Dunkirk and France 1940 Campaign Books

The Turn of the Tide 1939-1943:
A Study Based on the Diaries and Autobiographical Notes of Field Marshal the Viscount Alanbrooke K.G., O.M
by Arthur Bryant, Alan Brooke Alanbrooke

Just finished this book, picked up for £1 second hand, not half as dry as it sounds ! , very good on the battle for France. His feelings of doom on being sent back to western France in June 1940 with another BEF after escaping Dunkirk are well described!!

 

Thanks Van Poop , recently spotted this very book in my local library so will take your advice .

 

My first post

I don't think Blitzkreig legend has been mentioned. Which has good coverage of both sides - which is unusual: The Blitzkrieg Legend: The Campaign in the West, 1940: Amazon.co.uk: Karl-Heinz Frieser: Books

Somewhat rarer - A French Officer's diary by D Barlone published in 1942 - I have the 42 version: A French Officer's Diary: 23 August 1939 to 1 October 1940: Amazon.co.uk: P. L. Legentilhomme, D. Barlone, L. V. Cass: Books. Not much combat and an awful lot of retreating

The years of Defeat by Farndale has plenty of detail on the campaign from the Royal Artillery's viewpoint: History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat, 1939-41 History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery - the Second World War 1939-45: Amazon.co.uk: Peter Arnett, Sir Martin Farndale: Books

Cheers

Bob

 

[FONT=&quot]My co-author and I are very happy to learn that our Osprey book - Maginot Line 1940 - has been selected as one of the "Best of Osprey." In three months it has sold more than 3,000 copies and is still selling well. The first printing may be sold out in a few more months. Thanks to those who have bought the book![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cheers, Marc[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

 

G'day from Australia
I found this book in a bookshop in Melbourne
1940 The Last Act. The story of the British Forces in France AFTER Dunkirk by Basil Karslake printed by Leo Cooper London.
It is a very good read, many people forget about the part of the BEF that remained in France after Dunkirk, it is very illuminating about this often forgotten campaign in France post Dunkirk.
Regards Aussie Brit Keith

 

Belgium, The Official Account of what Happened 1939-1940 - Belgium Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Destination Dunkirk - Gregory Blaxland.

Blitzkreig in the West - After The Battle.

The Battle of France - After The Battle.

Dunkerque Journal Pictorial - Pierre Metsu.

Dunkirk, A Miracle of Deliverance - Reverand Fred Goldsmith

1st Battalion Lancashire Regiment France 1940 - Battalion Account

1940, The Last Act - Basil Karslake

Escape from Catastrophe: 1940 - Dunkirk - David J. Knowles

The Flames of Calais, a Soldier's Battle 1940 - Airey Neave

Dunkirk : Anatomy of Disaster - Patrick Turnbull

Dunkirk : The Great Escape - A J Barker

The Summer of Dunkirk and The Great Miracle - Arthur Bryant and Edward Shanks

Keep the Memory Green - Butler & Bradford

Dunkirk The Great Escape - A.J. Barker

The Twenty Five Days - John Masefield.

The Sands of Dunkirk - Richard Collier

The Defence of Calais - Linklater

The Battle of Flanders - Linklater.

Massacre on the Road to Dunkirk - Leslie Aitken.

Last Stand at Le Paradis - Richard Lane.

Guards VC - Dilip Sakar.

Dunkirk-Retreat to Victory - Julian Thompson.

The Evacuation fom Dunkirk - Whitehall History Publishing.

The Little Ships of Dunkirk - Cristian Brann.

The Ships That Saved An Army - Russell Plummer.

BEF Ships Before, At and After Dunkirk - John de S. Winser.

Dunkirk-The men they left Behind - Sean Longden.

Dunkirk-from disaster to deliverance - Battleground.

The War in France and Flanders - Ellis.

Dunkirk and the Fall of France - Geoffrey Stewart.

Pillar of Fire-Dunkirk 1940 - Ronald Aitken.

Dunkirk-Fight to the Last Man - Hugh Sebag Montefiore.

Forgotten Voices of Dunkirk - Joshua Levine.

Medic Saving Lives - John Nicol.

Blitzkreig in their own words-First hand accounts from German Soldiers - Pen and Sword.

Assignment To Catastrophe, Vol.1 Prelude to Dunkirk. July 1939-May 1940.

Assignment To Catastrophe, Vol.2 The Fall of France. June 1940.

The Fall of France - George Forty and John Duncan.

The Forgotten Massacre - Guy Rommelaere.

Dunkirk 1940 - Douglas Dildy.

Tigers at Dunkirk - Matthew Richardson.

Thirty Days to Dunkirk - Guy F. Gough.

Return Via Dunkirk - Gun Buster.

Dunkirk - Lt. Col. Butler and Maj. Bradford.

To Lose a Battle - Alistair Horne.

The Air Battle of Dunkirk - Norman Franks.

Dunkirk The Incredible Escape - Norman Gelb.

At The Sharp End - Peter Hart.

The London Cage - Lt. Col. A P Scotland.

The Fight for the Channel Ports - Michael Glover.

Boulogne, 20 Guards Brigade - Battleground.

Calais, A Fight to the Finish - Battleground.

The Highland Division - Eric Linklater.

Dunkirk The British Evacuation 1940 - Robert Jackson.

The Sands of Dunkirk - Richard Collier.

The Miracle of Dunkirk - Walter Lord.

Dunkirk The Patriotic Myth - Nicholas Harman.

The Vengeance of Private Pooley - Cyril Jolly.

