Dunkirk Perimeter and Evacuation 1940: France and Flanders Campaign

The book "Battleground Europe: Dunkirk 1940" covers the fierce fighting around the Dunkerque Perimeter in May and June 1940 between the retreating British Expeditionary Force and its French allies and the advancing German army. It includes over 200 black and white photographs and fourteen maps, as well as a walk and drive around Ramsgate and Dover, visits to the relevant cemeteries, and three appendices and two car tours.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 01 May 2019
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

The book, the latest in a series of eight Battleground Europe books that deals with the BEF's campaign in France and Flanders in 1940, delves into the intense combat that unfolded around the Dunkerque Perimeter during May and June 1940. This pivotal period witnessed the retreating British Expeditionary Force (BEF) engaging in fierce battles with its French allies against the advancing German army. It encompasses the area that most people in Britain associate with the fighting in France in 1940, a military disaster that could have been much worse. However, this grievous setback was swiftly transformed into a morale-boosting symbol of the resilience of the British against a Germany that had crushed so many nations in a matter of weeks.

With over 200 black and white photographs and fourteen maps, this book provides a detailed examination of the units deployed around Dunkerque and Nieuport and their often desperate actions to prevent the inevitable advance of German forces opposing them. The evacuation of the BEF from the beaches east of Dunkerque is covered in great detail, from the perspective of the Royal Navy and the soldiers on the beaches. An unusual feature of this Battleground Europe publication is the inclusion of a walk and drive around Ramsgate and Dover, covering the English end of the evacuation.

In addition to visits to the relevant cemeteries, the book includes three appendices and two car tours. The first tour spans the entirety of the Dunkirk perimeter, while the second tour focuses on Ramsgate and Dover. While there is ample opportunity for walking in both tours, the book also offers a walk around De Panne, which takes tourists along the beach that witnessed much of the evacuation and into the back areas of the town where the Germans left their mark during the cleanup after the British had departed.

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 212 x 146 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781473852235