Operation Ariel
Encyclopedia
Operation Ariel was 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
against Nazi Germany
. It followed Operation Dynamo
, the evacuation from Dunkirk and Operation Cycle
, the evacuation from Le Havre
which finished on 13 June.
at Dunkirk had evacuated much of the fighting element of the British Expeditionary Force
, some combat units from 1st Armoured Division and Beauman Division
and more than 150,000 support and line-of-communication troops had been cut-off to the south by the German “dash to the sea”. In addition, the 52nd (Lowland) Division and the 1st Canadian Division
had been rushed to France to bolster the defence of the west of the country. All these forces became known as the “Second BEF
” and General Sir Alan Brooke was returned from England to command them. Upon his arrival on 13 June, he quickly realised that there was no chance of success for them and that the French plan to fall back and make a stand in Brittany
was unrealistic. Accordingly, in a telephone call on the evening of 14 June, he was able to persuade the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
, that all the British troops in France ought to be disengaged and evacuated.
William Milbourne James
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
. He directed the larger troop and cargo ships to operate from Southampton
, smaller coastal ships to use Poole
and Dutch schuyts to work from Weymouth. Most of 52nd (Lowland) and 1st Armoured Divisions embarked between 15–17 June. Beauman Division
and Norman Force
, which were composite formations, left on the evening of 17 June. The rearguard battalion was evacuted in the afternoon of 18 June; the first German troops were entering the outskirts of the town as the last ship sailed at 4pm. 30,360 men had been evacuated and taken to Portsmouth. At St Malo, 21,474 men, mostly of the 1st Canadian Division, got away on 17 and 18 June.
, the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches Command
based in Devonport
. The evacuation from Brest
was undertaken by a large flotilla of ships including the troopship
s Arandora Star, Otranto, and Strathaird
. 28,145 British and 4,439 Allied personnel, mostly RAF
groundcrew, were taken off on 16 and 17 June without any major interference by the Luftwaffe
and were landed at Plymouth.
Waiting at St Nazaire were a large number of British Army support and logistic units, RAF personnel, Belgian, Czech and Polish troops as well as British civilians. The flotilla sent included the large troopships Georgic
, Duchess of York, Franconia, RMS Lancastria
and Oronsay
. The Franconia was damaged by bombs en route and returned to Plymouth. Most of the larger ships had to anchor in Quiberon Bay
because of the difficulty of navigating the narrow channel up the Loire
estuary to St Nazaire. During 17 June, troops were ferried out from St Nazaire to the large troopships in destroyers and coasters. The troopships were under orders to embark as many personnel as possible and soon became very crowded. At 2pm there was an air raid by German bombers and the Oronsay was hit by a bomb on the bridge. In a second raid at 3:45, the Lancastria was hit by four bombs which penetrated the hold packed with troops and ruptured the fuel oil tanks. Within 20 minutes the ship heeled over and sank; although 2,447 of those on board were saved, there was a death toll of around 4,000 souls (estimates vary from under 3,000 to 5,800), the largest loss of life in British maritime history. The last British troops left on the morning of 18 June in two convoys of small merchant ships and headed for Plymouth. Due to faulty intelligence which suggested that the Germans were closer than they actually were, much valuable equipment was left behind. A final mission arrived at St Nazaire on 19 June to evacuate 8,000 Polish troops who had been reported to have arrived at the port; in the event, there were only 2,000.
Further south at La Pallice (the commercial harbour of La Rochelle
), the senior British naval officer found that no ships had been sent for the British and Polish troops waiting at the port. He therefore requisitioned a number of French merchant ships and left on 18 June. Thereafter, two flotillas of British ships arrived to pick up late arriving Poles; in all, 10,000 British and more than 4,000 Polish personnel were rescued from La Pallice.
on 17 June by Royal Navy cruisers and destroyers and by Allied merchant ships that were still in the harbour. British diplomatic staff and the President of Poland and his cabinet were given priority. The remainder were mainly Polish and Czech troops. Evacuation continued at the nearby ports of Le Verdon
and Bayonne
, assisted by the troopships Batory, Sobieski
(both Polish), Ettrick and Arandora Star. These ships then moved on to St Jean-de-Luz where the evacuation ended at 2pm on 25 June, just after the deadline set by the terms of the Armistice. On the final day of the operation, the Canadian destroyer HMCS Fraser was rammed and sunk by the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta in the Gironde estuary
. Minor evacuations continued from the Mediterranean coast of France until 14 August 1940.
