Siege of Lille (1940)

Siege of Lille
Part of the Battle of France in World War II
Situation, 21 May – 4 June 1940
Date 28–31 May 1940 Location Lille, France Result See Aftermath section
Belligerents
France  United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Jean-Baptiste Molinié (POW) Gustave Mesny (POW)	Fritz Kühne (POW) Erwin Rommel Joachim Lemelsen Max von Hartlieb-Walsporn Ludwig Ritter von Radlmeier
Strength
5 divisions (40,000 men)	4 infantry divisions 3 armoured divisions (110,000 men, 800 tanks)
Lille Lille, capital of Nord-Pas de Calais region and the prefecture of the Nord department

The Siege of Lille or Lille Pocket was a Second World War battle fought during the Battle of France. It took place from 28–31 May 1940 in the vicinity of Lille, France during the Battle of France. It involved the 40,000 men of the French IV Corps and V Corps of the First Army (General René Prioux), after the III Corps managed to retreat to the Lys river with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) divisions nearby. The surrounded portion of the army fought seven German divisions, including three armoured divisions, that were attempting to cut off and destroy the Allied armies in the Battle of Dunkirk. The defence of Lille was of great assistance to the Allied troops retreating into the Dunkirk perimeter.

On the night of 27/28 May, the BEF divisions near Lille were able to retreat over the Lys but only the III Corps of the French First Army (General René Prioux) managed to get away. Many of the French units had retreated from much further south and were still around Lille, when German units attacking from the west and east met behind the city. The 4th Panzer Division, 5th Panzer Division and 7th Panzer division and the 11th Infantry Division, 217th Infantry Division, 253rd Infantry Division and 267th infantry Division surrounded most of the First Army in Lille.