Page 50 - RADC Bulletin 2022

EX PARABELLUM GELB: An unforgettable experience
SSgt KA Purkiss
In May 2022, I attended a 5-day battlefield study in Arras, France and Ypres, Belgium with Land Warfare Centre (LWC).
Ex PARABELLUM GELB is a battlefield study on aspects of the tactical actions undertaken by elements of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France and Flanders between 20-29 May 1940. We were spilt into syndicates and each area we studied, we had to compare what we would do today with what they had back then
and if there was anything we could of done tactically different? All of the information from the syndicates were collated and an IRTB was written.
Over the week we visited the locations and studied historical context of the below:
• Battle of Arras 19-20 May 1940
• German hasty defence at Telegraph hill,
Ferme de Belloy 21 May 1940
• Defence and withdrawal from Arras
22-24 May 1940
• Defence on the La Basse Canal
24-27 May 1940
• Battle of Ypres-Comines
26-29 May 1940
• 143 Bde Defence and 3 Bde defence
27-28 May 1940 48 RADC BULLETIN 2022
• 17 Bde Defence 28 May 1940
• Battle of Cassel 25-29 May 1940
I did a little research to see if there was
any information about dental during the BEF and I did find out that during BEF period, there was 6 DOs and 8 DCOs who were made prisoners of war.
We held a commemoration at Bedford house CWGC Cemetery. We held a two- minute silence before the Brigadier laid down a wreath from LWC. We walked around the cemetery and as we did it struck me how many of the fallen soldiers were so young. I struggled to find many headstones with ages above 25 on them.
We had the opportunity to visit the Commonwealth War Graves Tyne Cot Cemetery and Canadian National Vimy Memorial.
My highlight of the Battlefield study was the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate. It was an amazing honour to be selected with 2 other soldiers from LWC to parade in our Number 2s to lay the wreath whilst the rest of the group stood proudly at attention and hundreds of civilians were watching, which made it something that none of us will forget.
ENGAGEMENT