[烛光生存狂]-1940年布伦战役

Battles of Boulogne, Calais, on the Aa canal, Lille and Dunkirk 1940

By David Lehmann

The German operations launched on 10th May 1940 enable to encircle 13 French infantry divisions, 3 French armoured divisions (DLM), 13 Belgian and 9 British divisions in the north on 23rd May. On 27th May the British evacuation plan is ready and the War Office[英国战争部] tells Lord Gort[英国远征军总司令罗德·高特] that "his single duty is now to evacuate to Great Britain as much troops as possible". On 28th May morning the Belgian army surrenders.

On 23rd May the 2.PzD reaches Boulogne[布伦], the 1.PzD reaches Calais[加来], the 6.PzD is near Saint-Omer[圣奥梅尔] and the 7.PzD is in the suburbs of Béthune[贝蒂讷]. Nonetheless, the German operations against the allied pocket are not easy. The German troops are opposed to the best allied troops : the 1st French Army, the French cavalry corps and the BEF. The ground defense of the pocket of Dunkirk[敦克尔克] itself is mostly in French hands while British had the primary order to evacuate. Nonetheless, until 1st June there are still very small British elements on the south-eastern part of the pocket. This resistance played a significant role in the success of the evacuation. If on the ground the defense was mostly French, in the skies over Dunkirk the allied aircrafts were mostly from the RAF but several French fighters took part to the battle. Most of the French air force was engaged more south over the Somme River.

BATTLE OF BOULOGNE (22nd – 25th May 1940)

Boulogne is commanded by general Lanquetot, commander of the 21e DI[步兵师]. The city is not prepared to defend itself and the first German tanks are only 55 km away. The allied troops on 22nd May are composed of :

• 2 infantry battalions of the 48e RI (21e DI)[第21步兵师第48步兵团], which have fought in the Saar[萨尔] and in Belgium[比利时] with the 7th Army

• Many French sailors based in the harbor and the ground installations, fighting as marine infantry

• Motorized elements of the 3e DLM[轻机械化师], including about 5 Panhard 178 armored cars (12e Régiment de Cuirassiers)[第12胸甲骑兵团] and 2 Hotchkiss H39 tanks.

• Elements of the 35e RA[炮兵团] with a few 75mm Mle1897 field guns

• Elements of the 181e RALT[摩托化重炮兵团] with 7 155mm GPF guns but no ammunition. The gunners increase the defense by only 30 carbines.

• French coastal artillery : a battery of 3x 194mm guns at La Crèche[拉克雷什] and a battery of 3x 138mm guns on the Mont-de-Couple. These batteries are able to fire against the Germans.

• 3 air-fleet bases from the French Navy are located at Boulogne-casino, Alprech and Berck[贝尔克]. Several air force troops will also take part to the combats.

• 2 infantry battalions of the 65e RI (21e DI), which are not in Boulogne but will delay the German advance in the close surrounding area.

In Boulogne there are also British elements led by general Griffin :

• 2 infantry battalions of the 20th Guards Brigade (which was only on training a few days before) :

--o 2nd Battalion Irish Guards

--o 2nd Battalion Welch Guards

• Few AT guns from the reduced 275th battery (69th AT Regiment)

• Elements of the 262nd engineer company (12th Infantry Division)

One photo shows also the presence of 1 Belgian T13 tank in Boulogne.

The French navy supports the city with :

• 10 torpedo and counter-torpedo ships

• 1 minesweeper sloop

• 2 destroyers

• 2 fast attack boats

• 7 armed auxiliary ships

The French fleet-air arm tries also to provide air cover and bombing support.

The Royal Navy provides also a fleet of 7 British destroyers and torpedo boats next to Boulogne.

The German troops attack Boulogne mainly with the 2.PzD, which advances along the coast on the left flank. The 1.PzD with the attached "Grossdeutschland" regiment in the center and the 10.PzD on the right flank are also implicated.

