Evacuation From Cherbourg and St Malo
The evacuation of 52nd Division from Cherbourg was under the command of Admiral William Milbourne James Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. He directed the larger troop and cargo ships to operate from Southampton, smaller coastal ships to use Poole and Dutch schuyts to work from Weymouth. Most of 52nd Infantry and 1st Armoured Divisions embarked between 15–17 June. Beauman Division and Norman Force, which were composite formations, left on the evening of 17 June. The rearguard battalion was evacuted in the afternoon of 18 June; the first German troops were entering the outskirts of the town as the last ship sailed at 4 pm. 30,360 men had been evacuated and taken to Portsmouth. At St Malo, 21,474 men, mostly of the 1st Canadian Division, got away on 17 and 18 June.
Read more about this topic: Operation Ariel