British & Commonwealth Orders of Battle

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Campaigns & Battles

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This page presents orders of battle listings for British, Commonwealth and Allied forces involved in selected campaigns.

  1. North Africa

From September 1939 until El Alamein.  Initially listings for key dates, usually the start of a battle, will be given.  Eventually it is planned to list the OB by month, including movements in and out of theatre.

Accuracy and completeness will improve over time as further research is completed, particularly with the primary sources.

  1. Greece - 12th April 1941

  2. Crete - 20th May 1941

Following the desperate withdrawal from Greece, escaping British, New Zealand, Australian and Greek troops improvised a defence of the island.   Following days of aerial bombardment, German paratroops began landing on 20th May 1941 only to be met by fierce resistance.  Despite suffering horrendous casualties, the surviving paratroops held on long enough to receive air-landed reinforcements and eventually turn the tables.  Having lost an opportunity to inflict a major defeat on the Germans, the Allied troops under General Freyberg evacuated from the south of the island, the last troops leaving by 1st June 1941.

  1. Sicily - 9th July - 17th August 1943

  2. Italy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information