Western Desert Force
| Western Desert Force | |
|---|---|
Western Desert Campaign | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Richard O'Connor |
The Western Desert Force (WDF) was a
On 17 June 1940, the headquarters of the
In September 1940, at the time of the Italian invasion of Egypt, the Western Desert Force consisted of roughly 36,000 soldiers and about 65 tanks.[2]
From early December 1940 to February 1941, during
The Western Desert Force was retitled
After the Italian forces in North Africa had been reinforced with the
In August 1941 General Archibald Wavell was replaced as Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) Middle East by Claude Auchinleck and the British and Commonwealth forces were reinforced to create, in September 1941, the British Eighth Army. During this reorganisation the Western Desert Force was once again redesignated as XIII Corps in October 1941 and became part of the new army.[6]
Notes
- ^ See also NZ Electronic Text Centre, Chapter Three
- ^ Bauer (2000), p.93
- ^ World War II Timelines: 12 February 1941
- ^ Walker(2003), p. 64
- ^ Military Career of Philip Neame (British) VC, CB, DSO, accessed December 2008
- ^ a b XIII Corps (Western Desert Force) British Military History
References
- Bauer, Eddy (2000) [1979]. Young, Peter (ed.). The History of World War II (rev. ed.). London: Orbis. ISBN 978-1-85605-552-9.
- Walker, Ian W. (2003). Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts; Mussolini's Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-86126-646-0.