Figure 1.--Here only 2 days after the German invasion, Belgian refigees arrive by boat in Bruitain. The caption read, "Children from Belgium crowd the ship's deck as cthey arrive in England." Theship looks to bev a ferry. We arev not sure how these people managed to get on the ferry, butb they were very fortunate. The photograph was dated May 12, 1940, although it may have been taken a day earlirv.

Belgians when the Germans struck (May 10, 1940) began fleeing as they had done more than two decades earlier (1914). They headed south by rail, car, and on foot toward the preceived safety of France as they had done in World War I. Some lucky ones got on boats to Britain. Most assumed that as in World War I that the French Army would hold the Germans back. This was, however, a very different German Army. The World War I German Army was on foot and their supplies and artillery was pulled by horses. Thus Belgians could reach safety in France unless they lived near the German border. World War I Belgian refugees moved at the same pace as the invaders, usually faster as their was resistance by the Belgian and Allied forces that moved north into Belgium. Thus as long as they left in time they were able to reach France and safety. This did not, however, prove to be possible with the fast-moving motorized German Panzer units of World War II. The rapidly advancing German Army resulted in a panic among Belgian civilians, many who recalled the World War occupation. One Belgian wonman wrote in her diary, "We are in war again. Germany has crossed our borders last Friday, for the second time in 25 years. We are listening to the radio all day, it is our only source to obtain some information what is going on. It's clear that the Germans are advancing fast. We're discussing what to do. Many people in town have already left." Within a day the roads leading west from the invasiomn path were chooked with refugees. This slowed down the advance of British forces moving north into Belgiums. Tragically the only Belgins to reach safety were those who were able to get on boats to reach Britain. Those who fled to south to reach France as in World War I would find this time France would also fall to invadingh German armies. And the refugeesc had to return hone ro find the German forces that occupied their country this time were very dufferent than those of Imperial Germany two decades earlier and the World War I ocupation had been bad enough.

Created: 6:45 PM 3/22/2024
Last updated: 6:45 PM 3/22/2024