Kingdom)">3rd</a>, 4th, 5th and <a href="/wiki/50th_(Northumbrian)_Infantry_Division" title="50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division">50th Infantry Divisions</a> along the Ypres–Comines canal as far as Yser, while the rest of the BEF fell back. At mid-day on 27 May, the Germans attacked south of <a href="/wiki/Ypres" title="Ypres">Ypres</a> with three divisions. German infantry infiltrated through the defenders and forced them back.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson2009174–179_54-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson2009174–179-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 27 May, Brooke ordered Major-General <a href="/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery" title="Bernard Montgomery">Bernard Montgomery</a> to extend the 3rd Division line to the left, freeing the <a href="/wiki/10th_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="10th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)">10th</a> and <a href="/wiki/11th_Infantry_Brigade_and_Headquarters_South_East" class="mw-redirect" title="11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East">11th Brigades</a> of the 4th Division to join the 5th Division at Messines Ridge. The 10th and 11th Brigades managed to clear the ridge of Germans and by 28 May, the brigades were dug in east of Wytschaete. Brooke ordered a counter-attack led by the 3rd Battalion, <a href="/wiki/Grenadier_Guards" title="Grenadier Guards">Grenadier Guards</a> and the 2nd Battalion, <a href="/wiki/North_Staffordshire_Regiment" title="North Staffordshire Regiment">North Staffordshire Regiment</a> of the 1st Division. The North Staffords advanced as far as the Kortekeer River, while the Grenadiers managed to reach the Ypres–Comines Canal but could not hold it. The counter-attack disrupted the Germans, holding them back a little longer while the BEF continued its retreat.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson2009182–184_55-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson2009182–184-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Dunkirk">Dunkirk</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Dunkirk"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Dunkirk" title="Battle of Dunkirk">Battle of Dunkirk</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dunkirk_evacuation" title="Dunkirk evacuation">Dunkirk evacuation</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Little_ships_of_Dunkirk" class="mw-redirect" title="Little ships of Dunkirk">Little ships of Dunkirk</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk,_May-June_1940_H1621.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1621.jpg/220px-The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1621.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="168" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1621.jpg/330px-The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1621.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1621.jpg/440px-The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1621.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="612" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">British and French troops evacuated from Dunkirk arrive at Dover.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>The Germans failed to capture Dunkirk and on 31 May, General <a href="/wiki/Georg_von_K%C3%BCchler" title="Georg von Küchler">Georg von Küchler</a> assumed command of the German forces on the Dunkirk perimeter and planned a bigger attack for <span class="nowrap">11:00 a.m.</span> on 1 June. The French held the Germans back while the last troops were evacuated and just before midnight on 2 June, <a href="/wiki/Admiral_(Royal_Navy)" title="Admiral (Royal Navy)">Admiral</a> <a href="/wiki/Bertram_Ramsay" title="Bertram Ramsay">Bertram Ramsay</a>, the officer commanding the evacuation, received the signal "BEF evacuated"; the French began to fall back slowly. By 3 June, the Germans were 2 mi (3.2 km) from Dunkirk and at <span class="nowrap">10:20 a.m.</span> on 4 June, the Germans hoisted the swastika over the docks.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007455–457_56-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007455–457-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Before Operation Dynamo, <span class="nowrap">27,936 men</span> were embarked from Dunkirk; most of the remaining <span class="nowrap">198,315 men,</span> a total of <span class="nowrap">224,320 British</span> troops along with <span class="nowrap">139,097 French</span> and some Belgian troops, were evacuated from Dunkirk between 26 May and 4 June, though having to abandon much of their equipment, vehicles and heavy weapons.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004183–248_57-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004183–248-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="After_Dunkirk">After Dunkirk</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: After Dunkirk"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Lines-of-communication">Lines-of-communication</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Lines-of-communication"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Beauman_Division" title="Beauman Division">Beauman Division</a> and <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Abbeville" title="Battle of Abbeville">Battle of Abbeville</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Bassin_de_la_Somme.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Bassin_de_la_Somme.svg/220px-Bassin_de_la_Somme.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="142" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Bassin_de_la_Somme.svg/330px-Bassin_de_la_Somme.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Bassin_de_la_Somme.svg/440px-Bassin_de_la_Somme.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1464" data-file-height="948" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">The Somme Valley</div></figcaption></figure> <p>Allied forces north of the Somme were cut off by the German advance on the night of <span class="nowrap">22/23 May,</span> which isolated the BEF from its supply <span title="French-language text"><i lang="fr"><a href="/wiki/Entrep%C3%B4ts" class="mw-redirect" title="Entrepôts">entrepôts</a></i></span> of <a href="/wiki/Cherbourg" title="Cherbourg">Cherbourg</a>, <a href="/wiki/Brittany" title="Brittany">Brittany</a> and Nantes. Dieppe was the main BEF medical base and Le Havre the principal supply and ordnance source. The main BEF ammunition depot and its infantry, machine-gun and base depots were around Rouen, <a href="/wiki/%C3%89vreux" title="Évreux">Évreux</a> and <a href="/wiki/Saint-Aubin-%C3%89pinay" title="Saint-Aubin-Épinay">Épinay</a>. Three Territorial divisions and three lines-of-communication battalions had been moved north of the Seine on 17 May.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004252–253_58-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004252–253-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Rail movements between these bases and the Somme was impeded by German bombing and trains arriving from the north full of Belgian and French troops; the roads also filled with retreating troops and refugees. <a href="/wiki/Acting_(rank)" class="mw-redirect" title="Acting (rank)">Acting</a> Brigadier <a href="/wiki/Archibald_Bentley_Beauman" class="mw-redirect" title="Archibald Bentley Beauman">Archibald Beauman</a> lost contact with BEF GHQ.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254_59-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Beauman improvised Beauforce from two infantry battalions, four machine-gun platoons and a company of Royal Engineers. Vicforce (Colonel C. E. Vickary) took over five provisional battalions from troops in base depots, who had few arms and little equipment.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254_59-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Germans captured Amiens on 20 May, setting off panic and the spread of alarmist reports. Beauman ordered the digging of a defence line along the <a href="/wiki/Andelle" title="Andelle">Andelle</a> and <a href="/wiki/B%C3%A9thune_(river)" title="Béthune (river)">Béthune</a> to protect Dieppe and Rouen.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254_59-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> From <span class="nowrap">1–3 June,</span> the 51st Highland Division (formerly Saar Force) a Composite Regiment and the remnants of the 1st Support Group, <a href="/wiki/1st_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom)">1st Armoured Division</a>, relieved the French opposite the Abbeville–St Valery bridgehead. The Beauman Division held a 55 mi (89 km) line from <a href="/wiki/Pont-Saint-Pierre" title="Pont-Saint-Pierre">Pont St Pierre</a>, 11 mi (18 km) south-east of Rouen to <a href="/wiki/Dieppe" title="Dieppe">Dieppe</a> on the coast, which left the British units holding 18 mi (29 km) of the front line, 44 mi (71 km) of the Bresle and 55 mi (89 km) of the Andelle–Béthune line, with the rest of IX Corps on the right flank.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004265_60-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004265-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Second_BEF">Second BEF</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Second BEF"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4743.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4743.jpg/220px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4743.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="143" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4743.jpg/330px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4743.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4743.jpg/440px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4743.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="520" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">Men of the 7th Battalion, <a href="/wiki/Argyll_and_Sutherland_Highlanders" title="Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders">Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders</a>, part of the <a href="/wiki/51st_(Highland)_Division" title="51st (Highland) Division">51st (Highland) Division</a>, holding a position in the <a href="/wiki/Bresle_(river)" title="Bresle (river)">River Bresle</a> area, France, 6 June 1940.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>On 31 May, GHQ BEF closed and 2 June, Brooke visited the War Office and was given command of a new II Corps, comprising the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division and the 1st Armoured Division, with the <a href="/wiki/52nd_(Lowland)_Infantry_Division" title="52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division">52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division</a> and the <a href="/wiki/1st_Canadian_Infantry_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="1st Canadian Infantry Division">1st Canadian Infantry Division</a> from Home Forces in Britain, then the 3rd Infantry Division as soon as it was ready.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004238Tackle2009104–105_61-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004238Tackle2009104–105-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Brooke warned that the enterprise was futile, except as a political gesture. On 6 June, the Cabinet decided to reconstitute the BEF (Second BEF is an informal post-war term) with Gort remaining as commander in chief.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004276_62-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004276-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/157th_(Highland_Light_Infantry)_Brigade" title="157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade">157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade</a> (a <a href="/wiki/Brigade_group" title="Brigade group">brigade group</a>) of the 52nd (Lowland) Division, departed for France on 7 June; Brooke returned five days later.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAlanbrooke200274–75_63-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAlanbrooke200274–75-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 9 June, the French port Admiral at Le Havre reported that Rouen had fallen and that the Germans were heading for the coast. Ihler and Fortune decided that their only hope of escape was via Le Havre. The port admiral requested British ships for <span class="nowrap">85,000 troops</span> but this contradicted earlier plans for the IX Corps retirement and Dill hesitated, ignorant that the original plan was untenable. Karslake urged that the retirement be accelerated but had no authority to issue orders. Only after contacting the <a href="/wiki/Richard_Howard-Vyse" title="Richard Howard-Vyse">Howard-Vyse</a> Military Mission at GQG and receiving a message that the 51st (Highland) Division was retreating with IX Corps towards Le Havre, did Dill learn the truth.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979180–181_64-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979180–181-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="St_Valery">St Valery</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: St Valery"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:SS_Bruges_(1920).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/SS_Bruges_%281920%29.jpg/220px-SS_Bruges_%281920%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="114" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/SS_Bruges_%281920%29.jpg/330px-SS_Bruges_%281920%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/SS_Bruges_%281920%29.jpg/440px-SS_Bruges_%281920%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="312" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">Pre-war photograph of <a href="/wiki/SS_Bruges_(1920)" title="SS Bruges (1920)">SS <i>Bruges</i></a></div></figcaption></figure> <p>The retreat to the coast began after dark and the last troops slipped away from the Béthune river at <span class="nowrap">11:00 p.m.</span> Units were ordered to dump non-essential equipment and each gun were reduced to <span class="nowrap">100 rounds</span> to make room on the RASC transport for the men. The night move was difficult as French troops, many horse-drawn, encroached on the British route and alarmist rumours spread. Fortune and Ihler set up at a road junction near Veules-les-Roses to direct troops to their positions and by the morning of 11 June, IX Corps had established a defence round St Valery. French transport continued to arrive at the perimeter and it was difficult in some places to recognise German troops following up, which inhibited defensive fire.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004288_65-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004288-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> That night, Fortune signalled that it was now or never. Troops not needed to hold the perimeter moved down to the beaches and the harbour. An armada of <span class="nowrap">67 merchant</span> ships and <span class="nowrap">140 small</span> craft had been assembled but few had wireless; thick fog ruined visual signalling and prevented the ships from moving inshore. Only at <a href="/wiki/Veules-les-Roses" title="Veules-les-Roses">Veules-les-Roses</a> at the east end of the perimeter, were many soldiers rescued, under fire from German artillery, which damaged the destroyers <a href="/wiki/HMS_Bulldog_(H91)" title="HMS Bulldog (H91)">HMS <i>Bulldog</i></a>, <i>Boadicea</i> and <i>Ambuscade</i>; 2,137 British and 1,184 French troops were evacuated.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004239_66-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004239-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Near dawn, the troops at the harbour were ordered back into the town and at <span class="nowrap">7:30 a.m.,</span> Fortune signalled that it might still be possible to escape the next night, then discovered that the local French commander had already surrendered.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957230–232_67-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERoskill1957230–232-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Le_Havre">Le Havre</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Le Havre"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Operation_Cycle" title="Operation Cycle">Operation Cycle</a></div> <p>Fortune had detached <a href="/wiki/Arkforce_(1940)" title="Arkforce (1940)">Arkforce</a> comprising the 154th Infantry Brigade, A Brigade of the Beauman Division, two artillery regiments and engineers to guard Le Havre. Arkforce moved on the night of <span class="nowrap">9/10 June</span> towards Fécamp, where most had passed through before the 7th <span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Panzer</i></span> Division arrived. A Brigade managed to force its way out but lost the wireless truck for liaison with the 51st (Highland) Division and Stanley-Clarke ordered Arkforce on to Le Havre.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979180–181_64-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979180–181-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 9 June, the Admiralty ordered Le Havre to be evacuated and the <a href="/wiki/Commander-in-Chief,_Portsmouth" title="Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth">Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth</a> sent a <a href="/wiki/Flotilla_leader" title="Flotilla leader">flotilla leader</a>, <a href="/wiki/HMS_Codrington" title="HMS Codrington">HMS <i>Codrington</i></a> across the channel, accompanied by six British and two Canadian destroyers, smaller craft and Dutch coasters (known as <a href="/wiki/Schuyt" class="mw-redirect" title="Schuyt">schuyts</a>). On 10 June, <a href="/wiki/HMS_Vega_(L41)" title="HMS Vega (L41)">HMS <i>Vega</i></a> escorted three <a href="/wiki/Blockships" class="mw-redirect" title="Blockships">blockships</a> to Dieppe and two were sunk in the approach channel.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957231,_230_68-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERoskill1957231,_230-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Beach parties landed at Le Havre on 10 June and the evacuation began on 11 June, hindered somewhat by <span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Luftwaffe</i></span> bombing. The troopship <a href="/wiki/SS_Bruges_(1920)" title="SS Bruges (1920)">SS <i>Bruges</i></a> was beached and the electric power was cut, rendering the cranes on the docks useless and improvised methods to embark heavy equipment were too slow. On 12 June, RAF fighters deterred more raids and the quartermaster of the 14th Royal Fusiliers got the transport away over the Seine via the ferry at Caudebec and ships at Quillebeuf at the river mouth.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979181–182_69-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979181–182-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Navy got 2,222 British troops from Le Havre to England and 8,837 were taken to Cherbourg to join the forces being assembled for the new II Corps (Second BEF).<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004293_70-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004293-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Retreat_from_Normandy">Retreat from Normandy</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: Retreat from Normandy"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Expeditionary_Force_(BEF)_in_France_1939-1940_F4689.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_F4689.jpg/220px-The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_F4689.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="219" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_F4689.jpg/330px-The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_F4689.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_F4689.jpg/440px-The_British_Expeditionary_Force_%28BEF%29_in_France_1939-1940_F4689.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="798" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">A column of British soldiers retreating in June 1940.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>By 13 June, the Germans were across the Seine and the <a href="/wiki/Tenth_Army_(France)" class="mw-redirect" title="Tenth Army (France)">Tenth Army</a> (General <a href="/wiki/Robert_Altmayer" title="Robert Altmayer">Robert Altmayer</a>) was isolated on the Channel coast. The AASF was ordered to retreat towards Nantes or Bordeaux while supporting the French armies, flying armed reconnaissance sorties over the Seine from dawn, which cost ten aircraft and crews; bad weather limited fighter sorties to the coast.