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North Africa - May 41

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North Africa - 15 May 1941 - Operation 'Brevity'

GHQ Middle East Forces
                         
1.   Egypt
   
a). GHQ Troops
Layforce

'A' Battalion, Layforce Commando

'B' Battalion, Layforce Commando

'C' Battalion, Layforce Commando detached 15-Apr-41 to 01-Aug-41, Cyprus

'D' Battalion, Layforce Commando

 
b). HQ British Troops Egypt

1st (Royal) Dragoons 'A' Squadron under command 11 Hussars

02-May-41 - 19-Jun-41

1st King's Dragoon Guards RHQ and 'A' and 'B' Squadrons

149th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA

2/12th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

2/7th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

2/8th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

11th Czechoslovak (Middle Eastern) Battalion

1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

6th Royal Tank Regiment

7th Queen's Own Hussars less 'B' Sqn - detached to 22 Guards Bde and 7 Support Grp 07-Apr-41-12-May-41

65th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA

1 SA Infantry Division

1st Anti-Tank Brigade, SAA

3rd Field Brigade, THA, SAA

4th Field Brigade, SAA

7th Field Brigade, SAA

1st Field Company, SA Engineers

3rd Field Company, SA Engineers

5th Field Company, SA Engineers

21st Corps Field Park Company, SA Engineers

1st South African Division Ordnance

1st South African Division Signals

1st South African "Q" Services Corps

5 SA Infantry Brigade

1st South African Irish

2nd Regiment Botha

3rd Transvaal Scottish

4 Indian Infantry Division

Central India Horse

1st Field Regiment, RA detached to 5 Indian Inf Bde 15-May-41 

25th Field Regiment, RA

31st Field Regiment, RA detached 14/17-May-41 to 22 Guards Bde

68th Medium Regiment, RA attached from HQ BTE. 212 Med Bty only until end Jun-41 

11 Indian Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion (Wellesley's), 6th Rajputana Rifles

2nd Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry

2nd Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron

Highlanders

5 Indian Infantry Brigade departs for Palestine 15/16-May-41

1st Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers

3rd Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment (3/1 Punjab)

4th Battalion (Outram's), 6th Rajputana Rifles

7 Indian Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment

4th Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment

4th Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment 

7 Armoured Division

11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) detached, attachments: 'A' Sqn Royals 02-May-41 - 19-Jun-41

4 Armoured Brigade

4th Royal Tank Regiment 'A' and 'C' Squadrons only ('B' Squadron in Eritrea) - detached to 22 Guards Brigade for 'Brevity'

5th Royal Tank Regiment

7th Royal Tank Regiment
                       

23 Infantry Brigade reformed, no units under command
           

Polish Ind Carpathian Rifle Brigade

I Rifle Battalion

II Rifle Battalion

III Rifle Battalion

1 Atk Coy

2 Atk Coy

Carpathian Artillery Regiment

Engineers Grp (HQ, 2 Coys)

The Legion of Polish Officers attached 

Carpathian HMG Battalion

Medical Services (2 Coys, 2 Sects, Fwd Hopsital)

Transport Column (3 Plns)

Carpathian Lancers Regiment

Signals Grp (HQ, 1 Coy, 3 Plns
           

Alexandria Sub-Area  
                

Mersa Matruh Fortress

8th Field Regiment, RA attached to 22 Guards Brigade for Operation Brevity

7 Australian Infantry Division

2/2nd Antitank Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

2/4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

2/5th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery

2/6th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
2/5th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers

2/6th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers
2/5th Field Park Company, Royal Australian Engineers

6th Australian Divisional Cavalry Regiment attached  

21 Australian Infantry Brigade

2/14th Australian Battalion

2/16th Australian Battalion

2/27th Australian Battalion

25 Australian Infantry Brigade

2/25th Australian Battalion originally third bn of 24 Aus Infantry Brigade, arrived Egypt beginning of May-41 from Australia

2/31st Australian Battalion

2/33rd Australian Battalion
                            

Suez Canal Sub-Area  
             
c). Western Desert Force
            

'A' Squadron, Long Range Desert Group under command, based on Siwa
              

6 Infantry Division

16 Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders embarked for Crete 15-May-41

(Princess Louise's)

2nd Battalion, The Queen's Royal Regiment (West

Surrey)
           

22 (Guards) Infantry Brigade temporarily under command "HQ Mobile Force" (7 Support Group HQ)

1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry

2nd Battalion, The Scots Guards

3rd Battalion, The Coldstream Guards

6th Antitank Battery, Royal Australian Artillery attached from 2/2nd Antitank Regt, RAA

65th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA 260th Bty only attached 

31st Field Regiment, RA attached from 4 Indian Division 

8th Field Regiment, RA attached 

4th Royal Tank Regiment attached - 'A' and 'C' Squadrons (24 Matilda)

7 Armoured Brigade

2nd Royal Tank Regiment

7 Support Group known temporarily as "HQ Mobile Force" from

16-Apr-41, with all units on the Egyptian frontier under command

1st Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps

2nd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade

11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) attached from 7 Armoured Division, 'A' Sqn

Royals attached 02-May-41 until 19-Jun-41

12th Antitank Battery, Royal Australian Artillery attached from 2/3rd Antitank Regiment, RAA

5th Antitank Battery, Royal Australian Artillery attached from 2/2nd Antitank Regt, RAA 

1st Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA

3rd Royal Horse Artillery From 09-Apr-41 'D' Battery only, others in Tobruk

4th Royal Horse Artillery
        
                 
2.  Libya
a). GHQ Troops
Long Range Desert Group main base at Kufra Oasis, Libya - 'B' Sqn under command

'B' Squadron, Long Range Desert Group Based at Kufra, Libya
               
b). Tobruk Fortress (Tobruk Garrison)
                 

51st Field Regiment, RA

104th (Essex Yeomanry) Royal Horse Artillery

107th (South Notts Hussars) Royal Horse Artillery

1st Royal Horse Artillery

3rd Royal Horse Artillery attached, 'M' and 'J' Batteries only 

18th King Edward VII's Own Cavalry attached from 3 Indian Motor Brigade 

1st Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers MG battalion
               

9 Australian Infantry Division

2/3rd Antitank Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery 9th, 10th and 11th Btys - 12th Bty with 22

Guards Bde from 10-Apr-41, later 7 Support Grp 

2/13th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers

2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers

2/7th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers

2/2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion

2/1st Australian Pioneer Battalion

18 Australian Infantry Brigade attached

2/10th Australian Battalion

2/12th Australian Battalion

2/9th Australian Battalion

2/4th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers attached 

20 Australian Infantry Brigade

2/13th Australian Battalion

2/15th Australian Battalion

2/17th Australian Battalion

20th Australian Antitank Company

24 Australian Infantry Brigade

2/28th Australian Battalion

2/43rd Australian Battalion

24th Australian Antitank Company

26 Australian Infantry Brigade

2/23rd Australian Battalion

2/24th Australian Battalion

2/48th Australian Battalion

26th Australian Antitank Company
           

3 Armoured Brigade elements until 06-Jun-41 (3 Armd Bde HQ evacuated from Tobruk 14-Apr-41)

1st Royal Tank Regiment

1st King's Dragoon Guards 'C' Squadron only attached 

3rd The King's Own Hussars detachments formed composite squadron 

with 5 RTR - later known as 'B' Squadron, 3rd Hussars

D Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment attached

 

 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information