Naval Warfare in the English Channel 1939 – 1945

Glossary viii Introduction x Acknowledgements xiii 1 First Operations in the Channel 1 2 Germany Invades the Low Countries 14 3 Evacuation of Boulogne and the Fall of Calais 26 4 Dunkirk: the Evacuation Commences 37 5 Dunkirk: the Task Completed 52 6 Final Withdrawal from Europe 72 7 Initial German Assaults on Convoys 88 8 The Luftwaffe Closes the Straits 98 9 The Convoys Fight Back 115 10 Attrition in the Winter Months 131 11 The Convoys Win Through 145 12 Escape of the German Battle Fleet 160 13 Seesaw War 175 14 E-Boats versus the Convoys 194 15 The Disaster that was Operation Tunnel 207 16 British Forces Take the Offensive 225 17 Hard-fought Destroyer Battles 249 18 Final Operations in the Channel 265 Select Bibliography 274 Index 277