Editing Battle of Dunkirk (section)

===Battle of Wytschaete===
{{main|Battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal}}
Gort had sent [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] [[Ronald Forbes Adam|Ronald Adam]], commanding [[III Corps (United Kingdom)|III Corps]], ahead to build the defensive perimeter around Dunkirk; his corps command passed to Lieutenant General [[Sydney Rigby Wason]] from the GHQ staff.{{sfn|Grehan|2018|loc=Chapter 4}} Lieutenant General [[Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke|Alan Brooke]], commanding [[II Corps (United Kingdom)|II Corps]], was to conduct a holding action with the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 50th Divisions along the Ypres-Comines canal as far as [[Yser]], while the rest of the BEF fell back. The battle of [[Wytschaete]], over the border in Belgium, was the toughest action Brooke faced in this role.{{sfn|Thompson|2009|pp=174–178}}

On 26 May, the Germans made a [[reconnaissance in force]] against the British position. At mid-day on 27 May, they launched a full-scale attack with three divisions south of [[Ypres]]. A confused battle followed, where visibility was low because of forested or urban terrain and communications were poor because the British at that time used no radios below battalion level and the telephone wires had been cut. The Germans used infiltration tactics to get among the British, who were beaten back.{{sfn|Thompson|2009|p=179}}

The heaviest fighting was in the 5th Division's sector. Still on 27 May, Brooke ordered the 3rd Division commander, [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Bernard Montgomery]], to extend his division's line to the left, thereby freeing the [[10th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|10th]] and [[11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East|11th Brigade]]s, both of the 4th Division, to join the 5th Division at Messines Ridge. The 10th Brigade arrived first, to find the enemy had advanced so far they were closing on the British field artillery. Between them, the 10th and 11th Brigades cleared the ridge of Germans, and by 28 May they were securely dug in east of Wytschaete.{{sfn|Thompson|2009|pp=182–183}}

That day, Brooke ordered a counterattack. This was to be spearheaded by two battalions, the 3rd [[Grenadier Guards]] and 2nd [[North Staffordshire Regiment]], both of Major-General [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Harold Alexander]]'s 1st Division. The North Staffords advanced as far as the [[Kortekeer|Kortekeer River]], while the Grenadiers reached the canal itself, but could not hold it. The counterattack disrupted the Germans, holding them back a little longer while the BEF retreated.{{sfn|Thompson|2009|pp=183–184}}