On May 29 the final reareuards of the BEF. withdrew, in accordance amotio is "Never the with orders, to the Bergues area and the line of the Dunkirk canal. In this sector the defence of the rea: position was entrusted to a Midland brigade of a Territorial division—men of Nottinghamshir al hire, ut the Germans closed u on to the British forward defence lines, showing particular interest in Bergues and its defences. During the May 30 and 31 Bergues was continuously shelled by artillery and heavy trench mortars. German bombers paid many visits and the systematic destruction of the little town proceeded uninterruptedly.
By June 1 a large portion of Bergues was in flames, Heavy smoke hung over the whole area. The defenders however, stuck grimly to their posts Despatch riders entering and leaving the town had to proceed on foot. covering their mouths with cloths in order to make their way through the thick pall of smoke. At last a little wood on the edge of the tows and within its defences caught fire and burnt fiercely. All the transport earmarked for the eventual evacuation of the garrison, and hidden in the wood was destroyed. By now Bergues had become a fiercely burning inferno.
As the evacuation of the remainder of the BEF. from Dunkirk had reached a stage which warranted a further withdrawal of the rearguard the. rearguard commander ordered the evacuation of Bergues and a withdrawal to the North of the Dunkirk canal along the edge of the town.
The Final Job This operation was carried out with skill and coolness by the gallant defenders, who moved slowly out of the smoking ruin by the only remaining bridge, that which at one time supported the old portcullis.
Their job, however, was not yet ished. Some elements of the enemy had succeeded in breaking through the rearguard further to the East and the withdrawal from Berg now took the form of a sortie in order to restore the situation on the flank. The Brigade Commander by means of constant personal reconnaissauce retained complete mastery of the situation.
A counter-attack was launched which drove the enemy into a marsh. and thereafter the enemy exerted no more pressure in this sector. This operation was carried out with such determination and efficiency that under cover of darkness the final withdrawal of the whole rearguard to the Dunkirk beaches was made
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.