‘THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN FRANCE MAY - JUNE 1940’

25 – 28 JUNE

25 JUNE: Depart London, Eurostar to Calais/Lille. Then by bus to Arras to view the only major

offensive undertaken by the BEF in the 1940 French campaign. A collection of units under the title

of ‘Frankforce’attacked into the extended flank of the German armour heading for the coast.

Ultimately a failure, it caused the German High Command to pause; this delay won time that

would be vital in the coming eleven days. Overnight Arras.

26 JUNE:Today we concentrate on the fighting withdrawal on the east flank of the Second Corps

under pressure from the Panzers. First a drive to visit the Lys canal, the main line of defence as the BEF fell towards the coast in May 1940. This area is crossed by canals, the Duele Canal to the south, which joins with the La Bassee Canal running on a north south axis which in turn meets the Aq Canal near St. Omer before running into the channel so of Gravelines between Calais and Dunkirk. This line was the base for

the defence in May 1940 of the channel ports. Lunch at Cassel, this key high point covering the

main road to the coast which dominated the flat Flanders countryside. Here the 178metre-high hill

is crowned by a strategic village, with narrow, cobbled streets and defensive walls built for an

earlier type of warfare.

Driving through Barguest a key position on the road to Dunkirk, we meet the canal line, held by

various units. Finally we visit the site of the massacre at Wormhout. Overnight St. Omer.

27 JUNE:We first visit the bridge at Les Attaques where a section of the “Searchlight Regiment”

tried to defend the bridge against German armour without anti tank artillery! Then we next look

at the heroic stand by part of the thirtieth brigade in Fort Nieulay. A visit to the “Musee de la

Guerre” a converted telephone exchange built by the Germans in 1940, which is over one hundred

yards long and has twenty rooms. 2nd night St. Omer.

28 JUNE:This morning will be spent in and around Dunkirk before departing for Calais and the

afternoon train to London.

PRICE PER PERSON: £375.00

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: £90.00

DEPOSIT PER PERSON: £50.00

GUIDE: PAUL ETTERIDGE