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Seems to be some confusion here. Canadians did in fact land in France in 1940 but not until after Dunkirk, although some troops were ready to move to Dunkirk by 24 May but wisely never sailed. In early June the British put together a second BEF to try to save part of France (the Brittany redoubt), which included the 1st Canadian Division. Elements of the division (1st Brigade, including the 48th Highlanders, artillery and a supply column) landed at Brest on June 12/13 and pushed forward toward Le Mans via road and rail movement. However, the German push across the Seine dictated a hasty retreat and withdrawal from Brest by the 17th. The story of the Canadian army's comings and goings during the defeat of France can be found in C.P. Stacey, Six Years of War, vol. 1 of the Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War, pp. 263-85. Regards, Brent Wilson J. Brent Wilson Centre for Conflict Studies PO Box 4400 University of New Brunswick Fredericton, NB CANADA E3B 5A3 Phone: 506-453-4587 Fax: 506-447-3175 E-Mail: jwilson@unb.ca
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