Dunkirk and France 1940 Campaign Books

No, the other sections are Waterloo, Mons and First/Third Ypres.

It has got fold-out maps, though! Two of the Arras ones are based on contemporary German maps.

 

That'll do for me then....I like a map

 

That'll do for me then....I like a map
And me too!
Cheers idler
Mark

 

Got my copy of the Army Battlefield Guide: Belgium and Northern France by Richard Holmes and it led me to another interesting little book that mentions Arras.
Old Battles and New Defences: Can We Learn From Military History is a collection of studies commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence. The studies were to help plan for Britian's role in NATO on the Central Front and focus on counter-stroke and the use of artillery. The chapter on Arras: " Arras, 21 1940: A Case Study in the Counter-Offensive" by Brian Bond draws on Macksey's work , some German sources and some communciation Bond has with some of the senior officers involved in the attack. If you're interested in Arras, the analysis Bond works in makes this a book worth tracking down through inter-library loan.

Cheers
Mark

 

Cheers for the heads up. A few copies here:

old battles and new defences - AbeBooks

 

Do we know about this one?

The St Valery Story, Ernest Reoch, 1965

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=96943&stc=1&d=1357677512

 

Got it already

 

I hope that the book's a bit more 'authentic' than the dust jacket showing a formation sign which wasn't in use in 1940!

 

Drew,

An interesting collection and a few suggestions for interesting books. Its rather focused on Dunkirk and the British point of view.

If you want to add other sides to the story try

- Hienz Guderian Panzer leader
- Erich von Manstein: Lost Battles
- Alistair Horne : To Lose a Battle
- William Shirer The Collapse of the Third Republic

Add another dimension with
ER Hooton : Phoenix Rising, Triumphant
Cajus Bekker: The Luftwaffe War Diairies
Norman Franks The air war over Dunkirk
There is also a rather good RAF Historical study - a cabinet secret history which you can buy.

You might also find interesting

Brian Bond's France and Flanders 1940 60 years on - a collection of essays on different aspects of the campaign.
Martin Marixz Evans - The Fall of France 1940: Act with daring:


There are also some interesting Regimental histories
- Farndale's Years of Defeat tells the gunner story 1939-41
- Return to Dunkirk by Gun Buster - fictionalised account of a TA unit, but based on the unit which supports the arras counter attack.
- The War Illustrated carried lots of contemporary eye witness accounts, includign the splendid story of the defence of Hondeghem by K Battery.

There is also an excellet book by an officer in the Royal Ulster Rifles which covers the story of the crossing at Gorre.

 

A bias for action : the German 7th Panzer Division in France & Russia 1940-1941




SIXTY DAYS THAT SHOOK THE WEST THE FALL OF FRANCE 1940

Translated.

 

I think I need to put my updated book list on here

 

A nice unusual book for my collection arrived today thanks to a heads up from Trux:

Supporting the British Expeditionary Force - The Royal Engineer Railway Units in France 1939-1940 by William A T Aves.

 

Twelve Days in May by Brian Cull;
Air War in France 1939-1940 by Robert Jackson

How do these 2 books compare, I have the second of the two, found it to be very factual, was wondering if the first had more first hand accounts?
Anybody read it?

 

Can't help Les - I only have Air War in France 1939-1940. I tend to use ATB's Battle Of France for the Air war side of things. I think you'll stuggle to find anything more factual than that.

 

I have one of Cull's other books and it is based on a lot of interviews as well as archive sources. Some of the Grub Street books command high prices on the secondhand market, I don't think you'll be disappointed if you can get a copy for a reasonable price.

Another book that springs to mind is Valiant Wings.

 

Bagged 'Twelve days in May', will let you know, thanks chaps.

 

Cull's book is OK, the second one is very basic.

Peter

 

'The New Contemptibles' Douglas Williams'
Fascinating little book published in 1940 by DailyTelegraph
About a dozen first hand accounts , none of which I have seen before , two good accounts of escape from St. Valery / Veules Les Roses includung the rifle sling one ( a petrol company , RASC ?)
Good maps in cluding a very detailed map of Hondeghem showing every bren gun.
Foreword by Tiger Gort himself

 

La Bataille de Dunkerque by Jacques Mordal - in French of course.

Old fashioned history, published 1948, but a lot of detail on French units and very creditable performance by the French Navy.

 

Sappers and Militiamen: A History of The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) by Graham Watson ISBN 0952810204




The Man Who Missed The Massacre by Cyril Jolly ISBN 0905773344