Thanks for the advice Adreas, worked like a charm... Joslen orbat for 30 June 1940 via Nafziger Collection.
David. Can I then ask the whereabouts of the 2nd Battalion 5th Maharattas Light Infantry Regiment as I thought that they were present in Egypt on 10th June 1940. Thanks.
No, it's Joslin. Many people have claimed it as 'their' work over the years. Edited to add. Joslin was a LtCol, so the probably the work of a bunch of national servicemen under the direction of a regular corporal with Joslin's signature attached at the end. :wink:
The 2nd Battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry was garrisoning Aden at the time. It was involved in the withdrawal from British Somaliland in August 1940. OC Army Troops, Aden – 3 September 1939 to 23 August 1940 The battalion sent a company to Aden before the start of war. It embarked at Bombay for Aden on March 16th, 1939 and arrived on March 23rd. The rest of the battalion embarked on August 4th, 1939 and the battalion was located at Aden under the Aden Protectorate Force at the outbreak of war. It prepared seaward and landward defences as well as manning defences and guarding the airfield.
Should the Egyptian Army be counted? Would they welcome or fight the Axis? Egyptian Army 1940 Alexandria 1st Egyptian Anti-Aircraft Brigade - two 3in AA batteries 2nd Egyptian Searchlight Regiment - 24 searchlights 2nd Egyptian Infantry Brigade - two infantry battalions Egyptian Coastal Artillery (Alexandria) - 4 X 6in, 4 X 4in guns Mersa Matruh The Egyptian Mobile Force - Original British plans included these units under command of a detachment from 7 Armoured Division light car regiment light tank squadron light (3.7in howitzer) battery anti-tank battery machine gun company Cairo 1st Egyptian Infantry Brigade - two rifle battalions one machine gun battalion 1st Egyptian Light Regiment - 3.7in howitzer 2nd Egyptian Anti-Aircraft Regiment - two 3in AA batteries; one 3.7in AA battery unknown Egyptian searchlight detachment - 16 searchlights Mersa Matruh & LoC - Grn (?) 1st Egyptian Machine Gun Brigade - two machine gun battalions Egyptian Artillery two field batteries one medium battery two antitank batteries section antiaircraft artillery (3in) Suez unknown Egyptian antiaircraft detachment(s) - 2 X Bofors, 1 X 3.7in, 6 X searchlight (guns/SLs or detachments?) The Sudan - Port Sudan 3rd Egyptian Infantry Brigade - either two companies 'of' or two companies 'and' 3 Egypt Bde one Egyptian Coast Artillery battery - unknown
On a related note, another question. Does anyone have any idea roughly how may thousands of tonnes of supplies were available to the Commonwealth forces in Egypt on or about 10th June 1940?
