From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is the
order of battle for the
Syria–Lebanon campaign , a
World War II campaign between the
Western Allies and
Vichy France during June and July, 1941.
Allied forces
Commander-in-Chief
[1]
Middle East Command : General Sir
Archibald Wavell General Officer Commanding Palestine and Trans-Jordan: General Sir
H. Maitland Wilson
South Syria and Lebanon – Australian I Corps (from 18 June)
Australian troops from the 2/14th Infantry Battalion
General Officer Commanding
I Corps : Lieutenant-General
John Lavarack
Australian 7th Division – Major-General John Lavarack (until 18 June) then Major-General
Arthur "Tubby" Allen
'Gentforce' (command activated 12 June until 18 June) – Major-General
P L Legentilhomme (wounded 12 June and succeeded by Brigadier
W. L. Lloyd until 18 June)
British 6th Infantry Division (activated 18 June) – Major-General
J. F. Evetts
1st Free French Light Division – Major-General Paul Legentilhomme
1st Free French Brigade (Colonel Cazaud)
1st Battalion of Foreign Legion
1 March Battalion
3 March Battalion
2nd Free French Brigade (Colonel Genin)
1st Battalion of Marine infantry
2 March Battalion
4 March Battalion
1st battalion of Naval Fusiliers
[6]
1st Moroccan Spahis group of squadron
1st battery field artillery (4 75 mm guns)
1st company of tanks (9 H39 tanks)
Circassian Cavalry group of squadrons (453 troops) (Colonel Collet)
Circassian troops with a French officer
Northern Syria
Elements of
Iraqforce :
Advancing on the Euphrates
In northern Iraq and the "Duck's Bill" region of Syria
Under command of HQ British Troops Iraq: Lieutenant-General Sir
Edward Quinan
In central Syria
Vichy French forces
French MS 406 fighters in Syria
The
Army of the Levant (Armée du Levant ) identifies the armed forces of
France and then
Vichy France which occupied a portion of the "
Levant " during the "
interwar period " and early
World War II . In 1920, the French were given a mandate over
Syria and
Lebanon by the
League of Nations . During this period of time, Syria was known as the
French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon was known as the
French Mandate of Lebanon .
South Lebanon Sector
[9]
Saïda Sub-Sector
III/22nd Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
I/Colonial Artillery Regiment of the Levant
I/8th Algerian Spahi Regiment
II/22nd Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
I/29th Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
I/6th African Chasseur Regiment
IV/
6th Foreign Legion Regiment
I/24th Mixed Colonial Infantry Regiment
Foreign Legion Levant Artillery Battalion
Merdjayoun Sub-Sector
II/29th Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
I/22nd Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
1st Lebanese Chasseur Battalion
II/Colonial Artillery Regiment of the Levant
South Syria Sector
[10]
Direct sector control
1st Metropolitan Artillery Regiment of the Levant
III/17th Senegalese Tirailleur Regiment
Hauran Sub-Sector
II/17th Senegalese Tirailleur Regiment
L'Hermon Sub-Sector
I/17th Senegalese Tirailleur Regiment
Sector Reserve
V/1st Moroccan Tirailleur Regiment
III/29th Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
I/16th Tunisian Tirailleur Regiment
III/16th Tunisian Tirailleur Regiment
II/24th Mixed Colonial Infantry Regiment
III/24th Mixed Colonial Infantry Regiment
Levant Cavalry
1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment
2nd March (provisional) Spahi Regiment
6th African Chasseur Regiment
7th African Chasseur Regiment
Special Cavalry (Three companies of Méhariste, two companies of Druze, eight various companies stationed in Syria, and 20 companies of
Circassians )
Forces in central Lebanon, mid- to late-June 1941
[11]
Task Force Albord
I/22nd Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
II/29th Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
1st Lebanese Chasseur Battalion
III/6th Foreign Legion Regiment
II/16th Tunisian Tirailleur Regiment
Task Force Barré
I/6th Foreign Legion Regiment
II/17th Senegalese Tirailleur Regiment
III/17th Senegalese Tirailleur Regiment
Alep Special Artillery Battalion
Spahi Cavalry Battalion
Lehr-Olive Detachments
I/6th African Chasseur Regiment
II/24th Colonial Infantry Mixed Regiment
Task Force Rougie
II/16th Tunisian Tirailleur Regiment, later replaced by the II/22nd Algerian Tirailleur Regiment
II/6th Foreign Legion Regiment
References
^ Playfair Vol. 1, p. 63
^ Playfair (1956), pp. 204 & 206
^ Stehlik (2009), p. 46
^ Playfair (1956), p. 212
^ Playfair (1956), p. 207
^ Playfair (1956), p. 220
^ Long (1953), p. 441
^ McKenzie-Smith (2018), p. 3090
^ Gaujac, pp. 20–21.
^ Gaujac, pp. 24–25.
^ Gaujac, p. 31.
Sources
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ISBN
2-7025-0055-2 .
Long, Gavin (1953). "Chapters 16–26".
Greece, Crete and Syria . Official Histories – Second World War. Vol. II (1st ed.). Canberra:
Australian War Memorial . Archived from
the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2008-09-12 .
Mackenzie, Compton (1951). Eastern Epic . London: Chatto & Windus.
OCLC
1412578 .
McKenzie-Smith, Graham (2018). The Unit Guide: The Australian Army 1939–1945, Volume 3 . Warriewood, New South Wales: Big Sky Publishing.
ISBN
978-1-925675-146 .
Playfair, Major-General ISO ; Stitt, Commander GMS; Molony, Brigadier CJC & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal SE (2004) [(
HMSO ) 1954]. Butler, JRM (ed.). Mediterranean and Middle East: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941) . History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. I. Uckfield: Naval & Military Press.
ISBN
1-84574-065-3 .
Playfair, Major-General ISO ; Flynn, Captain FC (RN); Molony, Brigadier CJC & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal SE (2004) [(HMSO) 1956].
Butler, JRM (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941) . History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. II. Uckfield: Naval & Military Press.
ISBN
1-84574-066-1 .
Rikhye, Ravi (2002).
"British and Imperial Forces in the Allied Invasion of Syria and Lebanon: Initial Forces, June 8, 1941" (PDF) . orbat.com. Archived from
the original (PDF) on 2008-11-22. Retrieved 2008-09-14 .
Stehlík, Eduard (2009). The Heart of the Army, General Staff 1919–2009 . Prague: Ministerstvo obrany České republiky. p. 46.
ISBN
978-80-7278-516-2 .