with
Commander G.M.S. Stitt, R.N.
Brigadier C.J.C. Molony
Air Vice-Marshal S.E. Toomer
C.B., C.B.E., D.F.C.
The authors of the Military Histories have been given full access to official documents.
They and the editor are alone responsible for the statements made and the views expressed.
CONTENTS
Page Editor's Preface xv Introduction xxi CHAPTER I. THE GROWING TENSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Italy's East African Adventure 1 The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 5 The Spanish Civil War and the Gentlemen's Agreement 7 Italy ceases to be a reliable friend 8 The Fleet Base and the security of Egypt 9 The Anglo-Italian Agreement of 1938 12 Palestine and the Arab States 13 The results of the September 1938 crisis 17 Chronology: 1933-1938 21 CHAPTER II. 1939: PLANS AND PREPARATIONS IN CASE OF WAR
The Anglo-French Staff Conversations 23 Reactions to the invasion of Albania 24 Regional meetings between French and British Commanders 25 The problem of the air defence of Malta 29 The creation of a High Command in the Middle East 31 The situation in Egypt 35 Italian unreadiness 38 Chronology: March-August 1939 40 CHAPTER III. AT WAR WITH GERMANY: UNEASY CALM IN THE MEDITERRANEAN (September 1939-February 1940)
Preliminary moves and precautionary measures 41
Contraband control and Anglo-Italian relations 44
The threat from the north 48
The situation in Egypt 53
The expansion of Dominion forces 57
Chronology: September 1939-March 1940 58
CHAPTER IV. THE LOGISTICS FOUNDATIONS (1939-1940)
The term 'administration' 59 The preliminary stage of administrative development for the land and air forces
(autumn 1939)59 The policy decisions of January 1940 61 The nine-division base in Egypt and Palestine 63 The position of the Royal Air Force 69 The development of the Fleet Base 74 CHAPTER V. ITALIAN HOSTILITY INCREASES (March-June 1940)
British reactions to the growing Italian hostility 81 Allied military policy for war with Italy 85 A comparison of forces--May 1940 90 Final preparatoins and moves 97 Chronology: March-June 1940 100 CHAPTER VI. ITALY DECLARES WAR (June 1940)
The first operations at sea 109 The beginning of air operations 112 The Western Desert 115 The early patrol encounters 117 Malta under attack 119 Reactions to Italy's entry, and the French Armistice 121 CHAPTER VII. THE FRENCH COLLAPSE
The immediate consequences 125 The action at Oran 130 Admiral Godfroy's squadron at Alexandria 138 The risk taken at Oran and the reactions 141 CHAPTER VIII. ENCOURAGING START OF THE STRUGGLE AT SEA
British and Italian naval policy 145 The first encounters at sea 148 The actions off Calabria and Cape Spada 150 Measures to strengthen Malta 159 The naval situation--August 1940 162 CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST ENCOUNTERS ON THE BORDERS OF ITALIAN EAST AFRICA
The situation in Italian East Africa 165 Operations on the Sudan border 168 The Italian invasion of British Somaliland 171 The build-up of forces in Kenya 179 Preparations to assist the Patriot revolt in Ethiopia 182 CHAPTER X. ANXIETY OVER THE POSITION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Attention focused on the Middle East in June and July 1940 185 General Wavell's review in August 187 The decision to reinforce the Middle East 190 The plans for rearming the Royal Air Force 192 The Takoradi air reinforcement route 195 The Prime Minister's General Directive 197 The passage of the naval reinforcements in August and September 201 CHAPTER XI. THE ITALIANS MAKE A MOVE INTO EGYPT
The British preparations in Egypt 205 Marshal Graziani's difficulties 207 The Italian advance in September 1940 209 Effect on the general situation 212 Operations to supply and reinforce Malta 218 CHAPTER XII. THE ITALIANS CARRY THE WAR INTO GREECE
