About this Book

It is widely assumed that the French in the British Isles during World War II were fully-fledged supporters of General De Gaulle, and that across the channel at least, the French were a nation of resisters. This provocative study reveals that most exiles were on British soil by chance rather than by design, and many were not sure whether to stay. Overlooked by historians, who have concentrated on the Free French of De Gaulle, these were the Forgotten French - refugees swept off the beaches of Dunkirk; servicemen held in camps after the Franco-German armistice; Vichy consular officials left to cater for their compatriots; and a sizeable colonist community based mainly in London.