He has also written two battle ground europe publications and is coauthor of the battle lines guidebook series to the western front 191418. The secret of the wehrmachts success lay in its carefully thought out organization and the tactics of blitzkrieg. At the entrance to the faubourg damiens cemetery in france stands the arras memorial. Buy frankforce and the defence of arras 1940 battleground ii by jerry murland isbn. Battle of arras history of world war i ww1 the great war. Battle of sedan 1940 project gutenberg selfpublishing. Ve day, battle of france, churchill, percival q6 75 years ago today, on 10 may 1940, german forces began coordinated attacks on the netherlands, belgium, luxembourg and france. Battle of arras 1654, a clash between the french and the spanish. The british counterattack at arras in 1940 resulted in major losses for rommels 7. The book looks at the strategic situation that led up to the famous arras counterstroke and, using material that has not been published before, examines the. The fall of france in 1940 has been well chronicled but numerous misconceptions remain.
The name battle of arras refers to a number of battles which took place near the town of arras in artois, france battle of arras 1654, a clash between the french and the spanish. Frankforce and the defence of arras 1940 pen and sword books. As the germans advanced rapidly towards the french coast in may 1940, the area around the town of arras was reinforced with british expeditionary force bef. This book serves both as guide to the second world war battlefields that surround the city and its environs as well as detailing the actions of the british armoured attack of 21 may 1940. Before completing the story of what was happening at the higher level it will be best to record the fighting which took place on may the 21st. The french commander in chief, gamelin had been replaced by weygand on the 17th may, a situation that did not help the communication and coordination of a planned counterattack with the british. A lot of the german succes in 1940 really should be attributed to luck,the panzers were not as powerfull as the allied tanks,and when the allies did mount a coordinated attack like at arrass the german panzers didnot stand a chance. Isolation of the northern armies 20th may, 1940 75.
It was part of the battle of france, in which the nazis invaded france, germany, belgium, the netherlands and luxembourg. Further scene setting is developed in chapters concerning the planning of of fall gelb, the invasion of france, and the constitution and depolyoment of the bef in france, along with the allied plan, to strike east into belgium, that wound up playing. In 1940 hitler sent his troops to execute the fall of france. The france and flanders campaign 1940 battleground ii. It seems that many english language sources only mention arras and dunkirk as key points about the 1940 battle of france, whereas there were many other battles which did not at all involve british troops and which were more bloody and equipment costing for the germans 2nd attack of abbeville, stonne, montdieu, tannay, rethel, gembloux, hannut. Jerry murland there is no other city in france that has the same associations in time of conflict that the british have with arras. This book serves both as guide to the second world war battlefields that surround the city and its environs as well as detailing the actions of the british armored attack of 21 may 1940.
On 3 septemb er 1939 france had declared war on germany, following the german invasion of poland. A sixweek battle with lightning blitzkrieg warfare and combined operations techniques, the offensive ended the. In the battle of france in 1940, why was erwin rommels. The germans launched operation yellow, the invasion of france and the low countries, on may 10th, 1940. Battle of arras, 9 april17 may 1917, british offensive on the german defenses around the french city of arras during world war i. On may 10, 1940, germany commenced its invasion of france. The battle of sedan or second battle of sedan 1215 may 1940 was a second world war battle fought during the french campaign. In early september 1939, france began the limited saar offensive. The memorial commemorates nearly 35,000 soldiers of the british, south african and new zealand forces with no known grave.
The battle of arras also known as the second battle of arras was a british offensive on the western front during world war i. This book serves both as guide to the second world war battlefields that. Fast moving tank divisions supported by armoured, mobile infantry swept over opposition. Arras counterattack 1940 paperback pen and sword books.
