Arras

On 21 May 1940 during the ill-fated Dunkirk Campaign the British launched an operation spearheaded by two tank regiments to help secure the city of Arras. This was the only significant armored operation mounted by the British during the campaign.Poorly coordinated and starting badly, the Matilda tanks ran into the flanks of Rommel’s over-extended 7th Panzer Division. With the German antitank guns, unable to penetrate the armor of the British tanks, Rommel’s infantry fell into chaos as the Matildas plunged deep into their flank.

This volume covers the battlefields of Arras around Vimy Ridge dealing with the activities of the French and the British and the start of the Battle of Arras. Vimy Ridge gives a balanced view of the fighting by detailed descriptions of various units and individuals.