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Loading... Churchill's Sacrifice Of The Highland Division: France 1940 (edition 2004)by Saul David
Work InformationChurchill's Sacrifice of the Highland Division : France 1940 by Saul David
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More than a week after the last British troops had been evacuated from Dunkirk, the 51st (Highland) Division was forced to surrender. More than 10,000 men were driven into five years of captivity in prison camps. The author traces the story of the Highland Division, from its arrival in France to its final desperate stand. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)940.542142History and Geography Europe Europe 1918- Military History Of World War II Campaigns and battles by theatre European theatre FranceLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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It is certainly the fullest account of the 1940 campaign of the 51st Highland Division, expanding hugely on Eric Linklater‘s HMSO publication in 1942 (which perforce had to be limited for security reasons). The Highland Division was in the Maginot Line attached to the French Army when the German assault started on 10th May 1940 and so wasn’t with the rest of the BEF.
By the time the ferocity and direction of the German plan was understood by the French & British High Commands most of the German Army was between the 51st Highland Division and the BEF; so there was no real decision to sacrifice them on the part of Churchill. Saul David makes this readily understandable in his narrative, although he does highlight some of the points where a clear directive to withdraw them could have made a difference. However these would have to have been ordered by French Generals as the Division was part of the French IX Corps and under their command.
What is remarkable is that the Division only surrendered when surrounded and out of ammunition nearly a fortnight after the Dunkirk evacuations were complete. ( )