TNA CAB 103 191

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I am surprised that the Admiralty should be willing to sponsor a
book written as this is, but that is their affair. I don't think
it will hurt anyone but themselves. But it seems to me to be
patently untrue to say, as the introduction does, (to mention but
one example) that the evacuation from Dunkirk was "unspectacular"
and then to write it up in a whole book: to claim that the whole
success was entirely due to the Navy; to give no credit - not even
to mention, in the introduction - the work of the Air Force; to
say that it was the Navy alone who got the troops into the boats,*
and even to claim thatall the credit of the work by something like
600 non naval craft belongs to the Navy.
P.
4
The first para on page 4 is a queer description of an
"unspectacular" operation!
p.
4
Lord Gort had warned the Cabinet that evacuation from Dunkirk
might be moved on May 19 and the Admiralty began considering it
that day. Operation Dynamo began on May 26. Is this so "audden"
for the Navy?
p. 5
2nd para. The Army didn't all "wait on the beaches" while the
minute. And is it true to imply that while the Navy had the
gallant navy did all the work. The Army fought till the last
great losses stated the Army personnel lost at sea was only
"hundreds".
p.7
The description of the Campaign on p.7 seems to me almost wholly
inaccurate. What is a "typical fighting retreat"? The whole of
the B.E.F. fighting is discussed in the sentence "small delaying
actions by non combatants".
Counter attack "next day" if this means the 20th it
p. 8
Top is inaccurate. para. It appears on this page that operation in Dynamo the was
not, introduction, for here the War Office and Ministry of Shipping
after all, planned wholly by the Navy as claimed
If to the first conference on evacuation) it was not then
are the last para is still describing the 20th (which is the
mentioned.
"next day" that Calais was finally cut off and the garrison can at be Boulogne said
clear evacuated till May 24th. Also I doubt if it then
was accurately not that Destroyers "blew up the port of Boulogne" or
at any time.
p. 9
It is - "the Navy was right" in wishing to use a port. a This
not true to suggest that the Army wished evacuation from
the particular beaches boast is meaningless for any sane man prefers port if
it is available. 20th the leading troops of the B.E.F. reached untrue. Dunkirk" The is
meangingless quoted was sent by Mr Eden on the 27th May. Gen till Adam was
"on May and the end of this para is wholly
not telegram approached to organise the defence of the perimeter
May 26th.
The final and para the Germans were well aware of it. By the also page Dynamo
is only half true. Evacuation started before time
Dynamo started about 30,000 had already been evacuated (see 26).
And carelessly so written and full all of implied I have had or explicit seems open mis-statements. to question.
on. All the potted history seems to me to be far too
on I have p.36 not for read instance it all it but than is ridiculous rifles they (and had quite defeated untrue) it the with German to say
Armour". Agincourt that "with This when little is the more made victorious more ridiculous bow. troops had by the comparing advantage of a new
long range weapon in the long
* See for instance the photo opposite p.70.