Egyptian Armor

British domination of Egypt began in 1882 when troops arrived to suppress a rebellion threatening Britain’s strategic route to India, the Suez Canal. The rebellion was put down, British control established, and the Egyptian Army reformed under British command. During World War I, Egypt was made a British Protectorate but in the face of growing and violent nationalism, independence was granted in 1922, with Britain retaining the right to intervene in Egyptian affairs if her interests were threatened. Although the Egyptian Army was transferred to the Egyptian government, Britain remained in control through the British Inspector-General.

In 1935 there was 12,290 officers and men in the Egyptian Army and 1,200 Royal Guards. The Guards provided a bodyguard for the King and security for the Royal palaces. The Royal Egyptian Air Force consisted of 15 officers, 200 men and 27 Gloster Gladiator biplanes provided by the British. By 1936, a new treaty gave the Egyptians the right to deploy troops in the Sudan. It also did away with the position of inspector-general but provided for a British Military Mission to train and equip the Egyptians along British lines. The Mission, which arrived in January 1937, effectively asserted control over the Egyptian armed forces. The Army expanded and was reformed to have a GHQ Staff; the Cairo District Command; 11 infantry battalions organized into three brigades; two cavalry squadrons; four mule batteries; one garrison artillery company; one motor MG battery; an engineer company; various departments, ancillary services and training schools. In 1939 a light tank unit was formed. By the summer of 1939, the Army had grown to 30,000 officers and men.

In August 1939, Egypt had agreed to participate in its own defense: providing patrols along the western frontier; defending the desert south-west of Cairo; protecting the railway between Alexandria and Mersa Matruh; providing units to help defend Alexandria (including coastal artillery) and to protect against sabotage.

At the end of August 1939, the Egyptians deployed according to the agreement with the British. Foremost in these moves was the Sudanese-manned Frontier Force of five squadrons mounted on Ford pick-ups. Two squadrons took up places at Siwa and others at Sollum. The frontier was in Egyptian hands, in accordance with the treaty and the British strategy not to provoke the Italians. The 'South Western Force' of Egyptian light tanks (six MK VIB), motorized units and a squadron of the Royal Egyptian Air Force covered the southern desert flank.

When the war began, relations with the Axis were severed but Egypt remained neutral (not declaring war on the Axis until February 1945). Italy declared war on Britain, but not Egypt, on 10 June 1940. The Frontier Force squadrons at Siwa were reinforced by four old British Vickers Medium Mk IIA tanks, with crews trained by the Royal Tank Regiment, and a flight of REAF Lysanders. In August 1940 the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), from Siwa across the sand sea into Libya. Seven Sudanese-manned Frontier Force trucks carrying petrol, under the command of an Egyptian lieutenant supported the patrol. Although under orders not to, the Egyptian trucks traveled across the frontier, becoming the only Egyptian Army troops to operate in Italian territory during the war.

The Italian invasion of Egypt began on 13 September 1940 and Egyptian troops along the frontier were soon withdrawn as a result of Italian political moves intended to placate the Egyptian government and British doubts as to their reliability. A interesting side note is that Italian intelligence reported that the British were using large numbers of Egyptian troops when in fact the Egyptians seemed to completely lack the will to fight the Axis. Former Prime Minister Ismail Sidqi who after the invasion had begun said best summarizes Egyptian point of view, ‘The Italian offensive is not an aggression against Egypt, but against another belligerent on the territory of a third and occupied power.’ Although British plans continued to include the use of Egyptian units, there was no guarantee that the Egyptians would actually fight. Egypt would commit to defense only, having refused to declare war unless her territory was attacked. Indeed, Egypt's King Farouk, who was widely believed to be pro-Italian. Some officers, notably the soon to be famous Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar al Sadat had correspondence with the Germans. The King became angry with Prime Minister Sirry Pasha over having not been consulted over the suspension of diplomatic relations with Vichy France and was suspected of prompting student demonstrations. He asked Sirry Pasha to resign, which he did on 2 February 1942.

Vickers Light Tank Mk. III