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.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
evacuation of Allied forces from ports in western France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, from 15–25 June 1940, due to the military collapse in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. It followed Operation Dynamo
Operation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
, the evacuation from Dunkirk and Operation Cycle
Operation Cycle
During World War II, Operation Cycle was the evacuation of Allied troops from Le Havre, France at the end of the Battle of France. From 10 to 13 June 1940, 11,059 British and Allied forces were evacuated....
, the evacuation from Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
which finished on 13 June.
Background
Although Operation DynamoOperation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
at Dunkirk had evacuated much of the fighting element of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
, some combat units from 1st Armoured Division and Beauman Division
Beauman Division
Beauman Division was a Second World War improvised formation of the British Expeditionary Force, which fought in the closing phases of the Battle of France in June 1940.-Raising the division:...
and more than 150,000 support and line-of-communication troops had been cut-off to the south by the German “dash to the sea”. In addition, the 52nd (Lowland) Division and the 1st Canadian Division
1st Canadian Division
Formed in August 1914, the 1st Canadian Division was a formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The division was initially made up from provisional battalions that were named after their province of origin but these titles were dropped before the division arrived in Britain on October 14,...
had been rushed to France to bolster the defence of the west of the country. All these forces became known as the “Second BEF
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
” and General Sir Alan Brooke was returned from England to command them. Upon his arrival on 13 June, he quickly realised that there was no chance of success for them and that the French plan to fall back and make a stand in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
was unrealistic. Accordingly, in a telephone call on the evening of 14 June, he was able to persuade the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, that all the British troops in France ought to be disengaged and evacuated.
Evacuation from Cherbourg and St Malo
The evacuation of 52nd Division from Cherbourg was under the command of AdmiralAdmiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
William Milbourne James
William Milbourne James
Admiral Sir William Milbourne James GCB was a British Naval commander, politician and author, perhaps most notable for his activities in the Naval Intelligence Division in the First World War.-Family:...
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
. He directed the larger troop and cargo ships to operate from Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, smaller coastal ships to use Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
and Dutch schuyts to work from Weymouth. Most of 52nd (Lowland) and 1st Armoured Divisions embarked between 15–17 June. Beauman Division
Beauman Division
Beauman Division was a Second World War improvised formation of the British Expeditionary Force, which fought in the closing phases of the Battle of France in June 1940.-Raising the division:...
and Norman Force
Norman Force
In the Battle of France in June 1940, Norman Force was a formation of units of the British Expeditionary Force, following the Dunkirk evacuation....
, which were composite formations, left on the evening of 17 June. The rearguard battalion was evacuted in the afternoon of 18 June; the first German troops were entering the outskirts of the town as the last ship sailed at 4pm. 30,360 men had been evacuated and taken to Portsmouth. At St Malo, 21,474 men, mostly of the 1st Canadian Division, got away on 17 and 18 June.
Evacuation from Brest, St Nazaire and La Pallice
The evacuation from the more westerly ports was commanded by Admiral Sir Martin Eric NasmithMartin Eric Nasmith
Admiral Sir Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith VC, KCB, KCMG, RN , was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches Command
Western Approaches Command
Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches was the commander of a major operational command of the Royal Navy during World War II. The admiral commanding, and his forces, sometimes informally known as 'Western Approaches Command,' were responsible for the safety of British shipping in the Western...
based in Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
. The evacuation from Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
was undertaken by a large flotilla of ships including the troopship
Troopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
s Arandora Star, Otranto, and Strathaird
RMS Strathaird
RMS, later SS, Strathaird was the second of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company Strath class ocean liners. She was built at Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, then in Lancashire, and launched on 18 July 1931...
. 28,145 British and 4,439 Allied personnel, mostly RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
groundcrew, were taken off on 16 and 17 June without any major interference by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and were landed at Plymouth.