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004295_71-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004295-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> On 14 June, attacks resumed against German units south of the Seine but the weather deteriorated and fewer sorties were flown. Seven Blenheims were shot down raiding <a href="/wiki/Merville-Franceville-Plage" title="Merville-Franceville-Plage">Merville</a> airfield but ten Fighter Command squadrons patrolled twice in squadron strength or provided bomber escorts, the biggest effort since Dunkirk, fighters of the AASF patrolling south of the Seine. The remnants of the 1st Armoured Division and two brigades of the Beauman Division had got south of the river, with thousands of lines-of-communication troops but only the 157th Infantry Brigade, 52nd (Lowland) Division was in contact with the Germans, occupying successive defensive positions. The French armies were forced into divergent retreats, with no obvious front line.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296_72-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 12 June, Weygand had recommended that the French government seek an armistice, which led to an abortive plan to create a defensive zone in Brittany. On 14 June, Brooke was able to prevent the rest of the 52nd (Lowland) Division being sent to join the 157th Infantry Brigade Group and during the night Brooke was told that he was no longer under French command and must prepare to withdraw the British forces from France. Marshall-Cornwall was ordered to take command of all British forces under the Tenth Army as <a href="/wiki/Norman_Force" title="Norman Force">Norman Force</a> and while continuing to co-operate, to withdraw towards Cherbourg. The rest of the 52nd (Lowland) Division was ordered back to a line near Cherbourg to cover the evacuation on 15 June. The AASF was directed to send its remaining bomber squadrons back to Britain and use the fighters to cover the evacuations. The German advance began again during the day, with the 157th Infantry Brigade Group engaged east of <a href="/wiki/Conches-en-Ouche" title="Conches-en-Ouche">Conches-en-Ouche</a> with the Tenth Army, which was ordered back to a line from Verneuil to <a href="/wiki/Argentan" title="Argentan">Argentan</a> and the Dives river, where the British took over an 8 mi (13 km) front. German forces followed up quickly and on 16 June, Altmayer ordered the army to retreat into the Brittany peninsula.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296,_300–302_73-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296,_300–302-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Operation_Aerial">Operation Aerial</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: Operation Aerial"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Operation_Aerial" title="Operation Aerial">Operation Aerial</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4826.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4826.jpg/220px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4826.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="216" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4826.jpg/330px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4826.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4826.jpg/440px-The_British_Army_in_France_1940_F4826.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="784" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">British troops being evacuated from Brest during <a href="/wiki/Operation_Aerial" title="Operation Aerial">Operation Aerial</a>, 16–17 June 1940.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>From <span class="nowrap">15–25 June,</span> British and Allied ships were covered by five RAF fighter squadrons in France, assisted by aircraft from England as they embarked British, Polish and Czech troops, civilians and equipment from the French Atlantic ports, particularly <a href="/wiki/St_Nazaire" class="mw-redirect" title="St Nazaire">St Nazaire</a> and Nantes. The <span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a></i></span> attacked the evacuation ships and on 17 June, sank the troopship <a href="/wiki/RMS_Lancastria" title="RMS Lancastria">RMS <i>Lancastria</i></a> in the <a href="/wiki/Loire" title="Loire">Loire</a> estuary. About <span class="nowrap">2,477 passengers</span> and crew were saved but thousands of troops, RAF personnel and civilians were on board and at least <span class="nowrap">3,500 people</span> died.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957229–240_74-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERoskill1957229–240-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Some equipment was embarked but ignorance about the progress of the <a href="/wiki/German_Army_(Wehrmacht)" class="mw-redirect" title="German Army (Wehrmacht)">German Army</a> and alarmist reports, led some operations to be terminated early and much equipment needlessly was destroyed or left behind. About 700 tanks, 20,000 motor bikes, 45,000 cars and lorries, 880 field guns and 310 larger equipments, about 500 anti-aircraft guns, 850 anti-tank guns, 6,400 anti-tank rifles and 11,000 machine-guns were abandoned.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan1952117_75-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan1952117-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The official evacuation ended on 25 June, according to the terms of the <a href="/wiki/Armistice_of_22_June_1940" title="Armistice of 22 June 1940">Armistice of 22 June 1940</a> but informal departures continued from French Mediterranean ports until 14 August. From Operation Cycle at Le Havre, elsewhere along the Channel coast, to the termination of Operation Aerial, another <span class="nowrap">191,870 BEF</span> troops were rescued, bringing the total of military and civilian personnel returned to Britain during the Battle of France to <span class="nowrap">558,032, including</span> <span class="nowrap">368,491</span> British troops.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957229–240_74-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERoskill1957229–240-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Left behind in France was eight to ten divisions' worth of equipment and ammunition.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan1952117_75-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan1952117-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As troops returned to Britain, they increased the manpower of the <a href="/wiki/Commander-in-Chief,_Home_Forces" title="Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces">Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces</a> (General <a href="/wiki/Edmund_Ironside,_1st_Baron_Ironside" title="Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside">Edmond Ironside</a> 27 May to 20 July, then Brooke) but the trained and equipped units had been stripped from Home Forces and sent to France; only about two divisions' worth of equipment remained in the country. The equivalent of twelve divisions returned to Britain but these could only be re-equipped by the <a href="/wiki/Ministry_of_Supply" title="Ministry of Supply">Ministry of Supply</a> from production. Deliveries of 25-pounder field guns had increased to about 35 per month by June but the establishment of one infantry division was 72 guns.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECollier2004143,_127_76-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECollier2004143,_127-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Aftermath">Aftermath</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=29" title="Edit section: Aftermath"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Analysis">Analysis</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=30" title="Edit section: Analysis"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk,_May-June_1940_H1643.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1643.jpg/220px-The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1643.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="166" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1643.jpg/330px-The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1643.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1643.jpg/440px-The_British_Army_in_the_UK-_Evacuation_From_Dunkirk%2C_May-June_1940_H1643.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="604" /></a><figcaption><div class="center" style="width:auto; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;">Exhausted British troops rest on the quayside at <a href="/wiki/Dover" title="Dover">Dover</a>, <a href="/wiki/Kent" title="Kent">Kent</a>, <a href="/wiki/England" title="England">England</a>, 31 May 1940.</div></figcaption></figure> <p>In 1953, <a href="/wiki/Lionel_Ellis" title="Lionel Ellis">Lionel Ellis</a>, the British official historian, wrote that by the end of the informal evacuations on 14 August, another <span class="nowrap">191,870 men</span> had been evacuated after the <span class="nowrap">366,162 rescued</span> by Operation Dynamo, a total of <span class="nowrap">558,032 people,</span> <span class="nowrap">368,491 being</span> British troops.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004305_77-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004305-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2001, Brodhurst wrote that many civilians escaped from French Atlantic and Mediterranean ports to England via <a href="/wiki/Gibraltar" title="Gibraltar">Gibraltar</a> and that <span class="nowrap">22,656 more</span> civilians left the <a href="/wiki/Channel_Islands" title="Channel Islands">Channel Islands</a>, from <span class="nowrap">19–23 June.</span><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBrodhurst2001137_78-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBrodhurst2001137-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Much military equipment was lost but <span class="nowrap">322 guns,</span> <span class="nowrap">4,739 vehicles,</span> <span class="nowrap">533 motor</span> cycles. 32,303 long tons (32,821 t) of ammunition, 33,060 long tons (33,591 t) of stores, 1,071 long tons (1,088 t) of petrol, <span class="nowrap">13 <a href="/wiki/Light_Tank_Mk_VI" class="mw-redirect" title="Light Tank Mk VI">light tanks</a></span> and <span class="nowrap">9 <a href="/wiki/Cruiser_tanks" class="mw-redirect" title="Cruiser tanks">cruiser tanks</a></span> were recovered. During the BEF evacuations <span class="nowrap">2,472 guns,</span> anti-aircraft guns and anti-tank guns were destroyed or abandoned along with <span class="nowrap">63,879 vehicles</span> consisting of <span class="nowrap">20,548 motor</span> cycles and 45,000 cars and lorries, 76,697 long tons (77,928 t) of ammunition, 415,940 long tons (422,615 t) of supplies and equipment and 164,929 long tons (167,576 t) of petrol.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004327_79-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004327-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>For every seven soldiers who escaped through Dunkirk, one man was left behind as a prisoner of war. The majority of these prisoners were sent on forced marches into Germany to towns such as <a href="/wiki/Trier" title="Trier">Trier</a>, the march taking as long as twenty days. Others were moved on foot to the river Scheldt and were sent by barge to the <a href="/wiki/Ruhr" title="Ruhr">Ruhr</a>. The prisoners were then sent by rail to POW camps in Germany. The majority (those below the rank of corporal) then worked in German industry and agriculture for five years.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELongden2008383–404_80-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELongden2008383–404-80"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> An intelligence report by the German <a href="/wiki/IV_Army_Corps_(Wehrmacht)" title="IV Army Corps (Wehrmacht)">IV Corps</a>, which had been engaged against the BEF from the Dyle line to the coast, was circulated to the divisions training for <a href="/wiki/Operation_Sealion" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Sealion">Operation Sealion</a>. The report said of the men of the BEF, </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>The English soldier was in excellent physical condition. He bore his own wounds with stoical calm. The losses of his own troops he discussed with complete equanimity. He did not complain of hardships. In battle he was tough and dogged. His conviction that England would conquer in the end was unshakeable.... The English soldier has always shown himself to be a fighter of high value. Certainly the Territorial divisions are inferior to the Regular troops in training but where morale is concerned they are their equal.... In defence the Englishman took any punishment that came his way.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004326,_394_81-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004326,_394-81"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>80<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Casualties">Casualties</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=31" title="Edit section: Casualties"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The BEF suffered <span class="nowrap">66,426 casualties, </span><span class="nowrap">11,014 killed</span> or died of wounds, <span class="nowrap">14,074 wounded</span> and <span class="nowrap">41,338 men</span> missing or taken prisoner.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007506_82-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007506-82"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>81<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Map_gallery">Map gallery</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=32" title="Edit section: Map gallery"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-packed"> <li class="gallerycaption">German advances through The Netherlands, Belgium and France</li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 178px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 176px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Maginot_Line-en.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Maginot line defences"><img alt="Maginot line defences" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Maginot_Line-en.svg/264px-Maginot_Line-en.svg.png" decoding="async" width="176" height="140" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Maginot_Line-en.svg/395px-Maginot_Line-en.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Maginot_Line-en.svg/527px-Maginot_Line-en.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="674" data-file-height="537" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Maginot line defences</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 183.33333333333px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 181.33333333333px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:10May_16May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG" class="mw-file-description" title="10 to 16 May 1940"><img alt="10 to 16 May 1940" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/10May_16May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG/272px-10May_16May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG" decoding="async" width="182" height="140" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/10May_16May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG/407px-10May_16May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/10May_16May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG/543px-10May_16May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG 2x" data-file-width="891" data-file-height="689" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"> 10 to 16 May 1940</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 183.33333333333px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 181.33333333333px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:16May-21May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG" class="mw-file-description" title="16 to 21 May"><img alt="16 to 21 May" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/16May-21May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG/272px-16May-21May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG" decoding="async" width="182" height="140" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/16May-21May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG/408px-16May-21May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/16May-21May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG/543px-16May-21May_Battle_of_Belgium.PNG 2x" data-file-width="890" data-file-height="688" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"> 16 to 21 May</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 184px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 182px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:21May-4June_Battle_of_Belgium.png" class="mw-file-description" title="21 May to 6 June"><img alt="21 May to 6 June" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/21May-4June_Battle_of_Belgium.png/273px-21May-4June_Battle_of_Belgium.png" decoding="async" width="182" height="140" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/21May-4June_Battle_of_Belgium.png/409px-21May-4June_Battle_of_Belgium.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/21May-4June_Battle_of_Belgium.png/545px-21May-4June_Battle_of_Belgium.png 2x" data-file-width="890" data-file-height="686" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"> 21 May to 6 June</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 186px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 184px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:4June-12June1940-Fall_Rot.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="4–12 June"><img alt="4–12 June" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/4June-12June1940-Fall_Rot.jpg/276px-4June-12June1940-Fall_Rot.jpg" decoding="async" width="184" height="140" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/4June-12June1940-Fall_Rot.jpg/414px-4June-12June1940-Fall_Rot.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/4June-12June1940-Fall_Rot.jpg/552px-4June-12June1940-Fall_Rot.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1256" data-file-height="956" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"> 4–12 June</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 183.33333333333px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 181.33333333333px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:13June_25June1940_FallRot-es.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="13–25 June"><img alt="13–25 June" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/13June_25June1940_FallRot-es.svg/272px-13June_25June1940_FallRot-es.svg.png" decoding="async" width="182" height="140" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/13June_25June1940_FallRot-es.svg/407px-13June_25June1940_FallRot-es.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/13June_25June1940_FallRot-es.svg/543px-13June_25June1940_FallRot-es.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="893" data-file-height="691" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"> 13–25 June</div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Commemoration">Commemoration</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=33" title="Edit section: Commemoration"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>No <a href="/wiki/Campaign_medal" title="Campaign medal">campaign medal</a> was awarded for the Battle of France, but servicemen who had spent 180 days in France between 3 September 1939 and 9 May 1940, or <i>"a single day, or part thereof"</i> in France or Belgium between 10 May and 19 June 1940, qualified for the <a href="/wiki/1939%E2%80%931945_Star" title="1939–1945 Star">1939–1945 Star</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-83"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>82<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=34" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">It is a French convention to list military forces from left to right.