8th army (the United Kingdom)

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The 8th army British is one of the most famous formations of the Second world war, having fought at the time of and campaign the campaigns of North Africa of Italy.

It was formally a British unit and it was always ordered by British generals of which Montgomery, but the men who composed it came from the the Commonwealth British, supplemented by exiled countries of Europe occupied by the Nazi S. Of the units came thus from Australia, of the Canada, of the free France, India, New Zealand, Poland, Rhodesia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

This army was successively opposite with the Italian army in Libya then with the German task force come to reinforce it, the Afrika Korps, during the Guerre of the desert. The fate of Egypt rested on the shoulders of the general of the eighth army, when Rommel, the Renard of the desert by twice approached some.

Among the units having been useful in the 8th army, one can quote: the {{Ier}} Australian body, the {{British Ve}} body, the {{British Xe}} body, the {{British XIIIe}} body, the {{British XXXe}} body, the 7 {{E}} armor-plated division British (" rats of the désert"), the 51e division of infantry of Higland, the {{IIe}} Polish body and the French Forces of the Western Serves.

Overview

North Africa

The Eighth Army was formed from the Western Serves Force in September 1941 and could off under the command Lt-Gen Sir Alan Cunningham. It got its number from the fact that the French had fielded seven armies previously in the same war, the British had fielded the British Expeditionary Forces. It first went into action ace year Army one November 17, 1941, when it crossed the frontier off Cyrenaica to meet the thrust off Erwin Rommel 'S Afrika Korps. The Order-in-Chief Middle-East, General Sir Claude Auchinleck, replaced Cunningham with Major General Neil Ritchie. Ritchie proved unable to halt Rommel and was in turn replaced when Auchinleck himself took command. The Afrika Korps were eventually stopped by Auchinleck At the First battle off El Alamein. Auchinleck proved unable to build one this success and was in turn replaced ace Order-in-Chief Middle-East by Lieutenant General Alexander and ace Eighth Army to order by Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Montgomery added to the Army' S XIII Body and XXX Body by forming has pursuit formation, X Body.

Decisive The Eighth Army defeated Rommel in the Second Battle off El Alamein, pursuing the defeated Axis army across Libya and into Tunisia. After further fighting in Tunisia the Axis forces in North Africa surrendered in May 1943.

Italian Campaign

The Eighth Army then participlated in the Italian Campaign (World War II) which began with Operation Husky one the island off Sicily. Elements landed in the “toe” off Italy in Operation Baytown, and continued fighting its way up Italy one the eastern flank off the Allied forces.

At the end off 1943 General Montgomery was transferred to Britain to begin preparations for the Normandy invasion. Command off the Eighth Army was given to Lieutenant General Oliver Leese.

During the stalemate one the Winter Line, in early 1944, the Eighth Army was removed from the Shore off the Adriatic Sea to concentrate all forces, except the British V Body, one the western side off the Apennines in order to punch through to Rome. Forces from 8th Army were those that finally captured the ancient monastery in the Battle off Assembles Casino.

Rome

After the off captures Rome, Eighth Army returned to the Adriatic coast. The end off the summer campaign found Allied forces butting up against the Gothic Line. The Gothic line was forced, goal ultimately the Allied forces could not station-wagon into the Po valley before the onset off winter forced year end to serious offensive operations. During October, Leese was reassigned to South East Asia Command, and Lieutenant General Sir Richard McCreery replaced him.

In the spring off 1945, Eighth Army resumed its offensive. Broad It cut off and destroyed shares off the opposing Army Group C during April and then made has rapid advance through northeast Italy and into Austria. Problems occurred where British and Yugoslavian forces puts. Tito 'S forces were intent one off securing control the area off Venezia Giulia. They arrived before British forces, and were very active in trying to prevent the Establishment off military government in the manner that had applied to most off the rest off Italy. They even went ace far ace to restrict beg through to the British zone off occupation in Austria and tried to take over share off that country ace well. One May 2, 1945 2nd New Zealand Division off the Eighth Army liberated Trieste, and the same day the Yugoslav Fourth Army together with Slovenien 9th Corpus NOV. entered the town.

In its early days, Eighth Army had seen many tribulations. However, since the Second Battle off El Alamein, the worst that could Be said off its operations was that they degenerated into temporary stalemates. Its advance from El Alamein to Tunisia was one off the greatest military logistical feats off all time, and it had distinguished itself fighting under difficult conditions during the campaign in Italy. It ended its days by being redesignated British Forces in Austria; controlling the British forces occupying share off that country. -->

See too

Jewish Brigade

External bonds

Eighth Army Deeds

Eighth Army Veterans (City off Manchester) the Web site of the one of last associations of veterans of the 8th army.

Veterans

After the war, veterans from the Eighth Army organized Annual Meetings At the Royal Albert Hall. Then, in the late 1970s, the Eighth Army Veterans Association was formed. At the height off its membership, there were over 35 branches, with has particular strength in the North West. Meetings were held At the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Eventually, in 2002 National the Association disbanded. However, the Manchester Branch decided to continues, under the title off Eighth Army Veterans, City off Manchester. It has year activates membership, who hold regular meeting and vents. Its newsletter, " The Manchester Veteran" , is still distributed to 300 ex-servicemen and women, but to their dependants, and has lively forum for the community it represents. With facility exists for Schools Talks to Be given, in the Manchester/North Cheshire area.

Correspondence is welcome and will Be dealt with, in the first authority, by the Web Editor. Full details appear one the EAVM website.

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