Waiting at St Nazaire were a large number of British Army support and logistic units, RAF personnel, Belgian, Czech and Polish troops as well as British civilians. The flotilla sent included the large troopships Georgic
RMS Georgic (1932)
Built at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, the RMS Georgic was the last ship built for the White Star Line before its merger with the Cunard Line. She was the running mate of the Britannic. Like Britannic, Georgic was a motorship, and not a steamer, fitted with a diesel electric powerplant.-...
, Duchess of York, Franconia, RMS Lancastria
RMS Lancastria
The RMS Lancastria was a British Cunard liner sunk on 17 June 1940 during World War II with the loss of an estimated 4,000 plus lives. It is the worst single loss of life in British maritime history and the bloodiest single engagement for UK forces , in the whole conflict and claimed more lives...
and Oronsay
SS Oronsay (1925)
For other ships called SS Oronsay, see OronsaySS Oronsay was an ocean liner built for the Orient Steam Navigation Company. Her maiden voyage started on 7 February 1925 from London to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. She continued on this route until the outbreak of World War II...
. The Franconia was damaged by bombs en route and returned to Plymouth. Most of the larger ships had to anchor in Quiberon Bay
Quiberon Bay
The Baie de Quiberon is an area of sheltered water on the south coast of Brittany. The bay is in the Morbihan département.-Geography:The bay is roughly triangular in shape, open to the south with the Gulf of Morbihan to the north-east and the narrow peninsular of Presqu'île de Quiberon providing...
because of the difficulty of navigating the narrow channel up the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
estuary to St Nazaire. During 17 June, troops were ferried out from St Nazaire to the large troopships in destroyers and coasters. The troopships were under orders to embark as many personnel as possible and soon became very crowded. At 2pm there was an air raid by German bombers and the Oronsay was hit by a bomb on the bridge. In a second raid at 3:45, the Lancastria was hit by four bombs which penetrated the hold packed with troops and ruptured the fuel oil tanks. Within 20 minutes the ship heeled over and sank; although 2,447 of those on board were saved, there was a death toll of around 4,000 souls (estimates vary from under 3,000 to 5,800), the largest loss of life in British maritime history. The last British troops left on the morning of 18 June in two convoys of small merchant ships and headed for Plymouth. Due to faulty intelligence which suggested that the Germans were closer than they actually were, much valuable equipment was left behind. A final mission arrived at St Nazaire on 19 June to evacuate 8,000 Polish troops who had been reported to have arrived at the port; in the event, there were only 2,000.
Further south at La Pallice (the commercial harbour of La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
), the senior British naval officer found that no ships had been sent for the British and Polish troops waiting at the port. He therefore requisitioned a number of French merchant ships and left on 18 June. Thereafter, two flotillas of British ships arrived to pick up late arriving Poles; in all, 10,000 British and more than 4,000 Polish personnel were rescued from La Pallice.
Evacuation from Bordeaux, Le Verdon, Bayonne and St Jean-de-Luz
Evacuation started from BordeauxBordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
on 17 June by Royal Navy cruisers and destroyers and by Allied merchant ships that were still in the harbour. British diplomatic staff and the President of Poland and his cabinet were given priority. The remainder were mainly Polish and Czech troops. Evacuation continued at the nearby ports of Le Verdon
Le Verdon-sur-Mer
Le Verdon-sur-Mer is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
and Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
, assisted by the troopships Batory, Sobieski
MS Sobieski
M/S Sobieski was a Polish passenger ship built for the Polish Ocena Lines to replace the aging and ; a sister ship to the MS Chrobry. She was named in honour of the Polish king Jan III Sobieski....
(both Polish), Ettrick and Arandora Star. These ships then moved on to St Jean-de-Luz where the evacuation ended at 2pm on 25 June, just after the deadline set by the terms of the Armistice. On the final day of the operation, the Canadian destroyer HMCS Fraser was rammed and sunk by the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta in the Gironde estuary
Gironde estuary
The Gironde is a navigable estuary , in southwest France and is formed from the meeting of the rivers Dordogne and Garonne just below the centre of Bordeaux...
. Minor evacuations continued from the Mediterranean coast of France until 14 August 1940.
Aftermath
The number of people evacuated from France to Britain during Operation Ariel were:- British – 144,171
- Polish – 24,352
- French – 18,246
- Czech – 4,938
- Belgian – 163
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.