Alistair Walsh

Alistair Walsh was a Welsh-born veteran of both the First and the Second World Wars. He was a lifer, remaining in the service after the first war, and attaining the rank of sergeant prior to the second. His opinion of the conduct of the second war was informed by his experiences in the first. Walsh was never shy about sharing his frustration and disgust at the British government's conduct of the war early on.

Walsh's unit of the British Expeditionary Force arrived in France in October, 1938, shortly after Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. However, they did not invade Germany, as France had, a fact that Walsh and his comrades found frustrating. By November, Germany had subdued Czechoslovakia, pushed French forces out of German territory, and began a drive the Netherlands.

Now Britain and France were stymied by Belgium's intrasigence. Walsh and many of his colleagues were convinced that King Leopold was secretly pro-German. Thus, it was only when the Netherlands fell that Belgium permitted Allied troops in to Belgium. Walsh was among those who entered. However, Belgium surrendered after three weeks of fighting, and Walsh found himself retreating again.

With Germany driving through Belgium, Walsh was given a brief leave in Paris. The German Luftwaffe targeted the city. Walsh witnessed the top of the Eiffel Tower blown off in December, 1938.

For the first months of 1939, Walsh was part of a series of advances and retreats, as Allied forces were slowly driven back to Paris. In April, 1939, an Anglo-French counter-offensive succeeded in stopping the German drive once and for all.