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEdmonds1928267_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEdmonds1928267-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Footnotes">Footnotes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=35" title="Edit section: Footnotes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 20em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/defeat-west">"Defeat in the West, 1940"</a>. <i>National Army Museum</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 August</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=National+Army+Museum&rft.atitle=Defeat+in+the+West%2C+1940&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nam.ac.uk%2Fexplore%2Fdefeat-west&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan19521-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan19521_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, p. 1.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan19521–2,_6–7-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan19521–2,_6–7_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, pp. 1–2, 6–7.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECollier200421-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECollier200421_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCollier2004">Collier 2004</a>, p. 21.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan19529,_27–29-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan19529,_27–29_5-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, pp. 9, 27–29.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195229–30-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195229–30_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195229–30_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, pp. 29–30.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195273-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195273_7-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, p. 73.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34Ellis20045-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34Ellis20045_8-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, pp. 33–34; <a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 5.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34_72-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195233–34_72_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, pp. 33–34 72.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195272-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195272_10-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, p. 72.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan195272–73-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan195272–73_11-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, pp. 72–73.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBond20011–2-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBond20011–2_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBond2001">Bond 2001</a>, pp. 1–2.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200411-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200411_13-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 11.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200415-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200415_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBond20016-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBond20016_15-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBond2001">Bond 2001</a>, p. 6.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200420,_249–252-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200420,_249–252_16-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 20, 249–252.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200433-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200433_17-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 33.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBond20018-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBond20018_18-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBond2001">Bond 2001</a>, p. 8.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTETackle200923-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETackle200923_19-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETackle200923_19-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFTackle2009">Tackle 2009</a>, p. 23.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis200419,_357–368-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis200419,_357–368_20-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 19, 357–368.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007509–511,_7,_172-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007509–511,_7,_172_21-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 509–511, 7, 172.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECharman2010284-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECharman2010284_22-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCharman2010">Charman 2010</a>, p. 284.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a7–8-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a7–8_23-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDoughty2014a">Doughty 2014a</a>, pp. 7–8.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a11-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a11_24-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a11_24-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDoughty2014a">Doughty 2014a</a>, p. 11.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEdmonds1928267-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEdmonds1928267_25-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEdmonds1928">Edmonds 1928</a>, p. 267.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a12-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a12_27-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDoughty2014a">Doughty 2014a</a>, p. 12.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a8–9-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoughty2014a8–9_28-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDoughty2014a">Doughty 2014a</a>, pp. 8–9.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTERowe1959142–143,_148Jackson200337–38-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERowe1959142–143,_148Jackson200337–38_29-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFRowe1959">Rowe 1959</a>, pp. 142–143, 148; <a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 37–38.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200337–38-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200337–38_30-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 37–38.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200338–39-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200338–39_31-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 38–39.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200759–61-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200759–61_32-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 59–61.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007512–513,_78-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007512–513,_78_33-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 512–513, 78.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200775–76-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200775–76_34-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 75–76.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson200937–38-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson200937–38_35-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFThompson2009">Thompson 2009</a>, pp. 37–38.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200777–79-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore200777–79_36-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 77–79.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200339–43-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200339–43_37-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 39–43.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200343–46-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200343–46_38-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 43–46.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200348–52,_56-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200348–52,_56_39-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 48–52, 56.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson200947,_63–65-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson200947,_63–65_40-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFThompson2009">Thompson 2009</a>, pp. 47, 63–65.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTETackle200926–37-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETackle200926–37_41-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFTackle2009">Tackle 2009</a>, pp. 26–37.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007521,_156–157-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007521,_156–157_42-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 521, 156–157.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007171–172-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007171–172_43-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 171–172.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981377-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981377_44-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHamilton1981">Hamilton 1981</a>, p. 377.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004153–170,_149-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004153–170,_149_45-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 153–170, 149.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981376-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHamilton1981376_46-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHamilton1981">Hamilton 1981</a>, p. 376.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson200394–97-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson200394–97_47-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 94–97.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007285–292Jackson2003285–289-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007285–292Jackson2003285–289_48-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 285–292; <a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 285–289.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-roll-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-roll_49-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Regiments/RoyalNorfolkMassacreWordlWar2.html">"Massacre of Royal Norfolk Soldiers At Le Paradis"</a>. War Memorials Trust<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">12 December</span> 2007</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Massacre+of+Royal+Norfolk+Soldiers+At+Le+Paradis&rft.pub=War+Memorials+Trust&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roll-of-honour.com%2FRegiments%2FRoyalNorfolkMassacreWordlWar2.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-pooley-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-pooley_50-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-pooley_50-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-pooley_50-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160428143223/http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/pooleys_revenge.htm">"Private Pooley's Revenge"</a>. British Military & Criminal History. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.stephen-stratford.co.uk/pooleys_revenge.htm">the original</a> on 28 April 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">24 January</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Private+Pooley%27s+Revenge&rft.pub=British+Military+%26+Criminal+History&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stephen-stratford.co.uk%2Fpooleys_revenge.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-knochlein-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-knochlein_51-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-knochlein_51-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSchweisfurth" class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Schweisfurth, Uwe. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071223095859/http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Waffen-SS/K/Knoechlein-Fritz.htm">"Ritterkreuzträger Fritz Knöchlein"</a> (in German). Uwe Schweisfurth. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Waffen-SS/K/Knoechlein-Fritz.htm">the original</a> on 23 December 2007<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 December</span> 2007</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Ritterkreuztr%C3%A4ger+Fritz+Kn%C3%B6chlein&rft.pub=Uwe+Schweisfurth&rft.aulast=Schweisfurth&rft.aufirst=Uwe&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de%2FWaffen-SS%2FK%2FKnoechlein-Fritz.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJackson2003288–289-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJackson2003288–289_52-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFJackson2003">Jackson 2003</a>, pp. 288–289.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESydnor197793Ripley200439–42-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESydnor197793Ripley200439–42_53-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSydnor1977">Sydnor 1977</a>, p. 93; <a href="#CITEREFRipley2004">Ripley 2004</a>, pp. 39–42.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson2009174–179-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson2009174–179_54-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFThompson2009">Thompson 2009</a>, pp. 174–179.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEThompson2009182–184-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEThompson2009182–184_55-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFThompson2009">Thompson 2009</a>, pp. 182–184.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007455–457-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007455–457_56-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, pp. 455–457.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004183–248-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004183–248_57-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 183–248.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004252–253-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004252–253_58-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 252–253.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254_59-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254_59-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004253–254_59-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 253–254.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004265-60"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004265_60-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 265.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004238Tackle2009104–105-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004238Tackle2009104–105_61-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 238; <a href="#CITEREFTackle2009">Tackle 2009</a>, pp. 104–105.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004276-62"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004276_62-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 276.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEAlanbrooke200274–75-63"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAlanbrooke200274–75_63-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFAlanbrooke2002">Alanbrooke 2002</a>, pp. 74–75.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979180–181-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979180–181_64-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979180–181_64-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKarslake1979">Karslake 1979</a>, pp. 180–181.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004288-65"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004288_65-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 288.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004239-66"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004239_66-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 239.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTERoskill1957230–232-67"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957230–232_67-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFRoskill1957">Roskill 1957</a>, pp. 230–232.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTERoskill1957231,_230-68"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957231,_230_68-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFRoskill1957">Roskill 1957</a>, pp. 231, 230.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979181–182-69"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKarslake1979181–182_69-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKarslake1979">Karslake 1979</a>, pp. 181–182.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004293-70"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004293_70-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 293.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004295-71"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004295_71-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 295.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296-72"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296_72-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 296.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296,_300–302-73"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004296,_300–302_73-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 296, 300–302.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTERoskill1957229–240-74"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957229–240_74-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERoskill1957229–240_74-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFRoskill1957">Roskill 1957</a>, pp. 229–240.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPostan1952117-75"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan1952117_75-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPostan1952117_75-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPostan1952">Postan 1952</a>, p. 117.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECollier2004143,_127-76"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECollier2004143,_127_76-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCollier2004">Collier 2004</a>, pp. 143, 127.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004305-77"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004305_77-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 305.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBrodhurst2001137-78"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBrodhurst2001137_78-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBrodhurst2001">Brodhurst 2001</a>, p. 137.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004327-79"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004327_79-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, p. 327.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELongden2008383–404-80"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELongden2008383–404_80-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLongden2008">Longden 2008</a>, pp. 383–404.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEllis2004326,_394-81"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEllis2004326,_394_81-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEllis2004">Ellis 2004</a>, pp. 326, 394.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007506-82"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESebag-Montefiore2007506_82-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007">Sebag-Montefiore 2007</a>, p. 506.