![]() A fighting cross-country retreat to Estaires, which was being held by French troops, was successfully accomplished by day-break. However, clever use of the buildings in the town meant that they held out until nightfall before being ordered to retreat northwards to Estaires, some eight miles away. That same morning at Festubert, the 2nd Dorsets were attacked by German panzers. Only 79 members of the regiment made it back to England. On the morning of the 27th May, the defenders were finally overrun with the regiment being effectively wiped out. However, the cost was high after one counter-attack, A Company had only six men left. 'Every man for himself, make for Dunkirk'.Īt places like La Bassée, the 1st Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders held out for two days, hurling back all German attempts to cross the canal. ![]() Many of those men retreating up the corridor received the simple instruction: The heroic sacrifice of these rearguard units and of the French 1st Army at Lille, allowed the bulk of the BEF and two French divisions to escape up the rapidly-shrinking corridor to Dunkirk. For the most part, their orders were simple: 'Fight to the last man and the last round'. These strongpoints were manned by experienced troops of the British 2nd division and a variety of scratch units. This gave the Allies the opportunity to set up strongpoints in key towns and villages such as Lille, La Bassée, St Venant, Festubert, La Paradis, Steenbecque, Hazebrouck, Cassel, Wormhout, Bergues, Ypres, Noordschote, Dixmuide, Veurne and Nieuwpoort. ![]() Valuable time was gained from Hitler's inexplicable 'halt order', which suspended the panzers' advance for 2-3 crucial days, whilst the German tank forces were replenished.
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