From Philip Warner: The Battle of France
Around 25th -26th May.
However at this point the British Army had another stroke of luck, or perhaps it would be fairer to say was amply rewarded for initiave and daring.
A fighting patrol from 3rd division had spotted a German Staff car close to the front and attacked it, killing the driver.the passenger ran back towards his own lines and escaped;he was a Lieutenant General, and in his haste left the papers in the car.
They were of the greatest improtance, mainly because they disclosed the details of German plans and the numbers involved.Armed with this information, Lieutenant General A. F. Brooke was able to make the best use if his thin line of troops.This was especailly importannt at that moment as there were dangerous gaps between the British and Belgian forces which had been opened up as the Belgians fell back. The critical area was between Menin and Ypres.If the Germans made a succesfull thrust there they would slice through the middle of the allied salient, separating the bulk of the British Army from Dunkirk. When Gort learnt of this immediate danger he decided to close this gap at all costs. He therefore abandoned the abortive attempt to make a south-westerly attack in company with the french, and instead rushed up 5th and 50th Divisions to the Menin-Ypres sector.
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Anyone else heard of this staff car? Or the info being that important?
[ 27. December 2004, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]
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