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-83"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-83">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/warrants/h9-reg.html">The 1939–1945 Star Regulations</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170018/http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/warrants/h9-reg.html">Archived</a> 3 March 2016 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=36" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239549316">.mw-parser-output .refbegin{margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul li{list-style:none}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{padding-left:1.6em;text-indent:-1.6em}}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%}}</style><div class="refbegin" style=""> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAlanbrooke2002" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Alan_Brooke,_1st_Viscount_Alanbrooke" title="Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke">Alanbrooke, Field Marshal Lord</a> (2002) [2001]. Danchev, Alex; Todman, Daniel (eds.). <i>War Diaries</i> (Phoenix Press, London ed.). London: <a href="/wiki/Weidenfeld_%26_Nicolson" title="Weidenfeld & Nicolson">Weidenfeld & Nicolson</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84212-526-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84212-526-7"><bdi>978-1-84212-526-7</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=War+Diaries&rft.place=London&rft.edition=Phoenix+Press%2C+London&rft.pub=Weidenfeld+%26+Nicolson&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=978-1-84212-526-7&rft.aulast=Alanbrooke&rft.aufirst=Field+Marshal+Lord&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBond2001" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Brian_Bond" title="Brian Bond">Bond, B.</a> (2001). Bond, B.; Taylor, M. D. (eds.). <i>The Battle for France & Flanders Sixty Years On</i>. Barnsley: Leo Cooper. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85052-811-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-85052-811-4"><bdi>978-0-85052-811-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Battle+for+France+%26+Flanders+Sixty+Years+On&rft.place=Barnsley&rft.pub=Leo+Cooper&rft.date=2001&rft.isbn=978-0-85052-811-4&rft.aulast=Bond&rft.aufirst=B.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><span id="CITEREFBondTaylor2001" class="citation">Bond, B.; Taylor, M. D. "Introduction: Preparing the Field Force, February 1939 – May 1940". In <a href="#CITEREFBondTaylor2001">Bond & Taylor (2001)</a>.</span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><span id="CITEREFBrodhurst2001" class="citation">Brodhurst, R. "The Royal Navy's Role in the Campaign". In <a href="#CITEREFBondTaylor2001">Bond & Taylor (2001)</a>.</span></li></ul></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCharman2010" class="citation book cs1">Charman, Terry (2010). <i>The Day We went to War</i>. London: Random House. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7535-3668-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7535-3668-1"><bdi>978-0-7535-3668-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Day+We+went+to+War&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Random+House&rft.date=2010&rft.isbn=978-0-7535-3668-1&rft.aulast=Charman&rft.aufirst=Terry&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCollier2004" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Basil_Collier" title="Basil Collier">Collier, B.</a> (2004) [1957]. <a href="/wiki/James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler" class="mw-redirect" title="James Ramsay Montagu Butler">Butler, J. R. M.</a> (ed.). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-Defence-UK/index.html"><i>The Defence of the United Kingdom</i></a>. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series (facs. pbk. repr. Naval & Military Press, Uckfield ed.). London: <a href="/wiki/HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-845-74055-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-845-74055-9"><bdi>978-1-845-74055-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Defence+of+the+United+Kingdom&rft.place=London&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War+United+Kingdom+Military+Series&rft.edition=facs.+pbk.+repr.+Naval+%26+Military+Press%2C+Uckfield&rft.pub=HMSO&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=978-1-845-74055-9&rft.aulast=Collier&rft.aufirst=B.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibiblio.org%2Fhyperwar%2FUN%2FUK%2FUK-Defence-UK%2Findex.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDoughty2014a" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Robert_A._Doughty" title="Robert A. Doughty">Doughty, R. A.</a> (2014a) [1985]. <i>The Seeds of Disaster: The Development of French Army Doctrine, 1919–39</i> (Stackpole, Mechanicsburg, PA ed.). Hamden, CT: Archon Books. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8117-1460-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8117-1460-0"><bdi>978-0-8117-1460-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Seeds+of+Disaster%3A+The+Development+of+French+Army+Doctrine%2C+1919%E2%80%9339&rft.place=Hamden%2C+CT&rft.edition=Stackpole%2C+Mechanicsburg%2C+PA&rft.pub=Archon+Books&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=978-0-8117-1460-0&rft.aulast=Doughty&rft.aufirst=R.+A.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEdmonds1928" class="citation book cs1">Edmonds, J. E. (1928). <i>Military Operations France and Belgium, 1915: Battles of Aubers Ridge, Festubert and Loos</i>. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. II. London: Macmillan. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/58962526">58962526</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Military+Operations+France+and+Belgium%2C+1915%3A+Battles+of+Aubers+Ridge%2C+Festubert+and+Loos&rft.place=London&rft.series=History+of+the+Great+War+Based+on+Official+Documents+by+Direction+of+the+Historical+Section+of+the+Committee+of+Imperial+Defence&rft.pub=Macmillan&rft.date=1928&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F58962526&rft.aulast=Edmonds&rft.aufirst=J.+E.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEllis2004" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Lionel_Ellis" title="Lionel Ellis">Ellis, Major L. F.</a> (2004) [1st. pub. <a href="/wiki/HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a> 1953]. <a href="/wiki/James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler" class="mw-redirect" title="James Ramsay Montagu Butler">Butler, J. R. M.</a> (ed.). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/"><i>The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940</i></a>. <a href="/wiki/History_of_the_Second_World_War" title="History of the Second World War">History of the Second World War</a> United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84574-056-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84574-056-6"><bdi>978-1-84574-056-6</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 October</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+War+in+France+and+Flanders+1939%E2%80%931940&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War+United+Kingdom+Military+Series&rft.pub=Naval+%26+Military+Press&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=978-1-84574-056-6&rft.aulast=Ellis&rft.aufirst=Major+L.+F.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibiblio.org%2Fhyperwar%2FUN%2FUK%2FUK-NWE-Flanders%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHamilton1981" class="citation book cs1">Hamilton, Nigel (1981). <i>Monty: The Making of a General 1887–1942</i>. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-07-025805-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-07-025805-1"><bdi>978-0-07-025805-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Monty%3A+The+Making+of+a+General+1887%E2%80%931942&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=McGraw-Hill+Book+Company&rft.date=1981&rft.isbn=978-0-07-025805-1&rft.aulast=Hamilton&rft.aufirst=Nigel&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJackson2003" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Julian_T._Jackson" class="mw-redirect" title="Julian T. Jackson">Jackson, J. T.</a> (2003). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/falloffrancenazi00jack"><i>The Fall of France: The Nazi Invasion of 1940</i></a></span>. Oxford: Oxford University Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-280300-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-19-280300-9"><bdi>978-0-19-280300-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Fall+of+France%3A+The+Nazi+Invasion+of+1940&rft.place=Oxford&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-19-280300-9&rft.aulast=Jackson&rft.aufirst=J.+T.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Ffalloffrancenazi00jack&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKarslake1979" class="citation book cs1">Karslake, B. (1979). <i>1940 The Last Act: The Story of the British Forces in France </i>after<i> Dunkirk</i>. London: Leo Cooper. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85052-240-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-85052-240-2"><bdi>978-0-85052-240-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=1940+The+Last+Act%3A+The+Story+of+the+British+Forces+in+France+after+Dunkirk&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Leo+Cooper&rft.date=1979&rft.isbn=978-0-85052-240-2&rft.aulast=Karslake&rft.aufirst=B.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLongden2008" class="citation book cs1">Longden, Sean (2008). <i>Dunkirk: The Men They Left Behind</i>. London: Constable. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84529-520-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84529-520-2"><bdi>978-1-84529-520-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Dunkirk%3A+The+Men+They+Left+Behind&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Constable&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-1-84529-520-2&rft.aulast=Longden&rft.aufirst=Sean&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPostan1952" class="citation book cs1">Postan, M. M. (1952). <i>British War Production</i>. History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Civil Series. London: <a href="/wiki/HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/459583161">459583161</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=British+War+Production&rft.place=London&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War%3A+United+Kingdom+Civil+Series&rft.pub=HMSO&rft.date=1952&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F459583161&rft.aulast=Postan&rft.aufirst=M.+M.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRipley2004" class="citation book cs1">Ripley, Tim (2004). <i>The Waffen-SS at War: Hitler's Praetorians 1925–1945</i>. Zenith Imprint. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7603-2068-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7603-2068-6"><bdi>978-0-7603-2068-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Waffen-SS+at+War%3A+Hitler%27s+Praetorians+1925%E2%80%931945&rft.pub=Zenith+Imprint&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=978-0-7603-2068-6&rft.aulast=Ripley&rft.aufirst=Tim&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRoskill1957" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Stephen_Roskill" title="Stephen Roskill">Roskill, S. W.</a> (1957) [1954]. <a href="/wiki/James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler" class="mw-redirect" title="James Ramsay Montagu Butler">Butler, J. R. M.</a> (ed.). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-RN-I/index.html"><i>The War at Sea 1939–1945: The Defensive</i></a>. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. I (4th impr. ed.). London: HMSO. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/881709135">881709135</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 October</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+War+at+Sea+1939%E2%80%931945%3A+The+Defensive&rft.place=London&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War+United+Kingdom+Military+Series&rft.edition=4th+impr.&rft.pub=HMSO&rft.date=1957&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F881709135&rft.aulast=Roskill&rft.aufirst=S.+W.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibiblio.org%2Fhyperwar%2FUN%2FUK%2FUK-RN-I%2Findex.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRowe1959" class="citation book cs1">Rowe, V. (1959). <i>The Great Wall of France: The Triumph of the Maginot Line</i> (1st ed.). London: Putnam. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/773604722">773604722</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Great+Wall+of+France%3A+The+Triumph+of+the+Maginot+Line&rft.place=London&rft.edition=1st&rft.pub=Putnam&rft.date=1959&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F773604722&rft.aulast=Rowe&rft.aufirst=V.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007" class="citation book cs1">Sebag-Montefiore, H. (2007). <i>Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man</i>. London: Penguin. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-14-102437-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-14-102437-0"><bdi>978-0-14-102437-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Dunkirk%3A+Fight+to+the+Last+Man&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Penguin&rft.date=2007&rft.isbn=978-0-14-102437-0&rft.aulast=Sebag-Montefiore&rft.aufirst=H.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSydnor1977" class="citation book cs1">Sydnor, Charles (1977). <i>Soldiers of Destruction: The SS Death's Head Division, 1933–1945</i>. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-691-21416-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-691-21416-0"><bdi>978-0-691-21416-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Soldiers+of+Destruction%3A+The+SS+Death%27s+Head+Division%2C+1933%E2%80%931945&rft.place=Princeton%2C+NJ&rft.pub=Princeton+University+Press&rft.date=1977&rft.isbn=978-0-691-21416-0&rft.aulast=Sydnor&rft.aufirst=Charles&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTackle2009" class="citation book cs1">Tackle, Patrick (2009). <i>The British Army in France After Dunkirk</i>. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84415-852-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84415-852-2"><bdi>978-1-84415-852-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+British+Army+in+France+After+Dunkirk&rft.place=Barnsley&rft.pub=Pen+%26+Sword+Military&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-1-84415-852-2&rft.aulast=Tackle&rft.aufirst=Patrick&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFThompson2009" class="citation book cs1">Thompson, Julian (2009). <i>Dunkirk: Retreat to Victory</i>. London: Pan Books. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-330-43796-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-330-43796-7"><bdi>978-0-330-43796-7</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Dunkirk%3A+Retreat+to+Victory&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Pan+Books&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-0-330-43796-7&rft.aulast=Thompson&rft.aufirst=Julian&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=37" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Books">Books</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=38" title="Edit section: Books"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">Atkin, Ronald (1990). <i>Pillar of Fire: Dunkirk 1940</i>. Edinburgh: Birlinn. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84158-078-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84158-078-4"><bdi>978-1-84158-078-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Pillar+of+Fire%3A+Dunkirk+1940&rft.place=Edinburgh&rft.pub=Birlinn&rft.date=1990&rft.isbn=978-1-84158-078-4&rft.aulast=Atkin&rft.aufirst=Ronald&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">Fantom, P. (2021). <i>A Forgotten Campaign: The British Armed Forces in France 1940 – From Dunkirk to the Armistice</i>. Warwick: Helion. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-914059-01-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-914059-01-8"><bdi>978-1-914059-01-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Forgotten+Campaign%3A+The+British+Armed+Forces+in+France+1940+%E2%80%93+From+Dunkirk+to+the+Armistice&rft.place=Warwick&rft.pub=Helion&rft.date=2021&rft.isbn=978-1-914059-01-8&rft.aulast=Fantom&rft.aufirst=P.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">Forrester, C. (2018) [2015]. <i>Monty's Functional Doctrine. Combined Arms Doctrine in British 21st Army Group in Northwest Europe 1944–45</i>. Wolverhampton military studies (pbk. repr. ed.). Warwick: Helion. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-912174-77-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-912174-77-5"><bdi>978-1-912174-77-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Monty%27s+Functional+Doctrine.+Combined+Arms+Doctrine+in+British+21st+Army+Group+in+Northwest+Europe+1944%E2%80%9345&rft.place=Warwick&rft.series=Wolverhampton+military+studies&rft.edition=pbk.+repr.&rft.pub=Helion&rft.date=2018&rft.isbn=978-1-912174-77-5&rft.aulast=Forrester&rft.aufirst=C.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/N._H._Gibbs" title="N. H. Gibbs">Gibbs, N. H.</a> (1976). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/grandstrategy02butl"><i>Grand Strategy</i></a></span>. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. I. London: HMSO. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-11-630181-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-11-630181-9"><bdi>978-0-11-630181-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Grand+Strategy&rft.place=London&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War+United+Kingdom+Military+Series&rft.pub=HMSO&rft.date=1976&rft.isbn=978-0-11-630181-9&rft.aulast=Gibbs&rft.aufirst=N.+H.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fgrandstrategy02butl&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Harry_Hinsley" title="Harry Hinsley">Hinsley, F. H.</a>; Thomas, E. E.; Ransom, C. F. G.; Knight, R. C. (1979). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/britishintellige00hins_0"><i>British Intelligence in the Second World War: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations</i></a></span>. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Civil Series. Vol. I. London: <a href="/wiki/HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-11-630933-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-11-630933-4"><bdi>978-0-11-630933-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=British+Intelligence+in+the+Second+World+War%3A+Its+Influence+on+Strategy+and+Operations&rft.place=London&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War+United+Kingdom+Civil+Series&rft.pub=HMSO&rft.date=1979&rft.isbn=978-0-11-630933-4&rft.aulast=Hinsley&rft.aufirst=F.+H.&rft.au=Thomas%2C+E.+E.&rft.au=Ransom%2C+C.+F.+G.&rft.au=Knight%2C+R.+C.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fbritishintellige00hins_0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Alistair_Horne" title="Alistair Horne">Horne, A.</a> (1982) [1969]. <i>To Lose a Battle: France 1940</i> (Penguin repr. ed.). London: Macmillan. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-14-005042-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-14-005042-4"><bdi>978-0-14-005042-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=To+Lose+a+Battle%3A+France+1940&rft.place=London&rft.edition=Penguin+repr.&rft.pub=Macmillan&rft.date=1982&rft.isbn=978-0-14-005042-4&rft.aulast=Horne&rft.aufirst=A.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Ernest_R._May" title="Ernest R. May">May, Ernest R.</a> (2000). <i>Strange Victory: Hitler's Conquest of France</i>. London: <a href="/wiki/I.B.Tauris" class="mw-redirect" title="I.B.Tauris">I.B.Tauris</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85043-329-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-85043-329-3"><bdi>978-1-85043-329-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Strange+Victory%3A+Hitler%27s+Conquest+of+France&rft.place=London&rft.pub=I.B.Tauris&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=978-1-85043-329-3&rft.aulast=May&rft.aufirst=Ernest+R.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">Postan, Michael Moissey; Hay, D.; Scott, J. D. (1964). <a href="/wiki/Sir_(William)_Keith_Hancock" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir (William) Keith Hancock">Hancock, K.</a> (ed.). <i>Design and Development of Weapons: Studies in Government and Industrial Organisation</i>. History of the Second World War. United Kingdom Civil Series. London: HMSO. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/681432">681432</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Design+and+Development+of+Weapons%3A+Studies+in+Government+and+Industrial+Organisation&rft.place=London&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War.+United+Kingdom+Civil+Series&rft.pub=HMSO&rft.date=1964&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F681432&rft.aulast=Postan&rft.aufirst=Michael+Moissey&rft.au=Hay%2C+D.