Dynamo & Ariel.

This is coolbert:

1. From the history of the Second World War [WW2], WHO HAS NOT heard of Dunkirk [Dynamo]? The fighting retreat of the British Army under pressure, a "miracle" it is referred to, an amphibious operation in reverse, from shore to ship, from the land to the water, and again, under pressure.

Amphibious operations by their very nature are considered to be the MOST DIFFICULT OF ALL military maneuvers?

And an amphibious withdrawal from the battlefield WHILE UNDER PRESSURE even more extreme?

[at all times, when considering and evaluating a retrograde operation, it is essential to be able to differentiate between an orderly and a disorderly movement to the rear.]

The British evacuation from the "continent" generally deemed as successful, troops disembarked and repatriated with minimal loss of manpower, the loss of impedimenta by the combat troops however severe, that equipment needed for the combat arms soldiers such as heavy artillery and armor left behind, abandoned and with good reason!

Troops evacuated from the battlefield and impressive number:  "a total of 338,226 soldiers (198,229 British and 139,997 French)"

That amount of equipment LOST also quite impressive: "all the heavy equipment and vehicles had to be abandoned. Left behind in France were 2,472 guns, almost 65,000 vehicles and 20,000 motorcycles; also abandoned were 416,000 short tons (377,000 t) of stores, more than 75,000 short tons (68,000 t) of ammunition and 162,000 short tons (147,000 t) of fuel."

2. Scarcely heard of, but not that much less impressive is the SECOND DUNKIRK [Operation Ariel]! A second evacuation of British and allied personnel, in the aftermath of Dunkirk! Again, an orderly and fighting retrograde movement, an amphibious operation in reverse, from the shore to the sea, and also successful!!

"the name given to the World War II evacuation of Allied forces from ports in western France, from 15–25 June 1940, due to the military collapse in the Battle of France"

"more than 150,000 support and line-of-communication troops had been cut-off to the south by the German 'dash to the sea'”

What are euphemistically called "line-of-communication troops", rear-echelon elements consisting of older reservists, untrained recruits, men often UNARMED in some cases, performing what was referred to as "coolie-boy" labor, back-breaking but essential work vital to making the "gear in the rear" work.

Ariel an amphibious retrograde movement screened by ad hoc combat arms units unsuited, untrained, and ill-equipped for such a mission, those Englishmen in great peril nonetheless comporting themselves in a honorable manner, adequately so and beyond what was expected of them.

One more, Ariel a successful evacuation the accomplishment of which was not a whole lot less than what was achieved at Dunkirk: "In total, 191,870 allied soldiers, airmen and civilians. Although much equipment was lost, 310 artillery guns, 2,292 vehicles, 1,800 tons of stores and a few tanks were rescued"

Indeed, that amount of impedimenta recovered, equipment vital to the war effort, suggests that in some regard Ariel was EVEN MORE of an achievement than Dynamo? But of Ariel normally nothing is written of in the history books?

coolbert.