The period of strained relations 223 The invasion and the question of British help 228 The Fleet Air Arm's action at Taranto 235 The possible extension of the war in the Balkans 238 CHAPTER XIII. MORE REINFORCEMENTS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST (October-December 1940)
Further reinforcements for Malta and the Fleet 241 The cycle of ocean convoys 244 The serious weakness of the Middle East air forces 250 CHAPTER XIV. THE FIRST BRITISH OFFENSIVE IN THE WESTERN DESERT - I
The beginning of the COMPASS plan 257 The period of preparation 260 The battle of Sidi Barrani (December 9th-11th) 265 Pursuit towards Bardia 270 The question of surprise 273 CHAPTER XV. THE FIRST BRITISH OFFENSIVE IN THE WESTERN DESERT - II
The preliminary attacks on Bardia 277 The problem of maintenance 278 The capture of Bardia 282 The capture of Tobruk 287 The Long Range Desert Group 294 CHAPTER XVI. SUPREMACY AT SEA
The action off Cape Spartivento 299 The question of landing operations 307 December in the Mediterranean 309 The situation at the end of 1940 311 CHAPTER XVII. THE ARRIVAL OF THE LUFTWAFFE IN JANUARY 1941
The EXCESS convoy and the first German air attacks 315 The escape of the Illustrious 321 The effect upon the strategic situation 323 The bombardment of Genoa (February 1941) 328 CHAPTER XVIII. GERMANY TURNS TO THE BALKANS
The Albanian front in the winter of 1940/1 333 The Greeks decline the offer of British troops 338 Policy in the light of the Greek reply 343 The appeal to the Turkish President 345 The German preparations 347 CHAPTER XIX. GRAZIANI IS SWEPT OUT OF CYRENAICA (January-February 1941)
The British advance into northern Cyrenaica 351 The battle of Beda Fomm 356 Review of the desert campaign 362 The German decision to intervene in Africa and the arrival of General Rommel 366 CHAPTER XX. THE GREEKS ACCEPT THE BRITISH OFFER
Middle East policy again reviewed in February 1941 371 The Eden Mission in the Middle East 374 The talks with the Greeks 377 The visit to Ankara 381 The changed situation 382 Review of events that led to the British decision 388 CHAPTER XXI. THE ITALIANS LOSE THE INITIATIVE IN EAST AFRICA
Outline of British policy during the campaign 391 The Sudan front 396 The Sandford Mission and the Patriot movement 402 CHAPTER XXII. THE ADVANCE TO ADDIS ABABA THROUGH SOMALIA AND GOJJAM
The preliminaries in Kenya 407 The capture of Kismayu and Mogadishu 412 The drive to Addis Ababa from the south 416 Review of the southern campaign 422 The activities of Gideon Force 424 CHAPTER XXIII. VICTORY ON THE NORTHERN FRONT IN EAST AFRICA
Review of the Italian position in East Africa 429 The battle of Keren 432 The advance to Asmara and Massawa 441 The Duke of Aosta's final stand at Amba Alagi 442 Review of the whole East African campaign 447 CHRONOLOGY OF MAIN EVENTS FROM JUNE 1940 452 INDEX 483
APPENDICES
Page APPENDIX 1. Army Council Instructions to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in the Middle East; 24th July 1939 457 APPENDIX 2. Directive to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Middle East; 11th June 1940 460 APPENDIX 3. Admiral Darlan's signal of 24th June 1940 462 APPENDIX 4. Directive to the Air Officer Commanding British Air Forces in Greece; 5th November 1940 463 APPENDIX 5. Message from the British Prime Minister to the President of the Turkish Republic; 31st January 1941 466 APPENDIX 6. Declaration handed by the Greek President of the Council to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at Tatoi; 22nd February 1941 468 APPENDIX 7. Agreement signed at Athens on 4th March 1941 by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff and the Commander-in-Chief of the Greek Army 470 APPENDIX 8. Some particulars of British and enemy aircraft 471 APPENDIX 9. Principal Commanders and Staff Officers in the Mediterranean and Middle East 478 APPENDIX 10. Operational Code Names 481
