Dunkirk

[maple_leaf_eh]

Since the level of scholarship of this forum demands veracity, I cracked my copy of CP Stacey's WW2 history. Pages 10 to 16 relate the situation of early summer of 1940.

As the French and British armies were being overwhelmed and isolated by German pincer arms, a rescue was contemplated involving 1st Canadian Division under Andy McNaughton (hero of Vimy and other WW1 battles). Yes, the plan included Allied troops and 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, which included the Hasty Pees, 48 Highlanders, 3 Fd Regt RCA, two anti-tank batteries and some engineers. It was embarked and ready to leave Dover for Calais on 23 May. McNaughton and staff took a RN destroyer forward to recce Dunkirk and interviewed several senior officers on the Continent. Their conclusion was the situation was too chaotic for the Canadians to have any beneficial effect,. The mission was cancelled upon debrief to the War Office, including the brand new PM, one Mr. Churchill (you may have heard of him). The Brigade was returned to barracks feeling excluded. No so-called Dover Dash for them.

The Dunkirk perimeter continued to collapse, and quote fresh troops unquote were considered to reinforce the bridgehead. The same Brigade was warned again by the War Office to be ready. Again McNaughton and now Crerar argued against what was labelled "Angel Move". With plans being overtaken by events, the idea was cancelled. And again, 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade was stood down.

Skip ahead two weeks, and the British had identified the 1st Canadian Division and the 52nd (Lowland) Division to reinforce the 51st (Highland) Division and the 1st Armoured Division still fighting in France. The prime strategy being to fight as hard as possible to retain a toehold in France, at nearly all costs. This became the reason for the mid-June deployment of Canadians to France for all of three days, through Brest in the west, long after Dunkirk in the east was evacuated.

Stacey colourfully describes the train carrying the Hasty Pees back from their assembly area, "With all possible preparations made for defence, and every carriage bristling with assorted weapons, the train rolled on through the countryside, a little moving island of Canadian territory, with the French Republic dissolving into ruin all about it."

The brigade lost six men - one killed in a motorcycle accident and five taken prisoner, four of them escaped and one remained a prisoner until 1945.

Thus endeth the lesson from the chapter The First Canadians Overseas, by the apostle CP Stacey, from the big book of The Canadian Army 1939-1945.