22nd May

On 22nd May at 12h30, the 2.PzD clashes with elements of the 48e RI in Neufchâtel[讷沙泰勒] and Nesles[内勒] next to Boulogne. The battle lasts until 16h00 and the guns of the 35e RA manage to destroy 9 German tanks. The French coastal artillery fires several salvo at 14,000m, against the German troops advancing on the Neufchâtel – Boulogne road. 4 German tanks are destroyed. At the end of the afternoon a German counter-battery fire destroys one of the 138mm guns as well as the command post of the Mont-de-Couple battery. The French troops moves back to Boulogne at 22h00.

A second column of the 2.PzD is blocked by the 3rd battalion of the 65e RI at Questrecques[凯斯特雷克] and Wiwignies. During this time the 1.PzD is blocked at Desvres[代夫勒] by the 1st battalion of the 65e RI. Several German tanks are destroyed, with 25mm AT guns but also with Molotov cocktails.

23rd May

On 23rd May, the 2.PzD completes the encirclement of Boulogne. The 1.PzD is again blocked by the 1st battalion of the 65e RI at Alincthun[阿兰克蒂安]east of Boulogne and cannot move on until 22h00.

At 2h00, the Germans assault the fort of La Crèche[拉克雷什], which falls at 9h45 despite the intervention of 3 French torpedo-boats at 7h45 (Siroco, Mistral and Cyclone). After the German success, 5 French ships (Cyclone, Siroco, Mistral, Léopard and Chacal) and HMS Vimy fire on the fort.

The German troops try to seize the harbor to prevent any reinforcement or evacuation but they are defeated.

The situation is nonetheless critical with the numeric superiority of the Germans. The situation is even worsening more because the British troops are withdrawing at the end of the morning and prepare to be evacuated. The evacuation operation involves only British troops and ships while the French troops continue to fight. 4,368 British soldiers are evacuated between 23rd May afternoon and 24th May at 2h45. 6 out of 7 British destroyers are damaged by the Luftwaffe and the German artillery. The losses are important and the commander of the British destroyer fleet is KIA.

4 extra French torpedo boats arrive to support the defenses : Bourrasque, Frondeur, Orage and Fougueux.

The French fleet air arm T2 and T3 squadrons (based at Cherbourg) attack the German troops with 10 Latécoère 298 seaplanes. 4 aircrafts are shot down. Beside the coastal and anti-submarine patrols, the Latécoère 298 seaplanes were used to harass the German motorized units with their MGs and their 500kg bombload.

The French navy in the air, on the sea and on the ground is largely responsible for the resistance in Boulogne. The German advance is delayed on 23rd May. Only the 2.PzD can advance very slowly. The torpedo boat Orage is sunk by the Luftwaffe.

24th May

On 24th May, the situation is critical. The citadel of Boulogne is still strongly held by the French troops but in areas only several groups more or less isolated are still fighting. These groups include 300 remaining British soldiers (Welsh Guards battalion) and 200 French sailors.

The 2.PzD is unable to take the citadel of the city despite 2 assaults at 18h00 and 20h00. Several German tanks are burning.

The torpedo boat Fougueux is damaged by the Luftwaffe. The destroyer Chacal is damaged by the Luftwaffe and sunk by the German artillery. The French navy support is reduced because the ships are too much endangered. During the night, 100 French soldiers try to break the encirclement and to reach Dunkirk but it proves quickly impossible. Only several men hidden in a garage during the night manage to escape from the city on 25th May.

25th May

On 25th May, at dawn, the Germans assault the citadel (and its 10 meters thick walls) with ladders, a bit like during the Middle-Age. But the German assault troops are supported by 8.8cm FlaK from 8.FlaK Batterie, a strong artillery support and they are using grenades and flamethrowers.

At 8h30, general Lanquetot is unable to continue the fight and surrenders. Colonel von Vaerts, commander

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