"General, we must leave at once; if we delay any longer, it will be too late," urged the captain of General Benson's guard. They had finally reached the banks of the Seine. If they could swim across, escape awaited them.
Countless soldiers of the British and French expeditionary forces were leaping into the Seine, desperately striving for the southern shore. With the German forces pressing in from the east, west, and north, fleeing southward had become their sole option. After numerous failed attempts to break through, leaving behind a grim scene of corpses, no one dared to hope for an escape from the German encirclement any longer.
However, the Seine was no mere stream; it was a mighty river, second only to the Loire in France. In this stretch, the water spanned over a hundred meters, and with the river currently swollen, the currents were treacherous. For those unskilled in swimming, crossing the Seine was nearly impossible, not to mention many who couldn't swim at all.
Even those who clung to makeshift floats like planks or branches had scant success. Many perished in the river's depths, their bodies carried downstream toward the Atlantic.
General Benson, commander of the British Third Army, gazed at the expansive Seine with rising panic. "I... I can't swim!" he exclaimed.
His guard members were taken aback. The fact that their commander couldn't swim made the prospect of ensuring his safe passage across the river immensely challenging.
Gritting his teeth, the captain replied, "Rest assured, General, we will get you safely to the southern bank."
After all, Benson was their commanding officer. Abandoning him to save themselves would lead to dire consequences, possibly facing a military tribunal. Such a scenario was unacceptable to the British Army.
They found a door panel, laying Benson upon it. Several adept swimmers among the guard gripped the panel and began navigating toward the southern shore of the Seine.
It must be said that General Benson was fortunate. With the escort of his guards, he faced numerous perils but ultimately reached the southern bank alive.
Sadly, most soldiers of the British and French forces were not so fortunate. Only a few successfully crossed the Seine; the majority met their end in its depths. Those who arrived later were horrified to see the floating bodies of their comrades, their faces turning pale with dread.
As the Germans approached, many surrendered outright.
The German First and Eighth Armies achieved a resounding success in encircling the British Third Army and a portion of the French First Army. Out of more than three hundred thousand Allied troops, only a handful managed to escape; the rest either perished or surrendered, resulting in over two hundred thousand captured.
This battle effectively eliminated half of the Allied forces deployed in northwestern France. If the beleaguered British First Army in Rouen was similarly vanquished, the Allied forces would be rendered virtually powerless. The outcome was all but assured in favor of the Germans.
In Rouen, General Heg was anxiously awaiting reinforcements led by General Benson. Although the Germans had only dispatched six infantry divisions into the city to engage in urban combat, their superior firepower and advanced tactics had forced the British into a hasty retreat, inflicting severe losses. Despite the British still holding on, it seemed merely a matter of time before the Germans would claim ultimate victory.
"How long until General Benson's reinforcements arrive? Maintain contact with them," Heg ordered.
"Yes, sir," the adjutant promptly replied, setting off to convey the message.
Minutes later, the adjutant returned, his face ashen.
"General, I've received word from General Benson. They are under heavy attack from the German main force, with hundreds of tanks assaulting them. Their defensive line has been breached, and the entire army is in retreat," the adjutant reported.
"What? How can this be? Isn't the German main force engaged in the offensive at Rouen? How could they attack General Benson's position?" Heg was incredulous.
Yet, Heg soon realized that Benson would not deceive him regarding such a grave matter. This implied that the force attacking Rouen was not the Germans' main body. The thought filled Heg with despair. Their well-organized army was unable to withstand even a few German divisions. The Germans, while suppressing them, could also deploy their main force to besiege General Benson's thirty thousand troops and decimate them. This starkly illustrated the Germans' combat strength was far greater than anticipated.
"What are our options, sir? General Benson's forces are encircled by the Germans and may be in dire peril," a major general inquired.
"Sir, holding Rouen is perilous. If General Benson is defeated, the German main force will turn its attention to us. We would be unable to withstand such an assault," another lieutenant general suggested.
Clearly, there was a growing sense of pessimism regarding their situation. If the British First Army continued to resist, the likely outcome would be total annihilation at the hands of the Germans. In light of this, many were contemplating alternative courses of action.
General Heg found himself wavering.
At that moment, a new telegram arrived. General Benson sent word to Heg, informing him that the Third Army had collapsed entirely, urging Heg to make preparations.
This message solidified Heg's resolve.
"Order all units to hold their positions tonight. After dark, we will immediately evacuate Rouen! We will retreat westward along the Seine," Heg commanded.
He understood that defeat was inevitable for the Allied forces in this battle. If they retreated to Paris, there would be no escape; only by leaving the main battlefield could they hope to survive.
As night fell, the remnants of the British First Army, under Heg's leadership, evacuated Rouen."