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He also misled German intelligence for several years – to the extent that they overestimated Allied strength in North Africa by a quarter of a million men. [9] The journalist Nicholas Rankin, writing in 2008, referred to Clarke as "the greatest British deceiver of WW2, a special kind of secret servant." [4]
The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers.It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert War), in Morocco and Algeria (Operation Torch), and in Tunisia (Tunisia campaign).
This is an outline order of battle of the British First Army on 4 May 1943 during the Tunisian Campaign of World War II. British First Army Commanded by: Lieutenant-General Sir Kenneth Anderson. V Corps Commanded by Lieutenant-General Charles Allfrey. North Irish Horse; 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment (7ème Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens)
Before the war, Major Ralph Bagnold learned how to maintain and operate vehicles, how to navigate, and how to communicate in the desert. On 23 June 1940 he met General Archibald Wavell, the commander of Middle East Command in Alexandria and explained his concept for a group of men intended to undertake long-range reconnaissance patrols to gather intelligence behind the Italian lines in Libya. [5]
The history of the British Army's Special Air Service (SAS) regiment of the British Army begins with its formation during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, and continues to the present day. It includes its early operations in North Africa, the Greek Islands, and the Invasion of Italy.
After the Allied victory in North Africa, it was based in the Tripoli area of Italian Libya. The notional SDF division controlled the real 2nd SDF Brigade (based in Sudan) and a notional 182nd Infantry Brigade. In May 1944, the order of battle was changed with the latter brigade being replaced by the notional 38th Indian Infantry Brigade. The ...
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, DSO, OBE (15 November 1915 – 4 November 1990) was a Scottish officer in the British Army and the founder and creator of the Special Air Service (SAS). Under his leadership, the SAS carried out hit-and-run raids behind the Axis lines of the North African campaign.
In North Africa, Axis forces attacked in May, defeating the Allies in the Battle of Gazala in June and capturing Tobruk and 35,000 prisoners.The Eighth Army retreated over the Egyptian border, the British losing the minor port of Mersa Matruh, only stopping the German advance in the First Battle of El Alamein.