Breakthrough to Gembloux

Hannut, Belgium - May 12, 1940. Adopting the Dyle Plan, the cavalry corps of Gen. Prioux moves into Belgium, ahead of Gen. Blanchard's 1st Army to confront the German invaders. Near Hannut, French scout units find themselves facing incoming fire …

1940-05-13

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Hannut, Belgium - May 12, 1940. Adopting the Dyle Plan, the cavalry corps of Gen. Prioux moves into Belgium, ahead of Gen. Blanchard's 1st Army to confront the German invaders. Near Hannut, French scout units find themselves facing incoming fire from frontline German units. From there on, their mission is to hold back or at least delay the Germans - hoping to gain time for the slower Allied corps elements deploying along the Dyle. The two light motorized divisions (DLM) of Gen. Prioux bear the brunt of the assault, facing two formidable Panzer divisions and five supporting infantry divisions. Despite this unequal match of forces, the 2nd and 3rd DLM manage to hold the Germans back for two days, saving the Dyle Plan. On May 14, decimated but their mission accomplished, the DLMs withdraw to the rear.

Gembloux, Belgium

The Battle of Gembloux was fought between French and German forces in May 1940 during the Second World War. On 10 May 1940, The Nazi German Wehrmacht, invaded Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Belgium under the operational plan Fall Gelb. Allied armies responded with the Dyle Plan, intended to halt the Germans in Belgium, believing it to be the main German thrust. The Allies committed their best and most mobile to an advance into Belgium on 10 May and on 12 May, the Germans began the second part of Fall Gelb, the Manstein Plan an advance through the Ardennes, to reach the English Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium.

Wikipedia: Battle of Gembloux (1940)

German

French

Game Type: Breakthrough

Board Type: Countryside

Website Access: Available