ABSTRACT
The chaos of the Belgian and subsequent French surrender created situations where those minded to act on their own initiative had opportunities to do so. The officer corps and the politicians were initially indecisive until a rump of committed individuals gathered in London to form the nucleus of a government-in-exile. Despite initial animosity, the British allowed the Belgians to create their own military establishment, initially at Tenby in West Wales, and this acted as a centre for the reformation of a Belgian army. The men arriving there came via many different routes. A few had been evacuated from Dunkirk in early June 1940, or found means to cross the Channel independently, while others made their way southwards to French ports where they could still find ships bound for England. Although also small in numbers, the Belgian mariners and airmen were far more highly prized by their British allies. Belgian fishing boats had taken refuge in South Coast ports in the summer of 1940 and many were requisitioned into service by the Royal Navy. Other seamen eventually formed the basis for the RN Section Belge. Likewise pilots and other aircrew were soon identified and then incorporated into specific Royal Air Force squadrons.
