The British in Egypt: Army Disposition at the Outbreak of War

When Britain and Germany went to war in September 1939, the ensuing ‘Phoney War’ was unexpected at home but was inevitable in Egypt, where the only possible danger could come from neutral Italy’s province of Libya. In terms of grand strategy, Britain’s position in Egypt in September 1939 was good, since Italy was unlikely to risk a war with Libya flanked by the French in Tunisia and the British in Egypt.

The British position was also helped by Egypt’s geographical position: the Suez Canal was the natural focus for all forces sent overseas by India, Australia, and New Zealand.

In September 1939, the British forces in Egypt consisted of the 1^st Armored Division raised by the British Army (renamed 7^th Armored Division in early 1940) and the Cairo Brigade. The first new forces after the outbreak of war were the 4^th Indian Division, followed in May 1940 by 6^th Australian. Egypt was the central pivot of the British position in the Middle East, but the C-in-C, General Wavell, was also responsible for Palestine, Iraq, the Sudan and East Africa. The Egyptian naval base at Alexandria also served the British Mediterranean Fleet.

Until Italy’s entry into the war the tiny forces of the Western Desert Force, represented by 7^th Armored Division, ‘showed the flag’ by maneuvers near the Libyan frontier. While trying to impress the Italians in Libya with British preparedness, care had to be taken not to provoke Italy into war. The 7^th Armored Division was successful in convincing the Italian commander Marshal Graziani that British strength in Egypt as far greater than it actually was. After July 10, 1940, when Italy declared war on Great Britain, Wavell ordered a series of limited attacks and aggressive patrolling on the Libyan frontier to maintain this impression.

It was some months before the Italian high command plucked up sufficient courage to cross the frontier into Egypt and the long delayed attack finally started on September 13, 1940, with the capture of Sollum by Italian Troops. There was much ‘amateur’ flavor about these early days of desert fighting, heightened by the use of elderly armored cars and biplanes.