Defence of the channel ports 22nd may to 26th may, 1940 153. Download pdf frankforce and the defence of arras 1940 book full free. This book serves both as guide to the second world war battlefields that surround the city and its environs as well as detailing the actions of the british armoured attack of 21 may 1940 \. Battle of arras 40 sur livraison gratuite voir conditions. Frankforce and the defence of arras 1940 battleground ii. A combined french and british force was able to hold off heavy german attacks for three critical days, allowing the allies to consolidate their hold on dunkirk, but at the cost of the virtual destruction of the garrison. There is no other city in france that has the same associations in time of. The battle of arras was a major british offensive during the first world war. Yet, there are various misconceptions about the battle of. The bef did not commence hostilities until the invasion of france on 10 may 1940. Counterattack at arras 1940 posted on february 8, 2016 by msw by the evening of 20 may, guderians panzer spearheads had reached abbeville at the mouth of the somme, and at this point their line was as thinned out as it ever would be. On 3 september 1939 france had declared war on germany, following the german invasion of poland.
It is the story of eighty year old generals entrenched in power, and allied to weak political leaders who are constantly rotated into and out of power by a severely divided country. Following the german invasion of france and the low countries on 10 may, french and british forces advanced into belgium to meet the german invasion. It was an allied counterattack against the flank of the german army, that took place near the town of arras, in northeastern france. The british counterattack at arras and escaut british troops man an antitank gun position in the ruined belgium town of louvain. By midoct ober, the french had withdrawn to their start lines. The battle of arras took place on 21 may 1940, during the battle of france in the second world war. Blitzkrieg in the west series gembloux, sedan, dinant. His books include retreat and rearguard 1914, battle on the aisne 1914, aristocrats go to war, retreat and rearguard. The battle was part of the german wehrmacht s operational plan codenamed fall gelb case yellow for an offensive through the hilly and heavily forrested ardennes, to encircle the allied armies in belgium and northeastern france.
The british achieved the longest advance since trench warfare had begun, surpassing the record set by the french sixth army on 1 july 1916. This photo was allegedly taken by rommel himself, near arras. From 9 april to 16 may 1917, british troops attacked german defences near the french city of arras on the western front. The great war week by week 100 years later s4 e15 the canadian corps takes vimy ridge the battle of arras i the great war week 142. British and french tanks and infantry advanced south from arras to force back german armoured forces, which were advancing westwards down the somme river valley towards the english channel, to trap the allied forces in northern france and belgium. The battle of arras, 1940 is a twoplayer game simulating the british and french attack on mobile german elements near arras, france, on may 21, 1940.
The book covers the bef in france from 19391940,it was printed during the 1970s and you can find a copy of it on. If, like me, you have never had to face actual combat, you may find that this book offers a wellresearched and supported window into the experience. France 1940 is the final book of alistair hornes trilogy, which includes the fall of paris and the price of glory and tells the story of the great crises of the rivalry between france and germany in 1940 hitler sent his troops to execute the fall of france. The battle of arras 1940 took place during the battle of france, in the early stages of world war ii. Topics covered include the preparations of the bef, the failure of allied counter attacks. Overlords blog has posted a three part article on the battle of arras, france in 1940. Arras tunnellers memorial press release archived 21 october 2008. The arras counterattack, 1940 schopenhauers workshop. This book takes the battlefield tourist from oudenaarde to hollain in a series of tours that retrace the footsteps of the bef. On may 10, 1940, hitler launched his war in the west, and.
The town of arras in northern france, on the river scarpe south west of lille. In the second world war, the battle of france, also known as the fall of france, was the successful german invasion of france and the low countries, beginning on 10 may 1940, defeating primarily french forces. Though arras itself was never permanently occupied by the germans they spent two days in the town in september 1914 and a salient bulged east from the city into enemy territory throughout the war. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. With two british infantry divisions 5 and 50 and one british tanks brigade 1 under the command of general harold franklyn british. The book looks at the strategic situation that led up to the famous arras. The siege of calais of 2326 may saw some of the most desperate fighting during the german campaign in the west in 1940. The battle of france, also known as the fall of france, was the german invasion of france and the low countries during the second world war. This fascinating and thoughtprovoking collection of essays on wideranging issues covering the politics and fighting on land, sea and in the air will be greatly welcomed by academics and military history enthusiasts. France, major european power and owner of the worlds largest armies had fallen in less than seven weeks to the might of the german wehrmacht. The battle of arras, in 1940, was the first effective allied counterattack against german forces in world war ii. Frankforce and the defence of arras 1940 battleground ii kindle edition by jerry murland. This battle is well known to those interested in the history of armored warfare, remembered primarily as the time british matilda tanks put a serious scare into rommels 7th panzer division.
