Force in Egypt
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| align="center" |Principal battles of the Force in Egypt |
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| align="center" | 1915: Defence of the Suez Canal |
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The Force in Egypt was a British Army formation established in August 1914 to administer garrisoning armed forces in Egypt at the beginning of the First World War. The force had the objective of protecting the Suez Canal and was originally commanded by Major General Julian Byng,Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 11 but he was replaced by General John Maxwell, who took command on 8 September 1914.Falls p. 14 Initially, the main threat to the Suez came from Germany and throughout the early months several of the force's elements were sent to Europe to take part in the fighting on the Western Front. On 5 November 1914, Britain and France declared war on the Ottoman Empire,Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 16 note after which the Force in Egypt faced a direct threat from Ottoman forces, which was realised in February 1915 with a raid on the Suez Canal. This threat remained until 1916 when the British forces went on the offensive.
The composition of the force changed several times due to the varying availability forces. By the end of 1914, the forces deployed in defence of the Suez Canal under Maxwell totaled approximately 30,000 troops. The main elements of this force were the 10th Indian Division (Major General A. Wilson), the 11th Indian Division, the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, and the Bikaner Camel Corps, as well as elements from the Indian Mountain Artillery and the Egyptian Army Artillery. In addition, several British and French warships in the canal served as floating batteries and there were several aircraft available for reconnaissance.Bruce 2002, pp. 15–6 Following the opening of the Gallipoli Campaign, the Force in Egypt was reduced mainly to a training and reinforcement camp until forces were withdrawn from the Gallipoli Peninsula and returned to Egypt in December 1915.
In 1916, the Force in Egypt was merged with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to form the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF).Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 96–7 General Sir Archibald Murray was given command and additional resources and the mission of the EEF changed from the defence of the Suez to an invasion of Palestine.{{cite web|last1=Woodward|first1=David|title=The Middle East During World War I|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/middle_east_01.shtml|website=BBC History|publisher=BBC|accessdate=21 October 2014|date=March 10, 2011}}
August 1914
:T Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
:7th Mountain Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
:2nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
:2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
:1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
:2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
:2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders and auxiliary services.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 11 note
September 1914
In addition to the above, two units from the 3rd (Lahore) Division were added:
:III Mountain Artillery Brigade
Shortly afterwards, as a result of the Sinai frontier being crossed, Lord Kitchener ordered additional forces in the form of the East Lancashire Division (Territorial Force) with two Yeomanry regiments to follow, although several elements that were assigned to the Force in Egypt in August 1914 were shipped to France.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 14
By October 1914, the 9th (Sirhind) Brigade was under orders to deploy to France but was retained until the 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade arrived.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 15
The following forces were promised and on their way to Egypt in October 1914:
:Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade
:32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade
::33rd Punjabis battalion (regular British Indian Army)
::Alwar, Gwalior and Patiala Infantry battalions
:eight Indian battalions
January 1915
File:Australian 9th and 10th battalions Egypt December 1914 AWM C02588.jpeg
(total force 70,000)
:Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade
:Bikaner Camel Corps
:Indian Mountain Artillery (three batteries)
:Egyptian Army Artillery (one battery)
:Royal Flying Corps detachment
:French naval seaplanes
In training
:Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)
:42nd (East Lancashire) DivisionCarver 2003, pp. 8–9Wavell 1968, p. 27
Suez Canal Defences: 15 January 1915
:Advanced Ordnance Depot Zagazig
::one battalion from the 32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade
:Garrison railway and Sweetwater Canal
::one troop of Imperial Service Cavalry
::a half company from the Bikaner Camel Corps
::a half company of Indian infantry
:General Reserve Camp, Moascar
:::2nd Queen Victoria's Own Rajput Light Infantry
::32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade
