0521_01: Frankforce_Alt - PzC 12 France '40

Arras, France, 21th May 1940: Churchill and the War Cabinet were convinced that the BEF, of 250,000 men, were more than ample to deal with a few German Panzers cruising around the Somme. They sent the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Gen Ironside, to inform Gen Gort to retake Amiens, sweep aside any opposition en-route, and, in the process, stop any link up of German infantry with armor. Gort informed Ironside of the real situation, offering a limited offensive with his 2 reserve divisions and 1st Tank Bde. The French also offered support of two Divisions. This was the plan. In reality, only two small columns, with a few French tanks, could be scraped up to counter-attack. The attack, while not a total success, did succeed in jolting the Germans at the sight of their own tanks burning on the battlefield and slowed their progress for a while. [Size medium]