A sixweek battle with lightning blitzkrieg warfare and combined. Frankforce and the defence of arras 1940 pen and sword. By midoctober, the french had withdrawn to their start lines. There was at the time, and there still is, some confusion of ideas about what is commonly known as the british counterattack at arras. In 1940, the german army fought and won an extraordinary battle with france in six weeks of lightning warfare.
Thank you to phil for sending me this book from my wish list. On 21 may 1940 during the illfated dunkirk campaign the british launched an operation spearheaded by two tank regiments to help secure. For a good book try destination dunkirk by gregory blaxland. The german forces were pushing north toward the channel coast, in order to entrap the allied forces that were advancing east into belgium. The appointment of erwin rommel as commander of the 7th panzer division in february 1940 seems, in the light of his many triumphs in france and north africa, an unremarkable and perfectly natural choice. From 9 th april to 16 th may 1917, troops from the four corners of the british empire attacked trenches held by the army of imperial germany to the east of the french city of arras the ground and date chosen for the battle was dictated by a desire to cooperate with the french, whose forthcoming offensive, planned. Since the campaigns of john churchill, 1st duke of marlborough, in the early 18th. German tanks rides through france without any resistance. It was noteworthy for the swift and spectacular gains made by the british in the opening phaseabove all, the capture of vimy ridge, considered virtually impregnable, by the canadian corpsbut it ended as a. Frankforce and the defence of arras, 1940 ebook, 2017. The advanced german units crossed the meuse without waiting for reinforcements at the battle of sedan. The sticking point for the germans on the 20th had been the british garrison at arras which had failed to yield to rommels 7th panzer division.
Following the german invasion of france and the low. Pdf frankforce and the defence of arras 1940 download. In this crucial moment, allies decide to make their move. In the first, fall gelb case yellow, german armoured units pushed through the ardennes to cut off. With the subtlety and compulsion of a novel, hornes narrative shifts from minor battlefield incidents to high military and political decisions, stepping far beyond the confines of military history to form a major contribution to our understanding of the crises of the francogerman. Fighting on two fronts 24th may and 25th may, 1940 5. France 1940 is the final book of alistair hornes trilogy, which includes the fall of paris and the price of glory and tells the story of the great crises of the rivalry between france and germany. The german campaign plan fall gelb had evolved into a decoy operation in the netherlands and belgium and the main effort through the ardennes. Battle of arras 1914, a battle during the race to the sea in the first world war. This wellorganized book begins with the prewar origins of the.
Battle of france 1940 schlacht aus frankreich 1940. The name battle of arras refers to a number of battles which took place near the town of arras in artois, france. In early septem ber 1939, france began the limited saar offensive. Most of those commemorated were killed in the battle of arras, fought between 9. The book, battle of france 1940, is the story of power and prestige trying to ignore inconvenient truths, even in the face of momentous disaster. The darkest day of rommels ghost divison battle of arras 1940. The book covers the bef in france from 1939 1940,it was printed during the 1970s and you can find a copy of it on. So the germans were lucky that the french army had very few antitank and antiaircraft guns,lucky that the allied. After the commencement of battle, they were driven back through belgium and northwestern france, forcing their eventual evacuation from several ports along the french northern coastline in. The battle o f fran ce, also known as the fall of fra nce, was the german invasi on of f rance and the low countries during the second world war. With the help of local historians, the author has pinpointed crucial actions and answered some of the myriad questions associated with this important phase of the france and flanders campaign of 1940. The darkest day of rommels ghost divison battle of. Buy arras counterattack 1940 battleground ii by saunders, tim isbn.
1390 589 124 559 608 53 1228 629 1457 674 891 663 600 1034 252 1246 1224 494 1263 484 931 92 739 1094 1336 987 1510 875 902 680 774 978 310 1479 1344 978 931 804