50th at Bay - The Years of Defeat: A History of the 50th Northumbrian Division 1939 to September 1942 (Paperback)

The book begins when war is declared and the Territorials of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division are mobilized 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 armored 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 antitank role for the first, but not the last time. The British tanks could not withstand their immense firepower and soon the battlefield was strewn with the smoking hulks of British tanks and the dead bodies of both sides. Rommel had saved the day.

The retreat now continued in a mad dash to the coast. At the town of Dunkirk and along the beaches the whole British Army waited patiently to be taken home, under constant air attack and artillery fire. By 2nd June the last troops had been evacuated and a very badly beaten army was brought home, men who were there talk of their shame when interviewed, many were never proud of the fact that they were at Dunkirk. The British populace however were just pleased to have the survivors home and the myth of the miracle of Dunkirk took root. For many it was a time of mourning.

The 50th Division were now reorganized and stationed on the south coast of England in preparation for the invasion that never came. In 1941 the newly reconstructed 50th Division was sent to the middle east, spending a miserable winter moving about from camp to muddy camp. Finally the 50th was sent to the Gazala Line in May 1942, this line was held by the South Africans, the Free French and three brigades of the 50th Division, 150th, 151st and 69th Brigades, plus all the 8th Army's armored formations. Rommel needed to break through here and in May began to make his plans. The British Forces were positioned in defensive boxes, each one was supposed to be able to support the other in the event of the expected attack, but most were so far apart that mutual support was out of the question. Lt General Cruwell of the German forces was out reconnoitering the ground in a spotter plane when his pilot got lost and flew over the box held by 150th Brigade, his plane was shot down, his pilot killed and he was taken prisoner. The troops who took