&rft.au=Scott%2C+J.+D.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">Richards, Denis (1974) [1953]. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-RAF-I/UK-RAF-I-5.html"><i>Royal Air Force 1939–1945: The Fight At Odds</i></a>. Vol. I (pbk. ed.). London: <a href="/wiki/HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-11-771592-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-11-771592-9"><bdi>978-0-11-771592-9</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">21 October</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Royal+Air+Force+1939%E2%80%931945%3A+The+Fight+At+Odds&rft.place=London&rft.edition=pbk.&rft.pub=HMSO&rft.date=1974&rft.isbn=978-0-11-771592-9&rft.aulast=Richards&rft.aufirst=Denis&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibiblio.org%2Fhyperwar%2FUN%2FUK%2FUK-RAF-I%2FUK-RAF-I-5.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">Warner, P. (2002) [1990]. <i>The Battle of France, 1940: 10 May – 22 June</i> (Cassell Military Paperbacks repr. ed.). London: Simon & Schuster. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-304-35644-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-304-35644-7"><bdi>978-0-304-35644-7</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Battle+of+France%2C+1940%3A+10+May+%E2%80%93+22+June&rft.place=London&rft.edition=Cassell+Military+Paperbacks+repr.&rft.pub=Simon+%26+Schuster&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=978-0-304-35644-7&rft.aulast=Warner&rft.aufirst=P.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">Whelan, P. (2018). <i>Useless Mouths: The British Army's Battles in France after Dunkirk May–June 1940</i>. Solihull: Helion. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-912390-90-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-912390-90-8"><bdi>978-1-912390-90-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Useless+Mouths%3A+The+British+Army%27s+Battles+in+France+after+Dunkirk+May%E2%80%93June+1940&rft.place=Solihull&rft.pub=Helion&rft.date=2018&rft.isbn=978-1-912390-90-8&rft.aulast=Whelan&rft.aufirst=P.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Reports">Reports</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=39" title="Edit section: Reports"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation report cs1">War Department (31 March 1942). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/TheGermanCampaignInPoland">The German Campaign in Poland September 1 to October 5, 1939</a> (Report). Digests and Lessons of Recent Military Operations. U. S. War Department, General Staff. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/16723453">16723453</a>. AG 062.11 (1–26–42)<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 June</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=report&rft.btitle=The+German+Campaign+in+Poland+September+1+to+October+5%2C+1939&rft.series=Digests+and+Lessons+of+Recent+Military+Operations&rft.pub=U.+S.+War+Department%2C+General+Staff&rft.date=1942-03-31&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F16723453&rft.au=War+Department&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2FTheGermanCampaignInPoland&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Theses">Theses</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=40" title="Edit section: Theses"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation thesis cs1">Harris, J. P. (1983). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.289189"><i>The War Office and Rearmament 1935–39</i></a> (PhD thesis). Registration. King's College London (University of London). <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/59260791">59260791</a>. Docket uk.bl.ethos.289189<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 June</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adissertation&rft.title=The+War+Office+and+Rearmament+1935%E2%80%9339&rft.degree=PhD&rft.inst=King%27s+College+London+%28University+of+London%29&rft.date=1983&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F59260791&rft.aulast=Harris&rft.aufirst=J.+P.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fethos.bl.uk%2FOrderDetails.do%3Fuin%3Duk.bl.ethos.289189&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation thesis cs1">Nelsen II, J. T. (1987). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180623165839/http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4013coll3/id/2161/rec/8"><i>Strength Against Weakness: The Campaign In Western Europe, May–June 1940</i></a> (Monograph). School of Advanced Military Studies US Army Command and General Staff College. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/21094641">21094641</a>. Docket ADA 184718. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4013coll3/id/2161/rec/8">the original</a> on 23 June 2018<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 June</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adissertation&rft.title=Strength+Against+Weakness%3A+The+Campaign+In+Western+Europe%2C+May%E2%80%93June+1940&rft.inst=School+of+Advanced+Military+Studies+US+Army+Command+and+General+Staff+College&rft.date=1987&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F21094641&rft.aulast=Nelsen+II&rft.aufirst=J.+T.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fcgsc.cdmhost.com%2Fcdm%2Fsingleitem%2Fcollection%2Fp4013coll3%2Fid%2F2161%2Frec%2F8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation thesis cs1">Perry, F. W. (1982). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.286414"><i>Manpower and Organisational Problems in the Expansion of the British and other Commonwealth Armies during the Two World Wars</i></a> (PhD thesis). London University. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/557366960">557366960</a>. Docket uk.bl.ethos.286414<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 June</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adissertation&rft.title=Manpower+and+Organisational+Problems+in+the+Expansion+of+the+British+and+other+Commonwealth+Armies+during+the+Two+World+Wars&rft.degree=PhD&rft.inst=London+University&rft.date=1982&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F557366960&rft.aulast=Perry&rft.aufirst=F.+W.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fethos.bl.uk%2FOrderDetails.do%3Fuin%3Duk.bl.ethos.286414&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation thesis cs1">Salmon, R. E. (2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.596061"><i>The Management of Change: Mechanizing the British Regular and Household Cavalry Regiments 1918–1942</i></a> (PhD thesis). University of Wolverhampton. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/879390776">879390776</a>. Docket uk.bl.ethos.596061<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 June</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adissertation&rft.title=The+Management+of+Change%3A+Mechanizing+the+British+Regular+and+Household+Cavalry+Regiments+1918%E2%80%931942&rft.degree=PhD&rft.inst=University+of+Wolverhampton&rft.date=2013&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F879390776&rft.aulast=Salmon&rft.aufirst=R.+E.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fethos.bl.uk%2FOrderDetails.do%3Fuin%3Duk.bl.ethos.596061&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation thesis cs1">Stedman, A. D. (2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.440347"><i><span></span>'Then what could Chamberlain do, other than what Chamberlain did'? A Synthesis and Analysis of the Alternatives to Chamberlain's Policy of Appeasing Germany, 1936–1939</i></a> (PhD thesis). Kingston University. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/500402799">500402799</a>. Docket uk.bl.ethos.440347<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 June</span> 2018</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adissertation&rft.title=%27Then+what+could+Chamberlain+do%2C+other+than+what+Chamberlain+did%27%3F+A+Synthesis+and+Analysis+of+the+Alternatives+to+Chamberlain%27s+Policy+of+Appeasing+Germany%2C+1936%E2%80%931939&rft.degree=PhD&rft.inst=Kingston+University&rft.date=2007&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F500402799&rft.aulast=Stedman&rft.aufirst=A.+D.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fethos.bl.uk%2FOrderDetails.do%3Fuin%3Duk.bl.ethos.440347&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABritish+Expeditionary+Force+%28World+War+II%29" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&action=edit&section=41" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:British_Expeditionary_Force_1939-1940" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:British Expeditionary Force 1939-1940">British Expeditionary Force 1939-1940</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161021194534/http://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/documents.php?aid=24&nid=4&start=0">British Military History: France and Norway 1940</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/londongazette.html">London Gazette Dispatches</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="British_army_groups,_armies,_commands,_and_corps_during_the_Second_World_War" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:British_armies,_commands,_and_corps_during_the_Second_World_War" title="Template:British armies, commands, and corps during the Second World War"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:British_armies,_commands,_and_corps_during_the_Second_World_War" title="Template talk:British armies, commands, and corps during the Second World War"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:British_armies,_commands,_and_corps_during_the_Second_World_War" title="Special:EditPage/Template:British armies, commands, and corps during the Second World War"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="British_army_groups,_armies,_commands,_and_corps_during_the_Second_World_War" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">British army groups, armies, commands, and corps during the Second World War</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Army Groups (<a href="/wiki/List_of_British_Commands_and_Army_groups" title="List of British Commands and Army groups">list</a>)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/11th_Army_Group" title="11th Army Group">11th</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/15th_Army_Group" title="15th Army Group">15th</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/18th_Army_Group" title="18th Army Group">18th</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/21st_Army_Group" title="21st Army Group">21st</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Allied_Armies_in_Italy" title="Allied Armies in Italy">Allied Armies in Italy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Armies (<a href="/wiki/List_of_British_armies_in_World_War_II" title="List of British armies in World War II">list</a>)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">British Expeditionary Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="First Army (United Kingdom)">First</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Second_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Second Army (United Kingdom)">Second</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eighth_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Eighth Army (United Kingdom)">Eighth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ninth_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Ninth Army (United Kingdom)">Ninth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tenth_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Tenth Army (United Kingdom)">Tenth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Twelfth_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Twelfth Army (United Kingdom)">Twelfth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fourteenth_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)">Fourteenth</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Corps (<a href="/wiki/List_of_British_corps_in_World_War_II" title="List of British corps in World War II">list</a>)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/I_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="I Corps (United Kingdom)">I</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1st_Airborne_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="1st Airborne Corps (United Kingdom)">I Airborne</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/II_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="II Corps (United Kingdom)">II</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/III_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="III Corps (United Kingdom)">III</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/IV_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="IV Corps (United Kingdom)">IV</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/V_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="V Corps (United Kingdom)">V</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="VII Corps (United Kingdom)">VII</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VIII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="VIII Corps (United Kingdom)">VIII</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/IX_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="IX Corps (United Kingdom)">IX</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/X_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="X Corps (United Kingdom)">X</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/XI_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="XI Corps (United Kingdom)">XI</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/XII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="XII Corps (United Kingdom)">XII</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/XIII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="XIII Corps (United Kingdom)">XIII</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/XXX_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="XXX Corps (United Kingdom)">XXX</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1_Anti-Aircraft_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="1 Anti-Aircraft Corps (United Kingdom)">1st Anti-Aircraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2_Anti-Aircraft_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="2 Anti-Aircraft Corps (United Kingdom)">2nd Anti-Aircraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/3_Anti-Aircraft_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="3 Anti-Aircraft Corps (United Kingdom)">3rd Anti-Aircraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_British_Empire_corps_of_the_Second_World_War" title="List of British Empire corps of the Second World War">Commonwealth</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_Desert_Force" title="Western Desert Force">Western Desert Force</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Commands (<a href="/wiki/List_of_British_Commands_and_Army_groups" title="List of British Commands and Army groups">list</a>)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/British_Forces_Aden" title="British Forces Aden">Aden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aldershot_Command" title="Aldershot Command">Aldershot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Allied_Land_Forces_South_East_Asia" class="mw-redirect" title="Allied Land Forces South East Asia">Allied Land Forces South East Asia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anti-Aircraft_Command" title="Anti-Aircraft Command">Anti-Aircraft</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Army_of_the_Rhine" title="British Army of the Rhine">British Army of the Rhine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Burma_Command" title="Burma Command">Burma</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Cyrenaica_Command&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Cyrenaica Command (page does not exist)">Cyrenaica</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/East_Africa_Command" title="East Africa Command">East Africa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Command_(United_Kingdom)" title="Eastern Command (United Kingdom)">Eastern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Troops_in_Egypt" title="British Troops in Egypt">Egypt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Far_East_Command" title="British Far East Command">Far East</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/GHQ_India" title="GHQ India">GHQ India</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London_District_(British_Army)" title="London District (British Army)">London</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malaya_Command" title="Malaya Command">Malaya </a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malta_Command" title="Malta Command">Malta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Middle_East_Command" title="Middle East Command">Middle East</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Command_(United_Kingdom)" title="Northern Command (United Kingdom)">Northern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/HQ_Northern_Ireland" class="mw-redirect" title="HQ Northern Ireland">Northern Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Palestine_Command" title="Palestine Command">Palestine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Persia_and_Iraq_Command" title="Persia and Iraq Command">Persia and Iraq</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Command" title="Scottish Command">Scottish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_East_Asia_Command" title="South East Asia Command">South East Asia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aldershot_Command#Second_World_War" title="Aldershot Command">South Eastern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southern_Command_(United_Kingdom)" title="Southern Command (United Kingdom)">Southern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/West_Africa_Command" title="West Africa Command">West Africa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_Command_(United_Kingdom)" title="Western Command (United Kingdom)">Western </a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/American-British-Dutch-Australian_Command" title="American-British-Dutch-Australian Command">ABDA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Allied_Force_Headquarters" title="Allied Force Headquarters">Allied Force Headquarters</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_deception_formations_in_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="British deception formations in World War II">Deception</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Allied_Airborne_Army" title="First Allied Airborne Army">First Allied Airborne Army</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Supreme_Headquarters_Allied_Expeditionary_Force" title="Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force">Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="World_War_II" style=";wide;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:World_War_II" title="Template:World War II"><abbr title="View this template" style="color:inherit">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:World_War_II" title="Template talk:World War II"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="color:inherit">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:World_War_II" title="Special:EditPage/Template:World War II"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:inherit">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="World_War_II" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><div> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_World_War_II" title="Outline of World War II">Outline</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_battles" title="List of World War II battles">Battles</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_military_operations" title="List of World War II military operations">Operations</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap">Leaders</span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Allied_leaders_of_World_War_II" title="Allied leaders of World War II">Allied</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Axis_leaders_of_World_War_II" title="Axis leaders of World War II">Axis</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Commanders_of_World_War_II" title="Commanders of World War II">Commanders</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/World_War_II_casualties" title="World War II casualties">Casualties</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_Allied_World_War_II_conferences" title="List