Robin Prior - When Britain Saved the West: The Story of 1940

Copyright 2015 Robin Prior

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Prior, Robin.

When Britain saved the west: the story of 1940/Robin Prior. Pages cm

ISBN 978-0-300-16662-0 (cl: alk. paper)

1. World War, 19391945Great Britain. 2. Great BritainPolitics and government 19361945. 3. Britain, Battle of, Great Britain, 1940. I. Title.

D759. P75 2015

940. 53 41dc23

2014047024

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Patsy Grigg and Heather

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

Plates

Tables

MAPS

1 Chamberlain and Halifax with the Italians at Munich, 1938. This was the group that Halifax wanted to meet in 1940 to discuss peace terms.

2 The key players in the Cabinet Crisis of May 1940, apart from Churchill are Attlee, Greenwood, Halifax and Chamberlain, with Archie Sinclair having a walk-on part. Note the absence of Chamberlain and Halifax.

3 Bren Gun Carriers of the 13/18 Hussars near Arras.

4 Matilda Tanks of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment. This unit would shock the German command in the Arras counter-attack on 21 May.

5 British Tanks cross into Belgium, 10 May 1940 thus implementing the first phase of the disastrous Plan D.

6 Lord Gort and his nominal superior, General Georges inspect British troops. Gort soon found the French command structure chaotic and ineffectual.

7 Devastation at Dunkirk. Nevertheless, the bulk of the BEF escaped capture.

8 Officers of the Royal Ulster Rifles awaiting evacuation from an improvised pier at Bray Dunes.

9 British troops boarding a destroyer at the Mole, Dunkirk.

10 Paul Reynaud in 1940. The French Premier was overwhelmed by the crisis that destroyed the Third Republic.

11 The destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir.

12 Concrete blocks at a bridge on the GHQ Line.

13 Britains answer to a Panzer Division, June 1940.

14 How British ships were guarded whilst in port.

15 Winston Churchill meets infantrymen manning coast defences, July 1940. No aspect of invasion planning escaped the eye of the Prime Minister.

16 Invasion Planning Conference at the Berghof, July 1940. Hitler and Admiral Raeder in discussion with Field Marshal Brauchitsch and General Jodl.

17 Troops of the Australian 6th Division cross Westminster Bridge, June 1940. Troops from Australia, Canada and New Zealand were given key roles in British invasion planning.

18 Sea Lion: a chilling photograph of German invasion barges at Boulogne.

19 Hurricanes of 85 Squadron. Note the three plane Vic or V formations.

20 Spitfires of 65 Squadron taking off from a grass strip at Hornchurch, August 1940.

21 Sir Keith Park. His tactical genius ensured that his pilots won the Battle of Britain.

22 Sir Hugh Dowding. His cautious strategy meant that the Battle of Britain could not have been lost.

23 After the raid on Coventry, 14/15 November 1940.