MAPS AND DIAGRAMS
Page 1. The Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of war 1 2. The Mediterranean Sea 9 3. Turkey in Asia 41 4. The Egypt—Palestine base 59 5. The Western Desert of Egypt, 1940 115 6. Oran, 3rd July 1940 133 7. Mers-el-Kebir harbour, 3rd July 1940 134 8. Action off Calabria, 9th July 1940 152 9. Action off Cape Spada, 19th July 1940 157 10. Italian East Africa and surrounding countries 165 11. The Battle of Tug Argan, August 1940 175 12. The West Africa (Takoradi) Air Reinforcement route 195 13. Greece and the Aegean 223 14. Taranto, 11th November 1940 235 15. The Battle of Sidi Barrani, December 1940 257 16. The capture of Bardia, January 1941 285 17. The advance of 13th Corps, December 1940—February 1941 277 18. The capture of Tobruk, January 1941 292 19. The Libyan desert 293 20. Action off Cape Spartivento, 27th November 1940 303 21. The passage of convoy EXCESS through the Sicilian Narrows, 10th January 1941 318 22. The bombardment of Genoa, 9th February 1941 329 23. The Balkans, February 1941 333 24. Interception of the retreating enemy at Beda Fomm, February 1941 359 25. The development of the East African campaign 391 26. Northern Ethiopia and Eritrea 407 27. Southern Ethiopia, January—February 1941 410 28. The crossing of the river Juba, February 1941 414 29. The battlefield of Keren 433 30. The Battle of Amba Alagi 445
PHOTOGRAPHS
Most of the photographs are Crown Copyright and are reproduced by courtesy of the Imperial War Museum and the Ministries concerned. Nos. 4 and 7 are from paintings by Rowland Langmaid; Nos. 1, 39, 42 and 43 we taken by Lt.-Col. J.E.B. Barton, and No. 34 by W.P. Thesiger. These are reproduced with their kind permission.
The three Commanders-in-Chief Frontispiece 1. Egypt: entrance to the Tura caves facing page 64 2. British Somaliland: the Tug Argan Gap 64 3. Takoradi: landing a Hurricane fighter facing page 65 4. H.M.S. Illustrious before the attack on Taranto 65 5. Sollum: a British gun in action following page 120 6. A patrol of Gladiators over the desert 120 7. Ships repelling low-level air attack 120 8. An operation in a hospital tent 120 9. A Hurricane over the desert near Matruh 120 10. Dust! 120 11. A desert airfield facing page 121 12. The desert is not always dry 121 13. Buq Buq: a burnt out British tank following page 280 14. Sollum harbour 280 15. Sollum from the Halfaya road 280 16. The river gunboat Aphis 280 17. Bardia harbour 280 18. Bardia 280 19. Tobruk facing page 281 20. The San Giorgio on fire in Tobruk harbour 281 21. Damage to the wharves at Tobruk facing page 304 22. A Patrol of the Long Range Desert Group 304 23. What the air sees in the desert facing page 305 24. The cruisers Berwick, Newcastle and Southampton 305 25. Bombs dropping round the Ark Royal facing page 320 26. A Walrus amphibian 320 27. Bomba seaplane base facing page 321 28. Benghazi harbour 321 29. Yonte: pontoon bridge over the river Juba following page 376 30. Kismayu: unloading stores 376 31. Bridge over the river Awash 376 32. An aircraft dropping a message near Addis Ababa 376 33. The Emperor Haile Selassie returns 376 34. Mount Belaya: the Emperor's first stronghold 376 35. The camel train to Gojjam facing page 377 36. The Ethiopian escarpment 377 37. Ras Hailu's army at Debra Markos following page 424 38. Mai Edega: bombing of the Caproni workshops 424 39. Panorama of the Keren position 424 40. A Wellesley on its way to Keren 424 41. Keren: the road block in the gorge 424 42. Amba Alagi: view from Elephant Hill facing page 425 43. Amba Alagi: view from the south 425
--xiv--
UK Histories Index * Preface