of Allied World War II conferences">Conferences</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;">General</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_World_War_II_topics" title="Lists of World War II topics">Topics</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Air_warfare_of_World_War_II" title="Air warfare of World War II">Air warfare of World War II</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_air_operations_during_the_Battle_of_Europe" title="List of air operations during the Battle of Europe">In Europe</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Blitzkrieg" title="Blitzkrieg">Blitzkrieg</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Comparative_officer_ranks_of_World_War_II" title="Comparative officer ranks of World War II">Comparative military ranks</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/World_War_II_cryptography" title="World War II cryptography">Cryptography</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Declarations_of_war_during_World_War_II" title="Declarations of war during World War II">Declarations of war</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Diplomatic_history_of_World_War_II" title="Diplomatic history of World War II">Diplomacy</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_governments_in_exile_during_World_War_II" title="List of governments in exile during World War II">Governments in exile</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Home_front_during_World_War_II" title="Home front during World War II">Home front</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Australian_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="Australian home front during World War II">Australian</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="United Kingdom home front during World War II">United Kingdom</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_States_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="United States home front during World War II">United States</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Lend-Lease" title="Lend-Lease">Lend-Lease</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Manhattan_Project" title="Manhattan Project">Manhattan Project</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/British_contribution_to_the_Manhattan_Project" title="British contribution to the Manhattan Project">British contribution</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_military_awards_and_decorations_of_World_War_II" title="List of military awards and decorations of World War II">Military awards</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_World_War_II_military_equipment" title="Lists of World War II military equipment">Military equipment</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_production_during_World_War_II" title="Military production during World War II">Military production</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Naval_history_of_World_War_II" title="Naval history of World War II">Naval history</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nazi_plunder" title="Nazi plunder">Nazi plunder</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Opposition_to_World_War_II" title="Opposition to World War II">Opposition</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Technology_during_World_War_II" title="Technology during World War II">Technology</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Allied_technological_cooperation_during_World_War_II" title="Allied technological cooperation during World War II">Allied cooperation</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Mulberry_harbour" class="mw-redirect" title="Mulberry harbour">Mulberry harbour</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Total_war#World_War_II" title="Total war">Total war</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II" title="Strategic bombing during World War II">Strategic bombing</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_puppet_states" title="List of World War II puppet states">Puppet states</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Women_in_World_War_II" title="Women in World War II">Women</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Art_and_World_War_II" title="Art and World War II">Art and World War II</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Music_in_World_War_II" title="Music in World War II">Music in World War II</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Weather_events_during_wars#World_War_II" title="Weather events during wars">Weather events during World War II</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_theaters_and_campaigns_of_World_War_II" title="List of theaters and campaigns of World War II">Theaters</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Asiatic-Pacific_theater" title="Asiatic-Pacific theater">Asia and Pacific</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/South-East_Asian_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South-East Asian theatre of World War II">South-East Asia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">Pacific</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Pacific_Ocean_theater_of_World_War_II" title="Pacific Ocean theater of World War II">North and Central Pacific</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">South-West Pacific</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Indian_Ocean_in_World_War_II" title="Indian Ocean in World War II">Indian Ocean</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/European_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="European theatre of World War II">Europe</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western Front</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Eastern Front (World War II)">Eastern Front</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II">Mediterranean and Middle East</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/North_African_campaign" title="North African campaign">North Africa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African campaign (World War II)">East Africa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Italian campaign (World War II)">Italy</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">West Africa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Atlantic</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Timeline of the Battle of the Atlantic">timeline</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/American_Theater_(World_War_II)" class="mw-redirect" title="American Theater (World War II)">Americas</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Aftermath_of_World_War_II" title="Aftermath of World War II">Aftermath</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Chinese_Civil_War" title="Chinese Civil War">Chinese Civil War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Decolonization" title="Decolonization">Decolonization</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Division_of_Korea" title="Division of Korea">Division of Korea</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/First_Indochina_War" title="First Indochina War">First Indochina War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Flight_and_expulsion_of_Germans_(1944%E2%80%931950)" title="Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950)">Expulsion of Germans</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Greek_Civil_War" title="Greek Civil War">Greek Civil War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Indonesian_National_Revolution" title="Indonesian National Revolution">Indonesian National Revolution</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Keelhaul" title="Operation Keelhaul"><i>Keelhaul</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Marshall_Plan" title="Marshall Plan">Marshall Plan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Allied-occupied_Germany" title="Allied-occupied Germany">Occupation of Germany</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Occupation_of_Japan" title="Occupation of Japan">Occupation of Japan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Osoaviakhim" title="Operation Osoaviakhim"><i>Osoaviakhim</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Paperclip" title="Operation Paperclip"><i>Paperclip</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_occupations_by_the_Soviet_Union" title="Military occupations by the Soviet Union">Soviet occupations</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_states" title="Occupation of the Baltic states">Baltic</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Hungary%E2%80%93Soviet_Union_relations" title="Hungary–Soviet Union relations">Hungary</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Polish_People%27s_Republic" title="Polish People's Republic">Poland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_occupation_of_Romania" title="Soviet occupation of Romania">Romania</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Oder%E2%80%93Neisse_line" title="Oder–Neisse line">Territorial changes of Germany</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Treaty_on_the_Final_Settlement_with_Respect_to_Germany" title="Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany">Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/War_crimes_in_World_War_II" title="War crimes in World War II">War crimes</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Allied_war_crimes_during_World_War_II" title="Allied war crimes during World War II">Allied war crimes</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="Soviet war crimes">Soviet war crimes</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/British_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="British war crimes">British war crimes</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/United_States_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="United States war crimes">United States war crimes</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="German war crimes">German war crimes</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Forced_labour_under_German_rule_during_World_War_II" title="Forced labour under German rule during World War II">forced labour</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/War_crimes_of_the_Wehrmacht" title="War crimes of the Wehrmacht">Wehrmacht war crimes</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/The_Holocaust" title="The Holocaust">The Holocaust</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Aftermath_of_the_Holocaust" title="Aftermath of the Holocaust">Aftermath</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/International_response_to_the_Holocaust" title="International response to the Holocaust">Response</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nuremberg_trials" title="Nuremberg trials">Nuremberg trials</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_war_crimes" title="Italian war crimes">Italian war crimes</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes" title="Japanese war crimes">Japanese war crimes</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nanjing_Massacre" title="Nanjing Massacre">Nanjing Massacre</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Unit_731" title="Unit 731">Unit 731</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/International_Military_Tribunal_for_the_Far_East" title="International Military Tribunal for the Far East">Prosecution</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Usta%C5%A1e" title="Ustaše">Croatian war crimes</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Genocide_of_Serbs_in_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia">Genocide of Serbs</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/The_Holocaust_in_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="The Holocaust in the Independent State of Croatia">Persecution of Jews</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Romania#The_Holocaust" title="History of the Jews in Romania">Romanian war crimes</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap">Sexual violence</span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_military_brothels_in_World_War_II" title="German military brothels in World War II">German military brothels</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_camp_brothels_in_World_War_II" title="German camp brothels in World War II">Camp brothels</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Germany" title="Rape during the occupation of Germany">Rape during the occupation of Germany</a>  /  <a href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Japan" title="Rape during the occupation of Japan">Japan</a>  /  <a href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_Soviet_occupation_of_Poland" title="Rape during the Soviet occupation of Poland">Poland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_liberation_of_France" title="Rape during the liberation of France">Rape during the liberation of France</a>  /  <a href="/wiki/Rape_during_the_liberation_of_Serbia" title="Rape during the liberation of Serbia">Serbia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Sook_Ching" title="Sook Ching">Sook Ching</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Comfort_women" title="Comfort women">Comfort women</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Manila_massacre#Mass_rapes" title="Manila massacre">Rape of Manila</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Marocchinate" title="Marocchinate">Marocchinate</a></span></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/World_War_II_by_country" title="World War II by country">Participants</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allies</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Algeria_in_World_War_II" title="Algeria in World War II">Algeria</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Australia during World War II">Australia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Belgium_in_World_War_II" title="Belgium in World War II">Belgium</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Brazil_in_World_War_II" title="Brazil in World War II">Brazil</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bulgaria_during_World_War_II" title="Bulgaria during World War II">Bulgaria</a> (<a href="/wiki/1944_Bulgarian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat" title="1944 Bulgarian coup d'état">from September 1944</a>)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Canada_in_World_War_II" title="Canada in World War II">Canada</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Cuba_during_World_War_II" title="Cuba during World War II">Cuba</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Occupation_of_Czechoslovakia_(1938%E2%80%931945)" title="Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945)">Czechoslovakia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Denmark_in_World_War_II" title="Denmark in World War II">Denmark</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Italo-Ethiopian_War" title="Second Italo-Ethiopian War">Ethiopia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Eswatini_in_World_War_II" title="Eswatini in World War II">Eswatini</a> (formerly Swaziland)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Finland_in_World_War_II" title="Finland in World War II">Finland</a> (<a href="/wiki/Lapland_War" title="Lapland War">from September 1944</a>)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/France_during_World_War_II" title="France during World War II">France</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Free_France" title="Free France">Free France</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Greece_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Greece during World War II">Greece</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/India_in_World_War_II" title="India in World War II">India</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_Co-belligerent_Army" title="Italian Co-belligerent Army">Italy</a> (<a href="/wiki/Italian_Civil_War" title="Italian Civil War">from September 1943</a>)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Luxembourg_in_World_War_II" title="Luxembourg in World War II">Luxembourg</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Mexico_during_World_War_II" title="Mexico during World War II">Mexico</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_Netherlands_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the Netherlands during World War II">Netherlands</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Newfoundland_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Newfoundland during World War II">Newfoundland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_New_Zealand_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of New Zealand during World War II">New Zealand</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Norwegian_campaign" title="Norwegian campaign">Norway</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_Philippines_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the Philippines during World War II">Philippines</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/History_of_Poland_(1939%E2%80%931945)" title="History of Poland (1939–1945)">Poland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Romania_in_World_War_II" title="Romania in World War II">Romania</a> (<a href="/wiki/1944_Romanian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat" title="1944 Romanian coup d'état">from August 1944</a>)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Sierra_Leone_in_World_War_II" title="Sierra Leone in World War II">Sierra Leone</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of South Africa during World War II">South Africa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Southern_Rhodesia_in_World_War_II" title="Southern Rhodesia in World War II">Southern Rhodesia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_Union_in_World_War_II" title="Soviet Union in World War II">Soviet Union</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Tuva_in_World_War_II" title="Tuva in World War II">Tuva</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II">United Kingdom</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/British_Empire_in_World_War_II" title="British Empire in World War II">British Empire</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United States during World War II">United States</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Puerto_Ricans_in_World_War_II" title="Puerto Ricans in World War II">Puerto Rico</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_Yugoslavia" title="World War II in Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Axis_powers" title="Axis powers">Axis</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_protectorate_of_Albania_(1939%E2%80%931943)" title="Italian protectorate of Albania (1939–1943)">Albania protectorate</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bulgaria_during_World_War_II" title="Bulgaria during World War II">Bulgaria</a> (until September 1944)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Wang_Jingwei_regime" title="Wang Jingwei regime">Wang Jingwei regime</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Independent State of Croatia">Independent State of Croatia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Finland_in_World_War_II" title="Finland in World War II">Finland</a> (until September 1944)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">German Reich</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Hungary_in_World_War_II" title="Hungary in World War II">Hungary</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Azad_Hind" title="Azad Hind">Azad Hind</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/French_Indochina_in_World_War_II" title="French Indochina in World War II">French Indochina</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Iraq</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Italy_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Italy during World War II">Italy</a> (until September 1943)</span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_Social_Republic" title="Italian Social Republic">Italian Social Republic</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Empire_of_Japan" title="Empire of Japan">Empire of Japan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Manchukuo" title="Manchukuo">Manchukuo</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Philippine_Republic" title="Second Philippine