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The evacuation from Dunkirk is one of the most famous British battles of the Second World War, but most accounts focus on the initial advance into Belgium, the German ‘sickle cut’ and the evacuation itself. The fighting during the retreat to Dunkirk is mentioned, but rarely covered in much detail. This book helps fill that gap, looking at the key battles to defend Cassel and Hazebrouck, which helped keep open the key ‘Dunkirk Corridor’ which the bulk of the BEF used to reach the coast and eventual safety.
Of the two battles covered, the fight for Cassel was the more significant. The town was located on a hilltop, and although not fortified in a conventional way, was made up of closely packed buildings with narrow streets, perfect terrain for the defender in an urban battle. Hazebrouck was more open, and the defenders attempted to hold too large a perimeter, so the battle here was rather shorter.
In both cases the defenders were eventually given orders to attempt to break through the German lines and head for Dunkirk. However by the time these orders were given the Germans had advanced quite some way past both towns, so the escaping defenders found themselves having to try and weave their way through several miles of German troops. Unsurprisingly hardly any of the defenders managed to reach the beachhead, with the majority captured or killed.
We get a very detailed account of parts of the battle, with the level of detail depending entirely on the surviving sources. For some British units there are no detailed accounts, so the picture here has to be pieced together from the limited sources. Even here the picture is impressively complete. The short timespan and limited scope of the battles helps, allowing the author to include a great deal of detail.
We finish with a series of tours of the areas, taking you to many of the locations mentioned in the text, with good notes on travelling in these areas (including the driving rules).
Chapters
1 - Invasion
2 - A Desperate Situation
3 - The Battle for Cassel
4 - Hondeghem
5 - Hazebrouck
6 - Let Battle Commence
7 - Breakout
8 - The Tours
Author: Jerry Murland
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 168
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
Year: 2017