Syria–Lebanon campaign order of battle

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

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

Footnotes
  1. Playfair Vol. 1, p. 63
  2. Playfair (1956), pp. 204 & 206
  3. Stehlik (2009), p. 46
  4. Playfair (1956), p. 212
  5. Playfair (1956), p. 207
  6. Playfair (1956), p. 220
  7. Long (1953), p. 441
  8. McKenzie-Smith (2018), p. 3090
  9. Gaujac, pp. 20–21.
  10. Gaujac, pp. 24–25.
  11. Gaujac, p. 31.

Sources
  • Gaujac, Paul (1984). "Chapter II". L'Armée de la Victoire: Le réarmement, 1942–43. Les Grandes batailles de France (in French). I. Paris: Éditions Lavauzelle. ISBN 2-7025-0055-2.
  • Long, Gavin (1953). "Chapters 16–26". Greece, Crete and Syria. Official Histories – Second World War. II (1st ed.). Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
  • 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. 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. 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. 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.
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