Republic">Philippines</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Romania_in_World_War_II" title="Romania in World War II">Romania</a> (until August 1944)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Slovak_Republic_(1939%E2%80%931945)" title="Slovak Republic (1939–1945)">Slovak Republic</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Thailand_in_World_War_II" title="Thailand in World War II">Thailand</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Vichy_France" title="Vichy France">Vichy France</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Template:Collaboration_with_Axis_Powers" title="Template:Collaboration with Axis Powers">Collaboration</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Neutral_powers_during_World_War_II" title="Neutral powers during World War II">Neutral</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Afghanistan" title="Kingdom of Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/History_of_Andorra#20th_and_21st_centuries" title="History of Andorra">Andorra</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bhutan" title="Bhutan">Bhutan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Irish_neutrality_during_World_War_II" title="Irish neutrality during World War II">Ireland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Liechtenstein_in_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="Liechtenstein in World War II">Liechtenstein</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Portugal_during_World_War_II" title="Portugal during World War II">Portugal</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Spain_during_World_War_II" title="Spain during World War II">Spain</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Sweden_during_World_War_II" title="Sweden during World War II">Sweden</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_Wars" class="mw-redirect" title="Switzerland during the World Wars">Switzerland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Tibet_(1912%E2%80%931951)" title="Tibet (1912–1951)">Tibet</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Vatican_City_during_World_War_II" title="Vatican City during World War II">Vatican City</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Resistance_during_World_War_II" title="Resistance during World War II">Resistance</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/World_War_II_in_Albania" title="World War II in Albania">Albania</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Austrian_resistance" title="Austrian resistance">Austria</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Belgian_Resistance" title="Belgian Resistance">Belgium</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bulgarian_resistance_movement_during_World_War_II" title="Bulgarian resistance movement during World War II">Bulgaria</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Resistance_in_the_Protectorate_of_Bohemia_and_Moravia" title="Resistance in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia">Czech lands</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Danish_resistance_movement" title="Danish resistance movement">Denmark</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_the_Dutch_East_Indies#Underground_resistance" title="Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies">Dutch East Indies</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Estonian_anti-German_resistance_movement_1941%E2%80%931944" title="Estonian anti-German resistance movement 1941–1944">Estonia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Arbegnoch" title="Arbegnoch">Ethiopia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/French_Resistance" title="French Resistance">France</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_resistance_to_Nazism" title="German resistance to Nazism">Germany</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Greek_resistance" title="Greek resistance">Greece</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Hong_Kong#Anti-Japanese_resistance" title="Japanese occupation of Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_resistance_movement" title="Italian resistance movement">Italy</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Political_dissidence_in_the_Empire_of_Japan#Dissidence_during_World_War_II" title="Political dissidence in the Empire of Japan">Japan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Jewish_resistance_in_German-occupied_Europe" title="Jewish resistance in German-occupied Europe">Jews</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Korea" title="Korea">Korea</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Korean_Liberation_Army" title="Korean Liberation Army">Korean Liberation Army</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Korean_Volunteer_Army" title="Korean Volunteer Army">Korean Volunteer Army</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Latvian_anti-Nazi_resistance_movement_1941%E2%80%931945" title="Latvian anti-Nazi resistance movement 1941–1945">Latvia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Resistance_in_Lithuania_during_World_War_II" title="Resistance in Lithuania during World War II">Lithuania</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Luxembourg_Resistance" title="Luxembourg Resistance">Luxembourg</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Malayan_Peoples%27_Anti-Japanese_Army" title="Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army">Malaya</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Dutch_resistance" title="Dutch resistance">Netherlands</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Northeast_Anti-Japanese_United_Army" class="mw-redirect" title="Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army">Northeast China</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Norwegian_resistance_movement" title="Norwegian resistance movement">Norway</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Philippine_resistance_against_Japan" title="Philippine resistance against Japan">Philippines</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Polish_resistance_movement_in_World_War_II" title="Polish resistance movement in World War II">Poland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Romanian_anti-communist_resistance_movement" title="Romanian anti-communist resistance movement">Romania</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement" title="Free Thai Movement">Thailand</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_partisans" title="Soviet partisans">Soviet Union</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Slovak_National_Uprising" title="Slovak National Uprising">Slovakia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Ukrainian_Insurgent_Army" title="Ukrainian Insurgent Army">Western Ukraine</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap">Vietnam</span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Vi%E1%BB%87t_Nam_Qu%E1%BB%91c_D%C3%A2n_%C4%90%E1%BA%A3ng" title="Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng">Quốc dân Đảng</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Viet_Minh" title="Viet Minh">Viet Minh</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Yugoslav_Partisans" title="Yugoslav Partisans">Yugoslavia</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war">POWs</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Finnish_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Finnish prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap">German prisoners</span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_prisoners_of_war_in_Azerbaijan" title="German prisoners of war in Azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_United_States" title="German prisoners of war in the United States">United States</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="German prisoners of war in the United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Italian prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_prisoners_of_war_in_World_War_II" title="Japanese prisoners of war in World War II">Japanese prisoners</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_atrocities_committed_against_Polish_prisoners_of_war" title="German atrocities committed against Polish prisoners of war">German atrocities against Polish POWs</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap">Soviet prisoners</span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_prisoners_of_war_in_Finland" title="Soviet prisoners of war in Finland">Finland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_atrocities_committed_against_Soviet_prisoners_of_war" title="German atrocities committed against Soviet prisoners of war">atrocities by Germans</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Polish_prisoners-of-war_in_the_Soviet_Union_after_1939" class="mw-redirect" title="Polish prisoners-of-war in the Soviet Union after 1939">Polish prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Romanian_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Romanian prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/List_of_timelines_of_World_War_II" title="List of timelines of World War II">Timeline</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide"><tbody><tr><th id="Prelude" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Causes_of_World_War_II" title="Causes of World War II">Prelude</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Abyssinia_Crisis" title="Abyssinia Crisis">Africa</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Italo-Ethiopian_War" title="Second Italo-Ethiopian War">Second Italo-Ethiopian War</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Events_preceding_World_War_II_in_Asia" title="Events preceding World War II in Asia">Asia</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">Second Sino-Japanese War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battles_of_Khalkhin_Gol" title="Battles of Khalkhin Gol">Battles of Khalkhin Gol</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Events_preceding_World_War_II_in_Europe" title="Events preceding World War II in Europe">Europe</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Anschluss" title="Anschluss">Anschluss</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Munich_Agreement" title="Munich Agreement">Munich Agreement</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Occupation_of_Czechoslovakia_(1938%E2%80%931945)" title="Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945)">Occupation of Czechoslovakia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Himmler" title="Operation Himmler">Operation Himmler</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_Albania" title="Italian invasion of Albania">Italian invasion of Albania</a></span></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1939)" title="Timeline of World War II (1939)">1939</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland" title="Invasion of Poland">Invasion of Poland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Battle of the Atlantic</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changsha_(1939)" title="Battle of Changsha (1939)">First Battle of Changsha</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_South_Guangxi" title="Battle of South Guangxi">Battle of South Guangxi</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Winter_War" title="Winter War">Winter War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/1939%E2%80%931940_Winter_Offensive" title="1939–1940 Winter Offensive">1939–1940 Winter Offensive</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1940)" title="Timeline of World War II (1940)">1940</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Norwegian_campaign" title="Norwegian campaign">Norwegian campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Denmark_(1940)" title="German invasion of Denmark (1940)">German invasion of Denmark</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Zaoyang%E2%80%93Yichang" title="Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang">Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Luxembourg" title="German invasion of Luxembourg">German invasion of Luxembourg</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_the_Netherlands" title="German invasion of the Netherlands">German invasion of the Netherlands</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Belgium_(1940)" title="German invasion of Belgium (1940)">German invasion of Belgium</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">Battle of France</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Dunkirk_evacuation" title="Dunkirk evacuation">Dunkirk evacuation</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean">Battle of the Mediterranean</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Western_Desert_campaign" title="Western Desert campaign">North Africa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">West Africa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_British_Somaliland" title="Italian invasion of British Somaliland">British Somaliland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Hundred_Regiments_Offensive" title="Hundred Regiments Offensive">Hundred Regiments Offensive</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Baltic_states" title="Occupation of the Baltic states">Baltic states</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_occupation_of_Bessarabia_and_Northern_Bukovina" title="Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina">Eastern Romania</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_French_Indochina" title="Japanese invasion of French Indochina">Japanese invasion of French Indochina</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Greco-Italian_War" title="Greco-Italian War">Italian invasion of Greece</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><i><a href="/wiki/Operation_Compass" title="Operation Compass">Compass</a></i></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1941)" title="Timeline of World War II (1941)">1941</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_South_Henan" title="Battle of South Henan">Battle of South Henan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Shanggao" title="Battle of Shanggao">Battle of Shanggao</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Invasion_of_Yugoslavia" title="Invasion of Yugoslavia">Invasion of Yugoslavia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Greece" title="German invasion of Greece">German invasion of Greece</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Crete" title="Battle of Crete">Battle of Crete</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Anglo-Iraqi War</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_South_Shanxi" title="Battle of South Shanxi">Battle of South Shanxi</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon campaign">Syria–Lebanon campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African campaign (World War II)">East African campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa" title="Operation Barbarossa">Invasion of the Soviet Union</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Summer_War" title="Summer War">Summer War</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Continuation_War" title="Continuation War">Finland</a> (<i><a href="/wiki/Operation_Silver_Fox" title="Operation Silver Fox">Silver Fox</a></i>)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/June_Uprising_in_Lithuania" title="June Uprising in Lithuania">Lithuania</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kiev_(1941)" title="Battle of Kiev (1941)">Battle of Kiev</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iran" title="Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran">Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changsha_(1941)" title="Battle of Changsha (1941)">Second Battle of Changsha</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Leningrad" title="Siege of Leningrad">Siege of Leningrad</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Moscow" title="Battle of Moscow">Battle of Moscow</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bombing_of_Gorky_in_World_War_II" title="Bombing of Gorky in World War II">Bombing of Gorky</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Sevastopol_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942)">Siege of Sevastopol</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">Attack on Pearl Harbor</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Thailand" title="Japanese invasion of Thailand">Japanese invasion of Thailand</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hong_Kong" title="Battle of Hong Kong">Fall of Hong Kong</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Philippines_campaign_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Philippines campaign (1941–1942)">Fall of the Philippines</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Guam_(1941)" title="Battle of Guam (1941)">Battle of Guam</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Wake_Island" title="Battle of Wake Island">Battle of Wake Island</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Malayan_campaign" title="Malayan campaign">Malayan campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Borneo_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Battle of Borneo (1941–1942)">Battle of Borneo</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Burma" title="Japanese invasion of Burma">Japanese invasion of Burma</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changsha_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Battle of Changsha (1941–1942)">Third Battle of Changsha</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Great_Famine_(Greece)" title="Great Famine (Greece)">Greek famine of 1941–1944</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1942)" title="Timeline of World War II (1942)">1942</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Fall_of_Singapore" title="Fall of Singapore">Fall of Singapore</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Java_Sea" title="Battle of the Java Sea">Battle of the Java Sea</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid" title="St Nazaire Raid">St Nazaire Raid</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Christmas_Island" title="Battle of Christmas Island">Battle of Christmas Island</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Coral_Sea" title="Battle of the Coral Sea">Battle of the Coral Sea</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Madagascar" title="Battle of Madagascar">Battle of Madagascar</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Zhejiang-Jiangxi_campaign" title="Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign">Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gazala" title="Battle of Gazala">Battle of Gazala</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Dutch_Harbor" title="Battle of Dutch Harbor">Battle of Dutch Harbor</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Midway" title="Battle of Midway">Battle of Midway</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Aleutian_Islands_campaign" title="Aleutian Islands campaign">Aleutian Islands campaign</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Kiska" title="Japanese occupation of Kiska">Kiska</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_Attu" title="Japanese occupation of Attu"> Attu</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><i><a href="/wiki/Case_Blue" title="Case Blue">Blue</a></i></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/First_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="First Battle of El Alamein">First Battle of El Alamein</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad" title="Battle of Stalingrad">Battle of Stalingrad</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Kokoda_Track_campaign" title="Kokoda Track campaign">Kokoda Track campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Rzhev,_summer_1942" title="Battle of Rzhev, summer 1942">Rzhev</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><i><a href="/wiki/Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">Jubilee</a></i></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">Second Battle of El Alamein</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Guadalcanal_campaign" title="Guadalcanal campaign">Guadalcanal campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch"><i>Torch</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Chinese_famine_of_1942%E2%80%931943" title="Chinese famine of 1942–1943">Chinese famine of 1942–1943</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943)" title="Timeline