France 1940

[Mark W. Tonner]

Hi Norm;

The original plan of the 'Second BEF' was for the 52nd (Lowland) Division and Canadian 1st Division, along with ancillary troops, and the remnants of the 51st (Highland) Division (Beauman Force) and 1st Armoured Division, who together would form the 2nd Corps BEF, was to take up positions along the general line - St. Nazaire-Rennes-Pontorson, so has to threaten the flank of a German advance towards Le Mans-Angers-Nantes, by drawing the Germans westwards, thus relieving the pressure on the French Army.

But as we know this plan never came together because of the collapse of the French Army, and the 52nd (Lowland), like the Canadian 1st Division, only had one brigade, the 157th, plus their supporting artillery, actually advance into France after disembarking through Cherbourg on 8 June, through which port they were withdrawn from on the 18 June 1940. 157th Brigade did link up with the remnants of the 1st Armoured Division and Beauman Force, but by then, it was already to late.

Cheers