I have a military history related question (takes place in WWII). Can someone clear something up for me?

Question

I do have a B.A. in history, however, being a chick, I never got into military history....until now.

I'm planning on writing a war novel in the near future and my question is this:

Would a division of British troops (in WWII) fight strictly in North Africa during the Battle of El Alamein or would they go on to fight the war in other parts of Europe (excluding Russia)?

Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

You have some good answers already. Allow me to suggest that you look up British regimental histories on line. British unit histories have traditionally been by regiment rather than division. This is so easy to do online these days. You can pick a regiment depending on where you want your characters to be, and you will not offend those of us who are sticklers for correctness in military history fiction. RC - Physician / History teacher / writer of military history for history magazines. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Greetings! The only true British history I have read was a biography on William Churchill, so British Military strategies and tactics are rusty to me.

What little I know would suggest that the British troops would go wherever it was necessary to defeat the Germans. The British participated in Sicily, Normandy and also participated in the battle of the bulge (This is a also a great story about the head butting of Patton and Montgomery) They also took part in the Pacific Theater.

So to answer your question, if the fire was not burning so hot in North Africa and was raging in the rest of Europe, that is where the British would go. Hope that helps. Take care.

Answer 3

The Eight Army participated in the battles in North Africa, so it would be reasonable to assume that some units would stay as needed and others would go where the battles moved to. As BigJohn said, they continued on to Sicily, Italy, and Northern France. Before the campaign in North Africa, many came from the shores of France helping with the rescue at Dunkirk. Bottom line is they would go where the action was.

An example is the I, VII, X Armored Divisions. The first armoured division stayed in Egypt and then transferred for one battle in Italy, the Seventh went through Italy and Northern Europe (making a notable appearance clearing the path to Caen) and then taking part in occupying post war Germany, and the X stayed in Africa and was eventually disbanded in Egypt right around the end of the war.

So it is safe to assume that men could see many operations and campaigns over the course of the war.

If you are writing historical fiction, be very careful about checking your facts on who was where and when as military history buffs can be really picky about those details...down to equipment deployment and stuff.

Good luck with your writing.

Answer 4

The British troops from North Africa were used for the invasion of Italy in 1943 once the Germans had been defeated in Africa and some were shipped back to the UK to prepare for the invasion of France the following year.

Answer 5

Depending on the strength of the division, a battle hardened division would have been sent across the Med to fight. If the division strength had been lowered too far to rebuild, by combat losses, it might be broken down and troops transferred to other divisions to fill manpower needs.

A division would not have stayed in Africa, after the fighting had moved across the Med to Europe.

Answer 6

British troops who fought in N. Africa went on to fight in Sicily and Italy. Some went to the Normandy Invasion. Many of the "British" troops in N. Africa were from the Commonwealth, notably Australians and New Zealanders, some from India as well.

Answer 7

The British troops fought along side the American North front in France at the "Bulge" and the "Siegfried line" my father was there, at the Siegfried line: they, his unit, was awarded the blue shield for 82 straight days under intense fire from the Germans.
They were cut off from their food and other supplies, the Germans would stampede Belgian horses into there lines at night and shot the horses to make them crazy and stampede them more.
The Americans and English would put ties from the forest and railroads over there foxholes to help from the horses. He also said they would cut up the freshest of the horses and eat them, that's how it was for 82 days. He as wounded twice but, had to stay on the line with no help.
They held, along with the English and finally the invasion of Germany itself.

Answer 8

The British units who fought under Field Marshall Montgomery also went with him for the invasion of Sicily. Many of those units later landed at Gold, Juno and Sword Beaches on the Normandy Peninsula for Montgomery's mission to capture Caen.

Answer 9

Yup. Units of the 8th Army (Desert Rats) under Montgomery went on to fight in Sicily & Western Europe in 1943 & 1944.

Answer 10

My father-in-law was a "Rat of Tobruk" and his Battalion went on to fight in Sicily.

They were then sent home to Australia and on to New Guinea to fight the Japanese.

They went from a ration of one cup of water a day in Tobruk, to monsoon rain in New Guinea and mud up to their knees on the Kokoda Track.