British Western Desert Force

E310972

The British Western Desert Force was a British Army field formation that led early World War II desert campaigns against Italian and later German forces in North Africa.

All labels observed (4)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf British Army field formation
military unit
alliedWith Australian Army
Dominion forces
British Indian Army
surface form: Indian Army (British Indian Army)

New Zealand forces
branch British Army
commanderRank Lieutenant-General
component 4th Indian Division
6th Australian Division
7th Armoured Division
Royal Regiment of Artillery
surface form: Royal Artillery units

Royal Engineers
surface form: Royal Engineers units
conflict World War II
surface form: Second World War
country United Kingdom
disbanded September 1941
engagement Battle of Bardia
Battle of Beda Fomm
Battle of Sidi Barrani
Operation Compass
Siege of Tobruk
surface form: Siege of Tobruk (initial operations)
formed June 1940
garrisonLocation Marsa Matruh
surface form: Mersa Matruh
historicalPeriod 20th century
location Egypt
Libya
militaryBranchType combined arms formation
nickname WDF
notableCommander Lord Wavell
surface form: Archibald Wavell

Richard O'Connor
notableFor defeat of Italian 10th Army in Cyrenaica
rapid armoured advances in desert warfare
operationalArea North Africa
Western Desert
opposed German Afrika Korps
surface form: Afrika Korps

Kingdom of Italy
Nazi Germany
Regio Esercito
partOf Middle East Command
role armoured and infantry operations
offensive desert operations
size corps-sized formation
subordinateTo Middle East Command
surface form: General Headquarters Middle East
succeededBy Eighth Army
theatre North African campaign
surface form: Western Desert Campaign

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (10)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Battle of Sidi Barrani involvedUnit British Western Desert Force
Eighth Army associatedWith British Western Desert Force
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eighth Army associatedWith British Western Desert Force
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force
Lieutenant-General William Gott partOf British Western Desert Force
subject surface form: William Gott
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force (as a commander at various times)
Desert Rats associatedWith British Western Desert Force
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force
Hafid Ridge objectiveOf British Western Desert Force
this entity surface form: British Eighth Army predecessors
Lieutenant-General Richard O’Connor partOf British Western Desert Force
subject surface form: Richard O’Connor
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force
Lieutenant-General Richard O’Connor militaryUnit British Western Desert Force
subject surface form: Richard O’Connor
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force
Italian occupation of Sidi Barrani belligerent British Western Desert Force
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force
Nibeiwa, Egypt belligerentForcesInvolved British Western Desert Force
this entity surface form: Western Desert Force