"...the Battle for France is over..."

plan_D · 05-10-2005, 04:33 AM

On May 10th, 1940, the German offensive into France and the Lowlands, Fall Gelb, began. By May 26th, the French and British armies were in retreat. They made their way to the last Allied controlled port town, Dunkerque (Dunkirk).

There they would be evacuated by the Royal Navy in an operation named Dynamo. This intended on rescuing 30,000 troops but it ended up rescuing over 330,000 French, British and Belgian soldiers.

There were 500,000 soldiers at Dunkirk, with no heavy weapons or anti-aircraft. Only the RAF flying from across the channel could stop the Luftwaffe from massacring the waiting troops.

The evacuation began on May 27th...

plan_D · 05-10-2005, 04:39 AM

The Wehrmact's panzers halted and it was left to Goering's Luftwaffe to stop the evacuation.

On the other side, it was left to the RAF to save it. While men waited on the beaches, the sky was filled with fighters and bombers. Ships were the target of the Luftwaffe.

plan_D · 05-10-2005, 04:42 AM

The conflict in the skies over Dunkirk was fierce.

plan_D · 05-10-2005, 04:50 AM

The cost of man and machine was great for the RAF. Over 100 aircraft were lost in the skies over Dunkirk...

plan_D · 05-10-2005, 04:56 AM

On June 4th, Dunkirk was captured. Britain had left the continent and at some cost. The RAF had lost over half it's strength aiding France, many Destroyers and other warships were lost evacuating the BEF.

It cost a lot in material goods but they'd done better than they hoped, they'd saved the British Expedtionary Force over 300,000 lives saved from the grip of Nazi Tyranny.

On June 22nd, France surrendered...the Battle for France was over, the Battle of Britain was about to begin.