TNA / ADM 234 360

TNA ADM 234 360

Collection details

TNA ADM 234 360

Naval Staff History No. 41, the official historical study of the evacuation from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo, 26 May–4 June 1940, dated 1949.

Holding archive: TNA
Collection reference: ADM 234 360

View the archive catalogue entry ↗

Source: The National Archives, Kew, ADM 234/360. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing only pages tagged with the vessel name Antwerp. Tags are exact matches from this collection’s OCR tag index. Clear vessel filter ×

4 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.

List page 1 of 1 Showing document pages 20–241 of this collection

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Page	Image	OCR text	OCR tags
20	Log in to enlarge	THE EVACUATION FROM DUNKIRK CHAP. I 13TH MAY Occupation of Walcheren and Zuid Beveland imminent in accordance with their plans, and by the May, units of the latter Movements of the main bodies of the French 13th Ist and 7th Armies continued north of Antwerp on the Dutch border. It was, however, becoming inof Walcheren and Zuid Beveland, which was developing from the north-east. creasingly evident that they would be unable to prevent the enemy occupation northern forces to the general line Louvain-Antwerp. During the day and the following night the Belgians were withdrawing their 14TH MAY Germans cross Meuse May the 14th was crucial, for on that day the enemy penetrated the French 9th Army front, and crossed the Meuse between Sedan and Mézières.¹ (See Plan 1). 15TH MAY Dutch Army surrenders On the 15th May the Dutch Army laid down its arms. The immediate effect of this on the operations of the B.E.F. was small, but "I anticipated says Lord Gort, "that this would come as a shock to the Belgian Army".2 The French 7th Army withdrew its advanced formations to the neighbourhood of Antwerp, and the French divisions on the B.E.F.'s left flank were ordered to move across the British rear to fill the gap which had been created on the French 9th Army's front. This move did not, however, actually take place till some 3 days later,² and it then left the Belgian Army responsible for the security of the British left flank. On the British front the day passed quietly on the whole. The 1st Corps [Lt.-Gen. M. G. H. Barker] was not attacked in strength; 3rd Division [Maj.- Gen. B. L. Montgomery] of 2nd Corps [Lt.-Gen. A. F. Brooke] was attacked north-west of Louvain, and its forward positions were penetrated, but a counterattack successfully restored the original line. and, in spite of British support, some ground was lost. At about 1800, however, the enemy penetrated the French 1st Army's front, 16TH MAY Allies withdraw to river Escaut was were impracticable,3 because the French 1st the B.E.F.'s right flank By the 16th May it became clear that a prolonged defence of the Dyle position withdrawal unlikely to make good the ground lost on Army the on and a further It seemed likely to be forced on them by events previous in day the south.³ on night of Senne and one day on the River Escaut, spending on the the was River therefore decided to withdraw to the River one day began. 16th-17th May, the 15 to 20 miles withdrawal Dendre. to Accordingly, the Senne positions 2 1 Lord Lord Gort's Second Despatch 2 Lord Gort's Second Despatch, para. 22. Gort's Second Despatch, para. para. 23. 24. 2	Antwerp Escaut Meuse Security Brooke Day Gort May Miles right West
239	Log in to enlarge	PLAN 1 Soate of Miles 10 5 o 10 20 30 40 N The German break-through on 17th.18th KENT OSTEND ANTWERP DUNKIRK LA PANNE NIEUPORT BRUGES 18th MAY may 13th MAY ON MAPS IN LORD CORTS DESPATCH R.M. FURNES Yser GAND MALINES GRAVELINES a BERGUES CALAIS SPYKE RIYS R.Senna ALOST WORMHOUTE th F. LOUVAIN YPRES 18MAY Phyle WATTEN COURTRAI MENIN Escaut BRUSSELS 13th MAY CASSEL COMINES BOULOGNE StOMER R.Dendre WAVRE HAZEBROUCK ARMENTIERES P.LYS AIRE MERVILLE LILLE ATH R.Meuse EXOLISH NAMUR StAMAND LA BASSEE R.Sambre VALE CIENNES DOUAI Fscaut RRA R. 18th MAY 18thMAY 13th:MAY CAMBRAI DOULLENS ABBEVILLE R 2.50mm ALBERT DIEPPE PERONNE AMIENS st QUENTINE 18th MAY MEZIERES SEDAN R.Oire Approximiste BritishFrenchead Belgiadine on 13ᵗʰ May: R.Aisne " " " 18th ": German break break-through shewn in blue RMass TSD/HS (655) C.B.H. 16675- Wt.41534 Dd. -625-6/49	Aire Amiens Antwerp Bruges Escaut Gravelines Malines Meuse Sambre Kent May Miles
240	Log in to enlarge	PLAN 2 Scale ofMiles to 5 o 10 20 30 40 N The Allied withdrawal into 18th MAY the Dunkirk KENT GSTEND . 30ᵗMAY BRUGES ANTWERP PANNE perimeter on the + NIEUPORT 23rd MAY 30th May May + 4. FURNES MALINES Yser GAND BASED ON MAPS IN LORD GORT'S DESPATCH LINES C GRAVE STATES BERGUES R.Lys ALOST R WORMHOUTE LOUVAIN CHANNEL YPRES COURTRAI Escant R.Dyle WATTE MENIN BRUSSELS . R St. OMER CASSEL COMINES Dandre WAVRE BOULDONE . ZEBROUCK INS ARMENTIERES R. R AIRE MERVILLE ATH LILLE 23rd:MAY Meuse 23rd MAY St. AMAND NAMUR . BASSEE CARVIN . 18th MAY R. Sambre St.POL . VALENCIENNES DOUAI BARRAS Escaut a CAMBRAI OULLENS BEVILLE B ALBERT R.Somme PERONNE him AMIENS StQUENTIN French 10th Arm MEZIERES SEDAN R.Oise Mause The Dunkirk Perimeter on 30th May. Allied line on 18th Щау French 3rd Army R.Aisne Approximate British, French and Belgiantine on 23rd May German progress shewn in blue TSD/HS (ESG) C.B.H.16675	Aire Amiens Antwerp Bruges Escaut Grave Malines Meuse Progress Sambre Gort Kent May
241	Log in to enlarge	PLAN 2 Scale ofMiles to 5 o 10 20 30 40 & The Allied withdrawal into 18th MAY the Dunkirk KENT GSTEND 30thmay BRUGES ANTWERP PANNE perimeter on the NIEUPORT 23rd MAY + 30th May May + + x FURNES GAND MALINES LINES Yser BASED ON MAPS IN LORD GORT'S DESPATCH C SAYKER BERGUES R.Lys ALOST a WORMHOUTE LOUVAIN CHANNEL YPRES COURTRAI R.Dyle WATTE MENIN BRUSSELS . R St. OMER CASSEL COMINES WAVRE BOULDONE . Dandre ZEBROUCK IVS ARMENTIERES R. AIRE LALT MERVILLE ATH LILLE 23rd:MAY Meuse 23rd MAY . St. AMAND NAMUR BASSEE CARVIN . 18th MAY R Sambre St.POL VALENCIENNES DOUAI ARRAS R.Escaut CAMBRAI DOULLENS BEVILLE B ALBERT Somme PERONNE AMIENS him St.QUENTIN French 10th Army MEDIERES SEDAN R.Oise RMause The Dunkirk Perimeter on 30th May Allied line on 18th Щау French 3rd Army R.Aisne Approximate British, French and Belgiantine on 23rd May German progress shown in blue TSD/HS (E56) C.B.H.16675	Aire Amiens Antwerp Bruges Escaut Malines Meuse Progress Sambre Gort Kent May