This is the first of Jerry Murland’s Pen & Sword ‘Retreat & Rearguard’ series that I have had the opportunity to read. It follows, as chronologically as possible the withdrawal of the BEF’s fighting troops and their rearguard actions from the River Dyle to eventual evacuation of the majority from the Channel coast during May-June 1940. There is no shortage of publications relating to the 1940 campaign in France & Flanders, varying in detail and in how specifically they deal with the BEF. Many of them draw heavily on official histories and war diaries and this can result in a rather standardised account. The BEF diaries in any case were often re-written after the event and frequently lack detail. What Jerry has done is to utilise a considerable number of extra sources including accounts by individual officers and other ranks (often lacking in the official versions). These include those captured whose tales have often remained unpublished. The book puts events into a clear context but is complementary to, rather than a replacement for, the general histories and a basic background knowledge of the campaign and perhaps the structure of the BEF is helpful in following the narrative without too much cross-referencing. That said, the book has extremely detailed notes and attributions and a first-rate index. It is an enjoyable read for the BEF enthusiast and with its inclusion of numerous references to those involved, particularly junior officers and other ranks, it will also be useful and relevant for family history researchers and those wishing to fill out the general histories. The larger scale actions mentioned in the earlier chapters have to some extent been dealt with by others and where this book really comes into its own is in dealing with the smaller actions as the pace and confusion of the withdrawal increase. The detailed accounts of how these were fought make it clear that they were often a microcosm of the general campaign with the BEF displaying much the same strengths and weaknesses at local level. ‘Retreat & Rearguard’ highlights extremely well the failures of communication between superior and subordinate units and also between units fighting alongside of each other. The general confusion and lack of information upon which to base decisions is a recurring element. Brownrigg as Adjutant General is criticised on a number of occasions and whilst he has never had a particularly good press, I don’t recall seeing an earlier account that demonstrates his failings quite so graphically. The book gives the impression of being thoroughly well researched and brings the various narratives together as a readable whole whilst retaining the benefit that the individual chapters stand equally well alone. On a personal note, I would have preferred the more conventional use of ordinal numbers when designating British and French units, rather than what is apparently the Pen &Sword house style of using a ‘stroke’ which seemed to disrupt the flow when reading about units that I know well as 1st or 2nd Battalion etc. However, it is something that I gradually became used to. In conclusion, definitely recommended for those wishing to examine new angles on the campaign or to expand on the sometimes rather dry standard works. I can imagine too that it could be a useful basis for a battlefield tour, particularly as the locations are so accessible from the Channel ports. I’m looking forward to the author’s forthcoming title in the Battleground series dealing with the Battle for the Escaut.
Nice review. Thanks Rich. Quick question - does it have any information about the actions of the 51st Highland division during the retreat?
....No. Fortune and the 51st are mentioned in the preface but the author states that for reasons of space and by implication in order to do the events in Belgium and the Dunkirk Corridor leading to the 'miracle of Dunkirk' justice, he has had to restrict himself to events north of the Somme. Even so, it's a book of 250-odd pages. It's the detail that makes it so fascinating but of course it takes up space.
