Going Coastal

The Allies had collapsed into a defensive pocket around the Channel ports. In order for 360,000 rations for the BEF to be brought from Calais to Dunkirk, the road between the two cities had to be reconnoitered and secured. An …

1940-05-24

DD07

The Allies had collapsed into a defensive pocket around the Channel ports. In order for 360,000 rations for the BEF to be brought from Calais to Dunkirk, the road between the two cities had to be reconnoitered and secured. An initial squadron of tanks fought their way to Dunkirk but no news of this made it back to Calais, and thus a second squadron was sent, this time with infantry support from the 1“ Rifle Brigade. They found the road blocked by elements of the 1st Panzer Division covering the rear flank of the German attack on Gravelines, on the outskirts of Dunkirk.

E Of Calais, France

The Siege of Calais (1940) was a battle for the port of Calais during the Battle of France. The siege was fought at the same time as the Battle of Boulogne, just before Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) through Dunkirk. After the Franco-British counter-attack at the Battle of Arras (21 May), German units were held back to be ready to resist a resumption of the counter-attack on 22 May, despite the protests of General Heinz Guderian, the commander of the XIX Armee Korps, who wanted to rush north up the Channel coast to capture Boulogne, Calais and Dunkirk. An attack by part of the XIX Armee Korps was not authorised until 12:40 a.m. on the night of 21/22 May.

Wikipedia: Siege of Calais

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