of World War II (1943)">1943</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Black_May_(1943)" title="Black May (1943)">Black May</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Tunisian_campaign" title="Tunisian campaign">Tunisian campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_West_Hubei" title="Battle of West Hubei">Battle of West Hubei</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Attu" title="Battle of Attu">Battle of Attu</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bombing_of_Gorky_in_World_War_II#June_1943" title="Bombing of Gorky in World War II">Bombing of Gorky</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kursk" title="Battle of Kursk">Battle of Kursk</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily" title="Allied invasion of Sicily">Allied invasion of Sicily</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Smolensk_operation" title="Smolensk operation">Smolensk</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Solomon_Islands_campaign" title="Solomon Islands campaign">Solomon Islands campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Cottage" title="Operation Cottage"><i>Cottage</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Dnieper" title="Battle of the Dnieper">Battle of the Dnieper</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Italy" title="Allied invasion of Italy">Allied invasion of Italy</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Armistice_of_Cassibile" title="Armistice of Cassibile">Armistice of Cassibile</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Burma_campaign" title="Burma campaign">Burma</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Northern_Burma_and_Western_Yunnan" title="Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan">Northern Burma and Western Yunnan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Changde" title="Battle of Changde">Changde</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kiev_(1943)" title="Battle of Kiev (1943)">Second Battle of Kiev</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Gilbert_and_Marshall_Islands_campaign" title="Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign">Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Tarawa" title="Battle of Tarawa">Tarawa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Makin" title="Battle of Makin">Makin</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bengal_famine_of_1943" title="Bengal famine of 1943">Bengal famine of 1943</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1944)" title="Timeline of World War II (1944)">1944</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Tempest" title="Operation Tempest"><i>Tempest</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino" title="Battle of Monte Cassino">Monte Cassino</a> / <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Anzio" title="Battle of Anzio">Anzio</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Korsun%E2%80%93Cherkassy" title="Battle of Korsun–Cherkassy">Korsun–Cherkassy</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Narva_(1944)" title="Battle of Narva (1944)">Narva</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Ichi-Go" title="Operation Ichi-Go"><i>Ichi-Go</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Overlord" title="Operation Overlord"><i>Overlord</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Normandy_landings" title="Normandy landings"><i>Neptune</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Mariana_and_Palau_Islands_campaign" title="Mariana and Palau Islands campaign">Mariana and Palau</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Bagration" title="Operation Bagration"><i>Bagration</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Lvov%E2%80%93Sandomierz_offensive" class="mw-redirect" title="Lvov–Sandomierz offensive">Western Ukraine</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Guam_(1944)" title="Battle of Guam (1944)">Second Battle of Guam</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Tannenberg_Line" title="Battle of Tannenberg Line">Tannenberg Line</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Warsaw_Uprising" title="Warsaw Uprising">Warsaw Uprising</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Jassy%E2%80%93Kishinev_offensive" title="Second Jassy–Kishinev offensive">Eastern Romania</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Liberation_of_Paris" title="Liberation of Paris">Liberation of Paris</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon"><i>Dragoon</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Gothic_Line" title="Gothic Line">Gothic Line</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Belgrade_offensive" title="Belgrade offensive">Belgrade offensive</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Lapland_War" title="Lapland War">Lapland</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden" title="Operation Market Garden"><i>Market Garden</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Tallinn_offensive" title="Tallinn offensive">Estonia</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Crossbow" title="Operation Crossbow"><i>Crossbow</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Combined_Bomber_Offensive" title="Combined Bomber Offensive"><i>Pointblank</i></a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Vietnamese_famine_of_1944%E2%80%931945" title="Vietnamese famine of 1944–1945">Vietnamese famine of 1944–1945</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Philippines_campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945)" title="Philippines campaign (1944–1945)">Philippines (1944–1945)</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf" title="Battle of Leyte Gulf">Leyte</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Syrmian_Front" title="Syrmian Front">Syrmian Front</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Budapest_offensive" title="Budapest offensive">Hungary</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Budapest" title="Siege of Budapest">Budapest</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Burma_campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945)" title="Burma campaign (1944–1945)">Burma (1944–1945)</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge" title="Battle of the Bulge">Ardennes</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Operation_Bodenplatte" title="Operation Bodenplatte"><i>Bodenplatte</i></a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Dutch_famine_of_1944%E2%80%931945" title="Dutch famine of 1944–1945">Dutch famine of 1944–1945</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1945%E2%80%931991)" title="Timeline of World War II (1945–1991)">1945</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Vistula%E2%80%93Oder_offensive" title="Vistula–Oder offensive">Vistula–Oder</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Manila_(1945)" title="Battle of Manila (1945)">Battle of Manila</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima" title="Battle of Iwo Jima">Battle of Iwo Jima</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_in_French_Indochina" title="Japanese coup d'état in French Indochina">Indochina</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Vienna_offensive" title="Vienna offensive">Vienna offensive</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Project_Hula" title="Project Hula">Project Hula</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germany" title="Western Allied invasion of Germany">Western invasion of Germany</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bratislava%E2%80%93Brno_offensive" title="Bratislava–Brno offensive">Bratislava–Brno offensive</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa" title="Battle of Okinawa">Battle of Okinawa</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Second_Guangxi_campaign" title="Second Guangxi campaign">Second Guangxi campaign</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_West_Hunan" title="Battle of West Hunan">West Hunan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Spring_1945_offensive_in_Italy" title="Spring 1945 offensive in Italy">Italy (Spring 1945)</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Berlin" title="Battle of Berlin">Battle of Berlin</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Prague_offensive" title="Prague offensive">Prague offensive</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/End_of_World_War_II_in_Europe" title="End of World War II in Europe">Surrender of Germany</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/German_Instrument_of_Surrender" title="German Instrument of Surrender">document</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Borneo_campaign" title="Borneo campaign">Borneo</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Taipei" title="Raid on Taipei">Taipei</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Allied_naval_bombardments_of_Japan_during_World_War_II" title="Allied naval bombardments of Japan during World War II">Naval bombardment of Japan</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuria" title="Soviet invasion of Manchuria">Manchuria</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki" title="Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki">Atomic bombings</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Debate_over_the_atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki" title="Debate over the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki">Debate</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_South_Sakhalin" title="Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin">South Sakhalin</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Invasion_of_the_Kuril_Islands" title="Invasion of the Kuril Islands">Kuril Islands</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Shumshu" title="Battle of Shumshu">Shumshu</a></span></li></ul></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Surrender_of_Japan" title="Surrender of Japan">Surrender of Japan</a></span> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Potsdam_Declaration" title="Potsdam Declaration">Potsdam Declaration</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Japanese_Instrument_of_Surrender" title="Japanese Instrument of Surrender">document</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/End_of_World_War_II_in_Asia" title="End of World War II in Asia">End of World War II in Asia</a></span></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><div> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><b><span class="nowrap"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg/16px-The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg/24px-The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg/32px-The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3000" data-file-height="3002" /></a></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:World" title="Portal:World">World portal</a></b></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Bibliography_of_World_War_II" title="Bibliography of World War II">Bibliography</a></span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Category:World_War_II" title="Category:World War II">Category</a></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-labelledby="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3277777#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3277777#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a> <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3277777#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/15px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" /></a></span></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">International</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://viaf.org/viaf/137164703">VIAF</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n83222384">United States</a></span></li><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://olduli.nli.org.il/F/?func=find-b&local_base=NLX10&find_code=UID&request=987007261907705171">Israel</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.idref.fr/027464059">IdRef</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&useformat=desktop" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&oldid=1260554053">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&oldid=1260554053</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Battle_of_France" title="Category:Battle of France">Battle of France</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Commands_of_the_British_Army" title="Category:Commands of the British Army">Commands of the British Army</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Expeditionary_units_and_formations" title="Category:Expeditionary units and formations">Expeditionary units and formations</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Field_armies_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_World_War_II" title="Category:Field armies of the United Kingdom in World War II">Field armies of the United Kingdom in World War II</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Military_units_and_formations_established_in_1939" title="Category:Military units and formations established in 1939">Military units and formations established in 1939</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Military_units_and_formations_disestablished_in_1940" title="Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1940">Military units and formations disestablished in 1940</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Military_units_and_formations_of_the_British_Empire_in_World_War_II" title="Category:Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II">Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_German-language_sources_(de)" title="Category:CS1 German-language sources (de)">CS1 German-language sources (de)</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Webarchive_template_wayback_links" title="Category:Webarchive template wayback links">Webarchive template wayback links</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_matches_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description matches Wikidata">Short description matches Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Use_dmy_dates_from_May_2020" title="Category:Use dmy dates from May 2020">Use dmy dates from May 2020</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Use_British_English_from_February_2020" title="Category:Use British English from February 2020">Use British English from February 2020</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_containing_French-language_text" title="Category:Articles containing French-language text">Articles containing French-language text</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_containing_German-language_text" title="Category:Articles containing German-language text">Articles containing German-language text</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Commons_category_link_is_on_Wikidata" title="Category:Commons category link is on Wikidata">Commons category link is on Wikidata</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 1 December 2024, at 11:51<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy">Privacy Policy</a>. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/">Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.</a>, a non-profit organization.</li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About">About Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-contact"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us">Contact Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikipedia.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-mobileview"><a href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile" class="noprint stopMobileRedirectToggle">Mobile view</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg" width="84" height="29" alt="Wikimedia Foundation" loading="lazy"></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/w/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"></a></li> </ul> </footer> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-settings" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul></ul> </div><script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.main-759d5489db-k59ft","wgBackendResponseTime":142,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"1.450","walltime":"1.798","ppvisitednodes":{"value":11450,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":337556,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":20927,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":13,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":23,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":1,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":193547,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":1,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 1432.325 1 -total"," 18.58% 266.191 80 Template:Sfn"," 11.38% 162.965 1 Template:Infobox_military_unit"," 10.85% 155.380 30 Template:Cite_book"," 10.21% 146.239 1 Template:Infobox"," 9.01% 129.100 2 Template:Reflist"," 8.98% 128.660 22 Template:Lang"," 8.41% 120.500 2 Template:Short_description"," 6.44% 92.287 2 Template:Campaignbox"," 6.20% 88.734 4 Template:Cite_web"]},"scribunto":{"limitreport-timeusage":{"value":"0.828","limit":"10.000"},"limitreport-memusage":{"value":19395846,"limit":52428800},"limitreport-logs":"anchor_id_list = table#1 {\n [\"CITEREFAlanbrooke2002\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFBond2001\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFBondTaylor2001\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFBrodhurst2001\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFCharman2010\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFCollier2004\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFDoughty2014a\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFEdmonds1928\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFEllis2004\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFHamilton1981\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFJackson2003\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFKarslake1979\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFLongden2008\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFPostan1952\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFRipley2004\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFRoskill1957\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFRowe1959\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFSchweisfurth\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFSebag-Montefiore2007\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFSydnor1977\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFTackle2009\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFThompson2009\"] = 1,\n}\ntemplate_list = table#1 {\n [\"Authority control\"] = 1,\n [\"Blockquote\"] = 3,\n [\"British armies, commands, and corps during the Second World War\"] = 1,\n [\"Campaignbox Battle of France\"] = 1,\n [\"Campaignbox Western Front (World War II)\"] = 1,\n [\"Centre\"] = 16,\n [\"Cite book\"] = 30,\n [\"Cite report\"] = 1,\n [\"Cite thesis\"] = 5,\n [\"Cite web\"] = 4,\n [\"Commons category\"] = 1,\n [\"Cvt\"] = 24,\n [\"Efn\"] = 1,\n [\"For\"] = 1,\n [\"HMS\"] = 3,\n [\"Harvc\"] = 2,\n [\"Ill\"] = 1,\n [\"Infobox military unit\"] = 1,\n [\"Lang\"] = 22,\n [\"Main\"] = 7,\n [\"Main article\"] = 2,\n [\"Notelist\"] = 1,\n [\"Nowrap\"] = 67,\n [\"RMS\"] = 1,\n [\"Refbegin\"] = 1,\n [\"Refend\"] = 1,\n [\"Reflist\"] = 1,\n [\"SS\"] = 2,\n [\"See also\"] = 4,\n [\"Sfn\"] = 80,\n [\"Sfnm\"] = 5,\n [\"Short description\"] = 1,\n [\"Use British English\"] = 1,\n [\"Use dmy dates\"] = 1,\n [\"Webarchive\"] = 1,\n [\"World War II\"] = 1,\n}\narticle_whitelist = table#1 {\n}\nciteref_patterns = table#1 {\n}\ntable#1 {\n [\"size\"] = \"tiny\",\n}\n"},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.codfw.main-645858d48f-jwvjs","timestamp":"20241202164610","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"British Expeditionary Force (World War II)","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q3277777","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q3277777","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2008-10-26T10:25:49Z","dateModified":"2024-12-01T11:51:07Z","image":"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/c\/c9\/The_British_Army_in_France_1939_O117.jpg","headline":"British Army in Western Europe from 1939 to 1940"}</script> </body> </html>