Overview

The book begins when war is declared and the Territorials of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division are mobilised before their move to France. Many of these men joined the territorials in the 1930s because they could find no work in the depression and the monthly bounty they got paid, plus a good pair of army boots, were worth a lot to men who had nothing. In late 1939 the division was moved to France in one of the worst winters in modern memory. In May 1940 the war began and the 50th were in the forefront of the fighting as they tried to stem the Blitzkrieg. When the situation became untenable the British army found themselves outflanked and in full retreat to the French Coast. The 50th reached the Great War Memorial at Ypres, the Menin Gate, and fought a delaying action here but soon found themselves retreating again, by now they had lost many casualties. By 19th and 20th May 1940 the whole British Army was in headlong retreat and heading towards Dunkirk with the panzers close on their heels, it was decided that a delaying action was to be launched by the 50th Division at Arras with British and French armoured units in support. It was here at Arras that the 50th would meet their future Nemesis in the form of Erwin Rommel and his Ghost Division. On 20th May the 50th prepared themselves for battle on and around the Canadian Great War Memorial on Vimy Ridge. On 21st May the attack was launched into some very surprised German formations that were just about to move around Arras. The attack was led by tanks of the Royal Armoured Corps and the Troops of the 151st Durham Brigade, 150th Brigade was in Arras itself along the River Scarpe. The shock of the British assault caught the Germans by surprise and the British tanks caused great slaughter among the German units, especially among the ranks of the SS Totenkopft Division who fled the field in terror. The descriptions of the battle by tank crews and Durhams are outstanding and hair raising, the Germans looked to be close to defeat when Erwin Rommel stepped forward and ordered his 88mm anti-aircraft guns to lower their barrels and be used in an anti-tank role for the first, but not the last time. The British tanks could not withstand their immense firepower and soon the battle-field was strewn with the smoking hulks of British tanks and the dead bodies of both sides. Rommel had saved the day. 82 b/w photos, 10 b/w maps, 1 b/w ill

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9781912174829

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[50th at Bay] is strongly recommended for those who wish to get under the skin of those who fought and died with the Division. * Military Historical Society Bulletin * Definitely, and highly, recommended. * Military Model Scene *

[50th at Bay] is strongly recommended for those who wish to get under the skin of those who fought and died with the Division. * Military Historical Society Bulletin *

Author Information

Barrie S Barnes, BA/Hons, M/Phil, was born in the city of Hull and now resides in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire. In his early life he worked in a number of varied occupations for 18 years and eventually joined the teaching profession, where he worked for 26 years, retiring in 2007. This is his tenth book, his first 'This Righteous War' coming out in 1990 and his ninth, 'Chaos in the Sand' came out in 2017. He continues to work on other manuscripts relating to British military history and is a tireless researcher as he records the experiences of the men and women who served in the World Wars. Barrie spent the 80s and 90s recording thousands of interviews with veterans and collecting manuscripts and images of the time. All of this information he weaves into a stunning narrative that gives us an insight into how the war affected ordinary people, from the boredom of basic training to the horror of the most terrible battles in human history, and how men survived the horrors of the battle-field as they watched their friends fall one by one, month after month, year after year. He has made it his task to make sure these memories are not forgotten by future generations and that their sacrifices shall not have been in vain.

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