British Expeditionary Force in United Kingdom

British Expeditionary Force (Bef) (1914) History

BEF 1914. The cream of the British Army sent to France in 1914. Known as the ‘Old Contemptibles’ due to the Kaiser dismissing them as a ‘contemptibly small army’. Played a crucial role in stopping the German advance at the Battle of the Marne.

British Expeditionary Force (Bef) (1939-40) History

BEF 1939-1940. Sent to France at the start of the Second World War. It consisted of ten infantry divisions in three corps (I, II, and III), 1st Army Tank Brigade and a RAF detachment of about 500 aircraft. The Allied collapse led to its miraculous evacuation at Dunkirk, leaving virtually all of its equipment behind.