Hazebrouck 1940 - Michael Heyworth.

The March of Conquest - Telford Taylor.

Images of War - Blitzkrieg in the West - Ian Baxter

The Campaign in the Low Countries - Lord Strabolgi

 

Andy, a couple more:

The Nine Days of Dunkirk - David Divine
The Nine Days Wonder - John Masefield
The Flames of Calais - Airey Neave
We Remember Dunkirk - Eds: Frank & Joan Shaw
The Shadow of Vimy Ridge - Kenneth Macksey (through the ages, not just WW2 but with a fair chunk on Arras 1940, Macksey being ex-R Tks)
Before the Dawn: Two Historic Retreats: Dunkirk 1940 Burma 1942 - Sir John Smyth

From Hyperwar:
Gort's Despatch
Brooke's Despatch
Ramsay's Despatch

 

I think I've asked this before:

Has anyone come across a book about the fighting at Cassel?

 

Monty (Volume 1) The Making of a General 1887-1942 - Nigel Hamilton

Part 4 covers Dunkirk

An interesting and different perspective on the campaign. It's the story of Monty's leadership of 3rd Division in II Corps under Brooke (who he respected). Neither suffered fools gladly with several of Monty's subordinates being replaced before hostilities began. 3rd Division carried out a number of large scale training exercises prior to 10 May, some of which e.g. retreats from river/canal crossings whilst under fire mirrored subsequent real events. Monty's view on Gort is somewhat different from that offered/implied in other books I've read.

Worth a read in my humble opinion.

 

I hope that posting this message does not breach forum rules.

I have written a book Ebb and Flow, Evacuations and Landings by Merchant Ships in World War Two. There are seventeen chapters including:
Operation Dynamo - Dunkirk, Operation Cycle – St Valery, Veules and Le Havre , Operation Aerial, Cherbourg, St Malo, Channel Islands,

Operation Aerial 2, Brest to St Jean de Luz,
Evacuation from the South of France, and from and through Gibraltar,
Children's Overseas Reception Board and other civilian evacuations.


Sorry about the formatting, I seem to have managed to switch on RH justification !


The book retails for £13.99, plus £1.71 P&P UK. I am happy to offer it free of the P&P to readers of this forum. Please contact me at roy@risdonbeazley.co.uk.

 

Hi Roy,

Any chance of signed copy?

 

With pleasure, who do I dedicate it to?

 

No name thanks (I here it reduces value incase you become rich and famous)

Regards and your signature would be great.

How do I pay/order it.

Regards
Andy

 

Andy,
No prospect of me becoming famous at 73! If you send me a PM, or an e-mail to roy(at)risdonbeazley.co.uk, with your address, I will send it on Monday. When you get the book you can send me a cheque, or pay by PayPal if you prefer.

Regards,

Roy

 

Email sent.

 

This sounds most interesting.

I know that the mods have mentioned in the past that they have no problem with this sort of sensible 'drawing of attention'.

mail sent.

 

WERE YOU AT DUNKIRK?

Were you there that fateful summer,
When the whole world held its breath?
When the whole world gazed in wonder,
On an army facing death.

When it seemed as though a mighty host,
Would live to fight no more.
Till the tall ships and the small ships,
Brought them safe to Britain's shore.

Many thousand tides have risen,
Over Dunkirk's shores since then,
But we'll not forget the story,
Though a million rise again.

Were you there that fateful summer,
When a nation knelt in prayer?
Then be proud all you who answer,
"I was there..........Yes, I was there!"

(Written by: Victor Larindish,
Imperial Veteran's Association,
St. Catherines,
Ontario,
Canada.)

 

I hope that posting this message does not breach forum rules.

I have written a book Ebb and Flow, Evacuations and Landings by Merchant Ships in World War Two. There are seventeen chapters including:
Operation Dynamo - Dunkirk, Operation Cycle – St Valery, Veules and Le Havre , Operation Aerial, Cherbourg, St Malo, Channel Islands,

Operation Aerial 2, Brest to St Jean de Luz,
Evacuation from the South of France, and from and through Gibraltar,
Children's Overseas Reception Board and other civilian evacuations.


Sorry about the formatting, I seem to have managed to switch on RH justification !


The book retails for £13.99, plus £1.71 P&P UK. I am happy to offer it free of the P&P to readers of this forum. Please contact me at roy@risdonbeazley.co.uk.

Have received the book, very impressed, filled with facts.

 

Hi Everyone,
I have nothing new to add - but thought Dunkirk: Fight to the Last man was indeed a titanic resource. I just got a copy of the Miracle of Dunkirk at a used book store, and am now reading Angus Calder's The Myth of the Blitz in which he also discusses Dunkirk and The Battle of Britain. He means myth in the sense of mythic, not false, but I think I need to start reading this book during the day not late at night to understand it better. If anyone else has read it, please let me know what you think.

Dunkirk - I've been corresponding with a man who was in the 48th Division, No. 517 Petrol Coy. with my uncle and remembers but did not know him. He's given me the names of officers of the Company, and I wonder how I could find out more about them? I've tried searching on unithistories.com and Googling their names, but am not sure what else to do. The names are: Major Charles Beale, Officer Commanding, Captain Paul Craven, Second in Command, Captain Charles Eaves, Workshop Officer, and four Platoon Commanders: Lieutenant Peter Wiseman, Lieutenant Ferguson, Lieutenant Peter
Furniss, and my uncle, Lieutenant Ralph Kent Green.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Barbara