:::Alwar, Gwalior and Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade less three squadrons and one troop
::one Egyptian RE Section (camels)
::one Egyptian Mountain Battery
::two sections of field artillery with the Cavalry Brigade
::Indian field ambulances.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 32–3
=Sector I: Port Tewfik to Geneffee=
:Headquarters at Suez
:one squadron of Imperial Service Cavalry
:one company from the Bikaner Camel Corps
:half company of Sappers and Miners
:one battery from the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial)
:one Indian field ambulance
=Sector II: Deversoir to El Ferdan=
:Headquarters at Ismailia Old Camp
:one squadron Imperial Service Cavalry
:the Bikaner Camel Corps (less three and a half companies)
:a machine gun section from the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps
:one battery from the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial)
:one battery from the Indian Mountain Artillery
:two Indian field ambulances
=Sector III: El Ferdan to Port Said=
:Headquarters El-Qantarah
:one battalion from the 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade
:one squadron from the Imperial Service Cavalry
:two companies from the Bikaner Camel Corps
:half company of sappers and miners
:two batteries from the Royal Field Artillery (Territorial)
:26th Battery, Indian Mountain Artillery
:armoured train with a half company of Indian infantry
:wireless section (Territorial)
:Indian field ambulance
:Detachment Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial)Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 31–2
April 1915
During April the 29th Indian Brigade and the East Lancashire Division were sent to Gallipoli. The 2nd Mounted (Yeomanry) Division arrived to take their place by 29 April.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 57
Sent to Gallipoli as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
:Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
:42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division
:one Indian brigade (incomplete)
Sent to Basra
: one Indian brigade
Sent to Aden (to defend Yemen against a possible attack)
9 July 1915
The total force of 69,765 personnel consisted of:
:one Yeomanry brigade: 1,054 personnel
:2nd Mounted Division: 8,242 personnel
:Indian Expeditionary Force "E" (under orders for Aden): 15,940 personnel
:5th, 6th, 7th Australian Brigades in process of arriving: 5,212 personnel
:ANZAC: 10,243 personnel
:29th Divisional Supply Column: 312 personnel
: regulars, details, depot: 829 personnel
: Mediterranean Expeditionary Force base: 28,134 personnelFalls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 68
By November 1915, the Force in Egypt had been reduced largely to a training and reinforcement camp. Although there were 60,000 troops in Egypt, these were mainly details of formations fighting at Gallipoli and ANZACs in training.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 85
November 1915
Western Frontier Force (Major General A. Wallace)
:Composite mounted brigade
::Three composite regiments of Yeomanry
::One composite regiment of Australian Light Horse
:1/1st Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery
:Composite infantry brigade
::Three territorial battalions.
::One battalion Indian infantry (15th Sikhs).
Some South African troops and a New Zealand battalion were added after November 1915.Wavell 1968, pp. 36–7
On 10 March 1916, the Force in Egypt was merged with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to form the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.
Notes
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References
- {{cite book |title=The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War |last=Bruce |first=Anthony |year=2002 |publisher=John Murray |location=London|isbn=978-0-7195-5432-2}}
- {{cite book |title=The National Army Museum Book of the Turkish Front 1914–1918: The Campaigns at Gallipoli, in Mesopotamia and in Palestine |last=Carver |first=Michael, Field Marshal Lord |year=2003 |publisher=Pan Macmillan |location=London|isbn=978-0-283-07347-2}}
- {{cite book| last=Coulthard-Clark |first= Chris |year=1998 |title= Where Australians Fought: The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles |location= St Leonards, New South Wales |publisher= Allen and Unwin|isbn= 1864486112}}
- {{cite book |title=Military Operations Egypt & Palestine from the outbreak of war with Germany to June 1917 |last=Falls |first=Cyril |series=Official History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence |author2=G. MacMunn |year=1930 |volume=1 |publisher=HM Stationery Office |location=London |oclc=610273484}}
- {{cite book |chapter=The Palestine Campaigns |last=Wavell |first=Field Marshal Earl|authorlink=Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|editor-last=Sheppard|editor-first=Eric William |edition=4th |title=A Short History of the British Army |year=1968|origyear=1933|publisher=Constable & Co. |location=London|oclc=35621223}}
Category:Expeditionary units and formations
Category:Commands of the British Army
Category:Field armies of the United Kingdom
Category:Military units and formations of the British Army in World War I