Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03

1940 in Great Britain — Page 7

Explore 642 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1940.

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Historical records for Great Britain in 1940

Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 642 unique records.

642Unique records

7 of 17Page

18Named events on this page

12Named people on this page

9Places on this page

May

28 May 1940

Evacuation

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Dunkirk · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Announces in Cabinet, "of course, whatever happens at Dunkirk, we shall fight on"

28 May 1940

No Negotiated Peace

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · London · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Persuades ministers to continue fighting rather than seek terms.

28 May 1940

Operation Alphabet

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Narvik · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Receives news of Narvik's recapture while evacuation plans remain in force.

28 May 1940

Result of Surrender of Belgian Army

Montgomery, Bernard Law · Westvleteren · Commander of 3rd Division · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Belgium's capitulation exposes Montgomery's division and other Allied troops to further German pressure and retreat.

28 May 1940

Surrender of Belgian Army

Montgomery, Bernard Law · Westvleteren · Commander of 3rd Division · Warfare / World War, 2nd

After Belgium surrenders the 3rd Division is forced to retreat from Belgium

30 May 1940

Commander of Second Corps

Montgomery, Bernard Law · La Panne · Commander of Second Corps · Warfare / Military

Appointed Commander of Second Corps & ordered to withdraw

30 May 1940

Commander of Second Corps

Montgomery, Bernard Law · La Panne · Commander of Second Corps · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Appointed Commander of Second Corps & ordered to withdraw

30 May 1940

Dunkirk Evacuation

Eden, Robert Anthony · London · Secretary of State for War · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Works in Cabinet during the Dunkirk evacuation crisis

30 May 1940

Evacuation

Eden, Robert Anthony · Dunkirk · Secretary of State for War and the Colonies · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Agrees that the BEF should evacuate after deciding "no further proportionate damage could be inflicted on the enemy"

30 May 1940

Temporary Second Corps Command at Dunkirk

Montgomery, Bernard Law · Dunkirk · Commander of Second Corps · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Takes temporary command of II Corps during the final stages of the withdrawal to Dunkirk.

31 May 1940

Battle of Narvik

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Narvik · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Discusses Narvik and Dunkirk with French leaders at the Supreme War Council.

31 May 1940

Battle of Narvik

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Discusses Narvik and Dunkirk with French leaders.

31 May 1940

British Expeditionary Force (BEF)

Alexander, Harold · Bastion · Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Decides to evacuate all 3 remaining Divisions of the BEF on 1st June

31 May 1940

British Expeditionary Force (BEF)

Alexander, Harold · Dunkirk · Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Gort returns to Britain & Alexander is put in charge of the 3 BEF Divisions at Dunkirk

31 May 1940

British Expeditionary Force (BEF)

Vereker · Bastion · Commander in Chief · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The Commander of the BEF follows Cabinet orders & returns to Britain

31 May 1940

Evacuation

Alexander, Harold · Bastion · Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Ignores orders from Gort & the French to stay. Decides to evacuate all 3 remaining Divisions of the BEF on 1st June

31 May 1940

Evacuation

Alexander, Harold · Dunkirk · Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Gort returns to Britain & Alexander is put in charge of the 3 BEF Divisions at Dunkirk

31 May 1940

Evacuation

Vereker · Bastion · Commander in Chief · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The Commander of the BEF follows Cabinet orders & returns to Britain

31 May 1940

Operation Alphabet

Auchinleck, Claude John Eyre · Narvik · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Manages withdrawal arrangements while maintaining pressure on German forces.

31 May 1940

Operation Alphabet

Boyle, William · Narvik · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Coordinates naval arrangements for removing Allied troops from Narvik.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Attlee, Clement · Paris · Lord Privy Seal · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Travels with Churchill for the Paris council meeting.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Attends the council as Allied strategy shifts during the Dunkirk evacuation.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Announces evacuation figures from Dunkirk during a Supreme War Council meeting.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Meets the Allied Supreme War Council and declares Britain will fight on.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Prime Minister of Great Britain · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Promises to fight on despite the worsening military position.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Attends as Allied leaders discuss evacuation from Norway and France.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Discusses Dunkirk and Norway with French leaders.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer · Paris · Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Discusses Narvik and Dunkirk with French leaders.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Dill, John · Paris · Chief Imperial General Staff · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Accompanies Churchill during the Paris crisis meeting.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Ismay, Hastings Lionel · Paris · Deputy Minister of Defence · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Assists Churchill at the council meeting as France nears collapse.

31 May 1940

Supreme War Council

Spears, Edward Louis · Paris · Liaison Officer · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Warns against any separate French surrender during discussions.

May 1940

BEF Withdrawal toward Flemish Coast Ordered

Gort, John · Flanders · Commander British Expeditionary Force · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Gort orders British forces toward the coast as the Allied position in Belgium deteriorates.

May 1940

Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF)

Alexander, Harold · Dunkirk · Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) · Warfare / Military

Appointed Commander of the British Exteditionary Force

May 1940

Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF)

Alexander, Harold · Dunkirk · Commander of British Expeditionary Force (BEF) · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Appointed Commander of the British Exteditionary Force

May 1940

Dunkirk Perimeter Defence

Montgomery, Bernard Law · Dunkirk · Commander of 3rd Division · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Uses 3rd Division in the defensive battle protecting routes toward the Dunkirk evacuation area.

May 1940

Flanders Corridor Defence Prioritised

Gort, John · Flanders · Commander British Expeditionary Force · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Gort prioritises routes through Flanders needed for the BEF's withdrawal toward evacuation ports.

May 1940

Flanders Withdrawal Enables Dunkirk Evacuation

Gort, John · Flanders · Commander British Expeditionary Force · Warfare / World War, 2nd

The BEF withdrawal from positions in Flanders helps concentrate British forces for evacuation from Dunkirk.

May 1940

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies

Eden, Robert Anthony · Secretary of State for War and the Colonies · Government / National Coalition

Appointed Secretary for War, May-December

May 1940

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies

Eden, Robert Anthony · Secretary of State for War and the Colonies · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Appointed Secretary for War, May-December

May 1940

Third Division Withdrawal from Dyle Line

Montgomery, Bernard Law · Belgium · Commander of 3rd Division · Warfare / World War, 2nd

Conducts an organised withdrawal as Allied armies fall back from the Dyle position under German pressure.

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How these records were prepared

Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.