Battle of Deir ez-Zor (1941)

Coordinates: 35°20′00″N 40°09′00″E / 35.33333°N 40.15000°E / 35.33333; 40.15000
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Battle of Deir ez-Zor
Part of the
Syria-Lebanon Campaign of World War II

Map of Syria and Lebanon during World War II
Date3 July 1941
Location
Deir ez-Zor, Syria
35°20′00″N 40°09′00″E / 35.33333°N 40.15000°E / 35.33333; 40.15000
Result Allied victory
Belligerents

 United Kingdom

 Vichy France

  • Syria
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Henry Wilson
United Kingdom William Slim
Euphrates River

The Battle of Deir ez-Zor was part of the

Syria-Lebanon campaign in World War II
.

The Battle of Deir ez-Zor is noted for the bold outflanking tactics employed by Allied field commander

Burma
.

Background

On 8 June 1941, the Allies had launched attacks from the

Axis forces further west, in North Africa. By 20 June, Damascus had been captured, and the Allied campaign commander Henry Maitland Wilson ordered two further attacks from western Iraq toward Palmyra and Aleppo
.

The force which gathered at

Meskene
on the river before advancing on Aleppo in the far north-west of the country.

Deir ez-Zor was the chief city of eastern Syria with two important bridges across the Euphrates River.

The battle

The advance units of 10th Indian Division left Haditha on 27 June and captured Abu Kamal without opposition. By 30 June, the main force was concentrated there and moved out on 1 July toward Deir ez-Zor. Progress on the poor road was slow and made more difficult by air attacks from Vichy aircraft but by early afternoon there were units within 9 miles of Deir ez-Zor.[1]

Slim's original plan was to attack the city from the south-east whilst sending a flanking force wide round the south-east and which would attack along the road to Aleppo in the enemy's rear. Fuel was running low and the risk of the flanking force running dry and becoming immobile just as it came into contact with the enemy had to be considered. Slim decided that the risk was justified by the opportunity it afforded of taking the Vichy defenders by complete surprise.

The 2/

13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers) had left Mayadin at 04:15, crossing the Palmyra road running south-west across their path about 20 mi (32 km) from Deir ez-Zor and reaching the Aleppo road by 10:30. As Slim had hoped, surprise was complete and the flanking force advanced rapidly into the city, capturing the bridges intact and destabilizing the defences facing the Gurkhas advancing from the south-east. By 11:00, these positions were abandoned and the two attacking forces joined up in the city. By 15:30, the last opposition in the city had been silenced although the Vichy air force continued to make telling attacks on the Allied ground forces.[2]

Only 100 prisoners were taken because the bulk of the Syrian troops changed into civilian clothes and merged into countryside. However, 50 lorries, nine guns and five aircraft were captured and a considerable haul of arms, ammunition and petrol was made.[3]

Aftermath

Marmon Herrington armoured cars in Aleppo on 22 July 1941

On 5 July, Raqqa was taken without opposition although the Vichy continued to hold the upper hand in the air and the Vichy airforce continued to inflict casualties such that supply convoys took to travelling at night. Meanwhile, two brigade groups each with two infantry battalions—operating independently under HQ British Troops Iraq—made moves in northern Iraq:

8th Indian Infantry Division's 17th Indian Infantry Brigade (1/12th Frontier Force Regiment and 5/13th Frontier Force Rifles) advanced into the far north-east of Syria (the Bec du Canard or Duck's Bill province)[4] capturing a long length of railway intact and large stores of arms and ammunition whilst sustaining no casualties. The Vichy forces withdrew westward along the Mosul-Aleppo railway, and Slim detached some of the Gurkha and Lancers force to head northwards from Raqqa on the Euphrates. They were involved in a skirmish at the Euphrates crossing at Jarabulus.[5]

By 8 July, 10th Indian Division was advancing on Aleppo threatening the rear of the main Vichy forces around Beirut. The Vichy position had become untenable provoking General Dentz—the Vichy commander—to ask for an armistice. Negotiations began on 11 July, and the armistice terms were signed on 14 July.[6]

Bibliography

  • OCLC 1412578
    .
  • ISBN 1-84574-066-1
    .

References

  1. ^ Compton Mackenzie, p. 122
  2. ^ Compton Mackenzie, pp. 123-4
  3. ^ Compton Mackenzie, p.123
  4. ^ Playfair, p. 217
  5. ^ Compton Mackenzie, p. 124
  6. ^ Compton Mackenzie, p 125

See also

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