Siege of Dunkirk
September 7, 1944 - May 9, 1945

Battle Dunkerque in Panzer General The 1st Czechoslovak Combined Brigade in Britain was transformed on July 1, 1941 into the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Brigade. Its mapower was expended and the unit was subject to constant and arduous training. It was assigned to patrol British beaches to help to repel still pending German invasion.

Training of the brigade in England

After the arrival of the Middle East and African veteransincluding the 11th Infantry Battalion - Eastern, the Brigade was reorganized into an armored unit on September 1, 1943 and trained as a rapid deployment tank force uvder command Gen. Alois Liška. Upon its final arrival to France in September 1944, the unit was incorporated into the 21st Army Group headed by Marshal B. L. Montgomery.


Chief of the 21st Army Group Marshal Montgomery a chief of the Cs. Armored Brigade General Liška

Due to its its incomplete manpower, the Czech and Slovak soldiers were assigned to less demanding tasks and from October to the war's end particpated in the siege of heavily fortified Dunkirk with its strong but cut-off German Defenders.


By the Dunkirk


Czechoslovak tanks Cromwell


Czechoslovak Brigade completed its task and didn't allow Germans to make a sorite from enclosing and disturb Allied supply lines. In May, Brigade recieved a capitulation of German troops. The Allied command, for logistic reasons, rejected the Czechoslovak request that Czechoslovak ground and air units participate in the liberation of their country. Only Marshal Montgomery agreed to send a symbolic, 140-men strong unit from the siege of Dunkirk which, on April 23, joined with the 3rd U.S. Army and raised the Czechoslovak flag on its homeland border crossing on May 1, 1945 at Cheb.


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