What was Fall Rot (1940)?

Introduction During World War II, Fall Rot (Case Red) was the plan for the second phase of the conquest of France by the German Army and began on 05 June 1940. It had been made possible by the success of Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), the invasion of the Benelux countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands)… Read More

What was the Siege of Lille (1940)?

Introduction The Siege of Lille, or Lille Pocket (28 to 31 May 1940), took place during the Battle of France in the Second World War. The siege around the city of Lille took place between the French IV Corps and V Corps (about 40,000 men) of the First Army (General René Prioux) and four German… Read More

What was the Siege of Calais (1940)?

Introduction The Siege of Calais (1940) was a battle for the port of Calais during the Battle of France in 1940 (during World War Two). The siege was fought at the same time as the Battle of Boulogne, just before Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) through Dunkirk. After the Franco-British… Read More

On This Day … 21 November

Events 1386 – Timur of Samarkand captures and sacks the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, taking King Bagrat V of Georgia captive. 1620 – Plymouth Colony settlers sign the Mayflower Compact (11 November, O.S.) 1676 – The Danish astronomer Ole Rømer presents the first quantitative measurements of the speed of light. 1783 – In Paris, Jean-François… Read More

How Do I Prove Military Asbestos Exposure?

Proving military asbestos exposure can be a tricky task, as symptoms from asbestos-related diseases tend to take years to appear. If you are trying to file a veteran’s disability claim for a disease related to asbestos exposure, you are going to have to write up an asbestos exposure summary. An asbestos exposure summary provides detailed… Read More

What Operation Dynamo (1940)?

Introduction The Dunkirk evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers during World War II from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the north of France, between 26 May and 04 June 1940. The operation commenced after large numbers of Belgian, British, and French… Read More

What was the Battle of Dunkirk (1940)?

Introduction The Battle of Dunkirk (French: Bataille de Dunkerque) was fought in Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France, during the Second World War, between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation to Britain of British and other Allied… Read More