Fall of France/Dunkirk 1940 Related Statistics

Discussion in '1940' started by Drew5233, Apr 11, 2010.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I've been toying with the idea about posting some stats from the fighting that took place between May and June 1940 for some time and as I was asked today and with the 70th Anniversary of Op Dynamo fast approaching now would be as good a time as any.

    I think it should be mentioned as with all statistics they will never be 100% accurate and that should be taken into account when they are view.

    Sources for the information come from a variety of what I would consider reputable books that use and quote official sources themselves for the figures that I've listed in the coming posts.
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Casualties

    Killed and died of wounds: 11,014.

    Wounded: 14,074.

    Missing/PoWs: 41,338.

    Equipement Losses

    Guns damaged, destroyed or left behind in France: 2472 out of 2794.

    Vehicles damaged, destroyed or left behind in France: 63,879 out of 68,618.

    RAF Aircraft Losses

    Aircraft damaged, destroyed or left behind in France/Belgium during the battles: 931 planes including 477 fighters.

    Royal Navy

    Ships/boats damaged, destroyed or left behind in France: 25 Destroyers and atleast another 170 ships and boats damaged or lost during Operation Dynamo.
     
    Christian Luyckx likes this.
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    These figures seem to be harder to confirm due to a lack of records and are given as best estimates taken from To Loose a Battle.

    French

    Killed: around 90,000

    Wounded: around 200,000

    Belgian

    Casualties: 23,350

    Dutch

    Casualties: 9779

    German

    Killed: 27,074

    Wounded: 111,034

    Missing: 18,384

    Planes lost: 1284
     
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  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Statistics from Historical Section of the Admiralty.

    26-27 May 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - Nil

    Evacuated from the harbour - 7,669

    Total for the day - 7,669

    Accumulated total - 7,669

    27-28 May 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 5,930

    Evacuated from the harbour - 11,874

    Total for the day - 17,804

    Accumulated total - 25,473

    28-29 May 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 13,752

    Evacuated from the harbour - 33,558

    Total for the day - 47,310

    Accumulated total - 72,783

    29-30 May 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 29,512

    Evacuated from the harbour - 24,311

    Total for the day - 53,823

    Accumulated total - 126,606

    30-31 May 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 22,942

    Evacuated from the harbour - 45,072

    Total for the day - 68,014

    Accumulated total - 194,620

    31 May-1 June 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 17,348

    Evacuated from the harbour - 47,081

    Total for the day - 64,429

    Accumulated total - 259,049

    1-2 June 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 6,695

    Evacuated from the harbour - 19,561

    Total for the day - 26,256

    Accumulated total - 285,305

    2-3 June 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 1,870

    Evacuated from the harbour - 24,876

    Total for the day - 26,746

    Accumulated total - 312,051

    3-4 June 1940

    Evacuated from the Beaches - 622

    Evacuated from the harbour - 25,553

    Total for the day - 26,175

    Accumulated total - 338,226





    .
     
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  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    20th to 26th May 1940

    Locations and totals:

    Southampton - 2,121

    Newhaven - 3,276

    Folkstone - 303

    Dover - 22,236
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    The evacuations from St. Valery and Le Havre

    Best estimates from 11th June to 13th June 1940 sourced from BEF Ships

    Cherbourg

    British - 12,453

    Poole

    British - 196

    French - 239

    Southampton

    British - 1,280

    French - 590

    Portsmouth

    British - 628

    French - 92
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    The evacuations from France and the Channel Islands

    Best estimates from 15th June to 25th June 1940 sourced from BEF Ships

    Liverpool

    British - 7,342

    Allied - 3,825

    Milford Haven

    British - 1,031

    Newport

    British - 2,303

    Allied - 98

    Falmouth

    British - 16,971

    Allied - 2,654

    Plymouth

    British - 53, 235

    Allied - 17,492

    Weymouth

    British - 6,015

    Allied - 112

    Poole

    British - 2,162

    Southampton

    British - 48,543

    Allied - 2,757

    Unspecified

    British - 2,210

    Allied - 19,577


    Allied totals broken down are:

    French - 17,062

    Polish - 24,352

    Czechoslovakians - 4,938

    Belgians - 163
     
  8. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Have you got a break down figure for pilots, Andy?
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Can you be more specific Craig, I have a few air related books from that period.
     
