ped ition ary ▁Force ▁( BE F ) ▁sent ▁to ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 / 1 9 4 0 . ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁subsequent ▁retre at ▁to ▁D unk irk . ▁ ▁When ▁Lord ▁G ort ▁was ▁ordered ▁home ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Harold ▁Alexander , ▁Beck with - Smith ▁succeeded ▁him ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Division . ▁ ▁He ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁the ▁D unk irk ▁Per imeter , ▁telling ▁his ▁officers , ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁battle ▁he ▁also ▁spoke ▁to ▁his ▁men ▁about ▁how ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁Luft wa ffe ▁Stu ka ▁d ive ▁bom bers , ▁‘ Stand ▁up ▁to ▁them . ▁Sho ot ▁at ▁them ▁with ▁a ▁B ren ▁gun ▁from ▁the ▁shoulder . ▁Take ▁them ▁like ▁a ▁high ▁p he asant . ▁Give ▁them ▁plenty ▁of ▁lead . ▁£ 5 ▁to ▁any ▁man ▁who ▁brings ▁one ▁down .’ ▁ ▁For ▁his ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France ▁he ▁was ▁mentioned ▁in ▁dispatch es . ▁ ▁After ▁he ▁was ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁England , ▁Beck with - Smith ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁ 1 8 th ▁Infantry ▁Division , ▁which ▁he ▁trained ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁duty ▁over se as . ▁ ▁Singapore ▁▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁after ▁many ▁weeks ▁at ▁sea , ▁Beck with - Smith ' s ▁division ▁was ▁land ed ▁at ▁Singapore . ▁Japanese ▁forces ▁inv aded ▁Singapore ▁Island ▁on ▁ 8 ▁February