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The British Expeditionary Force, 1939– 40 This page intentionally left blank The British Expeditionary Force, 1939– 40 Edward Smalley University of Kent, UK © Edward Smalley 2015 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6– 10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2015 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978– 1– 137– 49419– 1 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Smalley, Edward, 1985– The British Expeditionary Force, 1939–40 / Edward Smalley, University of Kent, UK. pages cm Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978–1–137–49419–1 1. Great Britain. Army. British Expeditionary Force—History—World War, 1939–1945. 2. Dunkirk, Battle of, Dunkerque, France, 1940. 3. World War, 1939–1945—Campaigns—France. I. Title. D756.5.D8S48 2015 940.54'21428—dc23 2015002667 Typeset by MPS Limited, Chennai, India. In memory of my grandfather Horace Cook This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgements viii List of Abbreviations ix Timeline xiii 1 Introduction 1 2 Campaign Overview 15 3 Training 37 4 Communications: Prelude to Collapse 84 5 Communications: Collapse 112 6 Discipline 141 7 Headquarters and Staff 176 8 Conclusion 218 Notes 224 Bibliography 256 Index 263 vii Acknowledgements This book is the fulfilment of a lifetime’s ambition; however, it could not have been achieved without considerable support. Professor Mark Connelly and Dr Timothy Bowman selflessly provided continual encouragement during my time at the University of Kent. Their patient guidance will forever be appreciated. My thanks also go to Dr Niall Barr and Dr Peter Donaldson for offering constructive comments, in terms of content and the process of creating a book suitable for publication. I alone am responsible for any errors of fact or interpretation. For assist- ing my research, I would like to thank the staff of the British Library, the Imperial War Museum, the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, the National Archive and the National Army Museum. Extracts from LHCMA material is reproduced with the permission of the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives. Crown copyright material in the National Archive and elsewhere is reproduced under the Open Government Licence. Palgrave Macmillan’s willingness to guide and support a first- time author is greatly appreciated. This book is testament to the power of the NHS which has frequently preserved the quality of my life and, on occasions, life itself; many individuals are worthy of inclusion within these acknowledgements, but Dr K.S. Hills deserves special mention for her exceptional care, kindness and wisdom. My grandparents have provided ceaseless encouragement throughout my life, but my grandfather, Horace Cook, sparked my interest in this subject thanks to his recollections of service with the BEF, and his sub- sequent time as a prisoner of war. Most important of all has been the love, time and advice of my parents Robert and Patricia, and also my sister Catherine; without them this book could never have been started, let alone finished. viii List of Abbreviations A Administrative Branch of Headquarters AA Anti- Aircraft AASF Advanced Air Striking Force AC Army Council ACIGS Assistant Chief of the Imperial General Staff AEC Army Education Corps AFV Armoured Fighting Vehicle AG Adjutant General AMPC Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps AOC Air- Officer- Commanding APM Assistant Provost Marshal ATM Army Training Memorandum BAFF British Air Force in France BBC British Broadcasting Corporation Bde Brigade BEF British Expeditionary Force BGS Brigadier General Staff BL British Library BP Battle Post C3 Command, Control and Communication C3I Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence C- in- C Commander- in- Chief CAS close air support CCRA Corps Commander Royal Artillery CGS Chief of the General Staff CIGS Chief of the Imperial General Staff CO Commanding Officer Coldm Gds Coldstream Guards ix x List of Abbreviations CP Command Post CQMS Company Quartermaster Sergeant CRA Commander Royal Artillery CRASC Commander Royal Army Service Corps DAPM Deputy Assistant Provost Marshal DCGS Deputy Chief of the General Staff DCIGS Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff DF direction finding Div Division DMO Director of Military Operations DMT Director of Military Training DPM Deputy Provost Marshal DQMG Deputy Quartermaster General DR Despatch Rider DSD Director of Staff Duties DSO Distinguished Service Order Fd Coy Field Company Fd Regt Field Regiment FGCM Field General Courts- Martial FP Field Punishment FSPB Field Service Pocket Book FSR Field Service Regulations G Operations Branch of Headquarters GCM General Courts- Martial GHQ General Headquarters GHQ 2/Ech General Headquarters 2nd Echelon GOC General- Officer- Commanding GQG Grand Quartier General Gren Gds Grenadier Guards GSO General Staff Officer HQ Headquarters HRH His Royal Highness List of Abbreviations xi I Intelligence Branch of Headquarters IDC Imperial Defence College IGT Inspector General of Training IO Intelligence Officer IWM Imperial War Museum JAG Judge Advocate General L of C Line of Communication LHCMA Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives MPSC Military Provost Staff Corps MT Motor- Transport MTP Military Training Pamphlet NAAFI Navy, Army and Air Force Institute NAM National Army Museum NCO Non- Commissioned Officer OCTU Officer Cadet Training Unit OFSTED Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills OR other ranks Pl Platoon PSC passed Staff College PTT Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones (French Post Office) Q Quartermaster General’s Branch of Headquarters RA Royal Artillery RAC Royal Armoured Corps RAF Royal Air Force RAOC Royal Army Ordnance Corps RAPC Royal Army Pay Corps RASC Royal Army Service Corps RE Royal Engineers RMA Royal Military Academy Woolwich RMC Royal Military College Sandhurst R/T Radio Telephony xii List of Abbreviations RTC Royal Tank Corps RTR Royal Tank Regiment RV Rendezvous SD & T Staff Duties and Training Branch of Headquarters SDT Supply Directorate Transport TA Territorial Army TEWT Training Exercise Without Troops TNA The National Archive VC Victoria Cross VCIGS Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff WO War Office WOSB War Office Selection Board W/T Wireless Telegraphy WTO Weapons Training Officer WWI World War One WWII World War Two ZOAN Zone des Opérations Aériennes du Nord 2i/c Second- in- Command Timeline 23 June 1938 War Office begins planning for overseas despatch of an expeditionary force. 22 February 1939 Cabinet orders ten divisions be equipped for European warfare; in effect, the formation of a British Expeditionary Force had been authorized. 15 March German aggression continues with annexation of Czechoslovakia. 29 March Territorial Army doubled in size. 27 April Military Training Act introduces limited conscription. 1 September Germany invades Poland. 3 September Britain and France declare war on Germany. Lord Gort becomes Commander- in- Chief of the newly formed British Expeditionary Force. 4 September Advance parties of the BEF begin arriving in France. 6 September National Service (Armed Forces) Act introduces conscription of the physically fit aged 18– 41. 9 November Vincennes Conference – Supreme Commander Gamelin announces Dyle Plan. 18– 20 November Hore- Belisha visit sparks Pill- Box Affair. 30 November Soviet Union invades Finland, delaying BEF build- up. 4 January 1940 Hore- Belisha resigns; replaced by Oliver Stanley. 10 January Mechelen incident. 12 March Soviet- Finnish Armistice. 9 April Germany invades Norway and Denmark. Denmark surrenders. 14 April British forces begin landing in Norway. 2 May British forces begin evacuating from Norway. xiii xiv Timeline 9 May Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigns. 10 May Germany invades France and the Low Countries. Dyle Plan put into operation. Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister. 12 May Mons Conference – Belgian Army incorporated into the Allied order of battle; General Billotte appointed Allied Coordinator. Germans cross the Meuse River at Houx. 13 May Germans cross Meuse at Sedan and Dinant. 14 May