  10. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Can you be more specific Craig, I have a few air related books from that period.


    RAF, both fighter and bomber.
    Oh and German and French if poss, please mucker. :rolleyes:
     
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    British

    Evacuating Troops - 689

    On Patrol - 76

    Total - 765

    Lost - 218

    Put out of Action - 57

    French

    Evacuating Troops - 108

    On Patrol - 11

    Total - 119

    Lost - 13

    Put out of Action - 4

    Belgian

    Evacuating Troops - 43

    On Patrol - nil

    Total - 43

    Lost - 4

    Put out of Action - nil

    Polish

    Evacuating Troops - nil

    On Patrol - 1

    Total - 1

    Lost - nil

    Put out of Action - nil

    Dutch

    Evacuating Troops - 2

    On Patrol - nil

    Total - nil

    Lost - 1

    Put out of Action - nil

    Norwegian

    Evacuating Troops - 1

    On Patrol - nil

    Total - 1

    Lost - nil

    Put out of Action - nil


    Totals

    Evacuating Troops - 843

    On Patrol - 88

    Total - 933

    Lost - 236

    Put out of Action - 61
     
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  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    British

    From the Beaches - 98,754

    From the Harbour - 210,134

    Total - 308,888

    French

    From the Beaches - 7

    From the Harbour - 22,153

    Total - 22,160

    Belgian

    From the Beaches - nil

    From the Harbour - 3,464

    Total - 3,464

    Polish

    From the Beaches - nil

    From the Harbour - nil

    Total - nil

    Dutch

    From the Beaches - nil

    From the Harbour - 214

    Total - 214

    Norwegian

    From the Beaches - nil

    From the Harbour - 3,500

    Total - 3,500

    Totals

    From the Beaches - 98,761

    From the Harbour - 239,465

    Total - 338,226
     
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  13. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Sourced from Keith Park's report of Air Operations over France by his Squadrons for the period 10th May -4th June 1940.

    10/12 May

    Patrols - 10

    Hours Flown - 167.30

    Enemy Aircraft Destroyed/Damaged - 6/3

    RAF Casualties - 6

    13/19 May

    Patrols - 28

    Hours Flown - 722.00

    Enemy Aircraft Destroyed/Damaged - 45/30

    RAF Casualties - 18

    20/25 May

    Patrols - 74

    Hours Flown - 1463.00

    Enemy Aircraft Destroyed/Damaged - 93/49

    RAF Casualties - 30

    26 May to 4 June

    Patrols - 101

    Hours Flown - 4822.00

    Enemy Aircraft Destroyed/Damaged - 258/119

    RAF Casualties - 87

    *Of the 141 RAF casualties initially reported a number are reported to have returned.


    I think this is quite a important set of statistics as it shows and disproves the Myth about the RAF at Dunkirk, they that were not there. It clearly shows as Operation Dynamo started on the 26th May they dramatically increased their sorties over France.
     
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  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Too complicated to type up so a scan from The Battle of France Then and Now.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The book also lists every aircraft lost and contains a Roll of Honour if anyone requires further details.
     
    Gage likes this.
  16. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Thanks Andy.
     
  17. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    HMS Calcutta (Capt. D M Lees, RN.) was the only cruiser used in Operation Dynamo. She was by classification a Anti-Aircraft Cruiser and transported 1,856 troops back to the UK.

    [​IMG]
    Photo from naval-history.net
     
  18. ozjohn39

    ozjohn39 Senior Member

    I read, a long time ago, that many of the French servicemen rescued at Dunkirk etc were later returned to France only to go into captivity soon after.

    Does anyone know anything of that?


    John.
     
  19. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    Andy
    Thought I'de just add this:
    Rob
    Breakdown of Towed Artillery left behind.

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I read, a long time ago, that many of the French servicemen rescued at Dunkirk etc were later returned to France only to go into captivity soon after.

    Does anyone know anything of that?


    John.

    In the main the only French that stayed in England were those that were injured. Most of the French troops that landing as part of Operation Dynamo spent less than 25 hours in England and were shipped to ports further along the North/West Coast of France like Cherbourg, St Nazaire etc.


    Cheers Rob for the Arty stuff.
     

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