Calais: A Fight to the Finish, May 1940 (Battleground Europe: The Channel Ports)

This is the story of the Battle of Calais, a short but bloody struggle to delay the German advance in May 1940. It is a story of uncertainty, of taut nerves, of heat, dust, raging thirst and hand-to-hand fighting in the narrow streets of the channel port now known to millions of Britons as a gateway to the Continent. The guide will take the visitor beyond the ferry terminal and hypermarkets to reveal the hidden Calais and the actions of individuals and units. Immortalized in Churchill's speech to the House of Commons, the last stand of the Rifle Brigade and the Royal Tank Regiment at Calais in 1940 was a key factor in making the miracle of Dunkirk a reality. Intended as a rapid maneuver unit, the British troops found themselves encircled in the ancient walled city by advancing German panzer troops. Knowing that they were keeping the German armor from sealing off the Dunkirk beaches, the tankers and riflemen fought to the last round. The book also covers sites associated with the liberation of Calais towards the end of the war.All of the drama and detail of previous Battleground Europe books are to be found in this account. All units, events and key individuals are covered in detail, along with numerous maps and then-and-now photographs, and a guide to battlefield sites as they are today. The guide will take the visitor beyond the ferry terminal and hypermarkets to reveal the hidden Calais and the actions of individuals and units in this defence. Jon Cooksey. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [189]) And Index.