View source for Middle East Command

{{short description|British Army command defending the Middle East}}
{{for multi|the 1960s Middle East Command (Aden)|British Forces Aden|the Royal Air Force command|RAF Middle East Command}}

{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name          = Middle East Command<br />Middle East Land Forces
| image              = [[File:Middle East (orthographic projection).svg|220px|Middle East]]
| caption            = area under the command before separation of [[Persia and Iraq Command]]
| country            = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| type               = [[Formation (military)|Command]]
| branch             = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| dates              = Middle East Command: June 1939 – c. 1946<br />Middle East Land Forces: 1946–67
| specialization     =
| command_structure  = [[War Office]]<br />Ministry of Defence (Army)
| size               = 1 million in [[Second World War]]
|commander1 =
|commader1_label = 
| garrison           = Cairo<br />Suez Canal Zone<br />Cyprus
| battles            = [[World War II|Second World War]]
* [[Western Desert campaign]]
* [[East African campaign (World War II)|East African campaign]]
[[Suez Crisis]]
| notable_commanders = [[Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|Archibald Wavell]]<br />[[Claude Auchinleck]]<br />[[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Harold Alexander]]
}}
{{Campaignbox African, Mediterranean and Middle East theater (World War Two)}}
[[File:British Middle East Command emblem.svg|thumb|Emblem of the Middle East Command.]]
'''Middle East Command''', later '''Middle East Land Forces''', was a [[British Army]] Command established prior to the [[World War II|Second World War]] in [[Egypt]]. Its primary role was to command [[British Army|British land forces]] and co-ordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to defend British interests in the [[Middle East]] and eastern Mediterranean region.

During the Second World War, Middle East Command supervised military operations in and [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|around the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East]]. Following the defeat of the [[Axis powers|Axis forces]] in the Western Desert at the [[Second Battle of El Alamein|Battle of El Alamein]] and the landing of additional Anglo-American forces during [[Operation Torch]], it transferred control of land forces to the newly created [[Allied Force Headquarters|Allied Forces Headquarters]].

==Role of Middle East Command==
Middle East Command was established in [[Cairo]],<ref name="Playfair459">Playfair, p. 459</ref> during June 1939, due to the rising tensions in Europe.<ref name="Playfair32">Playfair, p. 32</ref> Its purpose was to provide a centralised command structure in times of war for the three separate army commands based within the Mediterranean and Middle East areas: [[Kingdom of Egypt|Egypt]], [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan|Sudan]] and [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]]/[[Emirate of Transjordan|Transjordan]].<ref name="Playfair31">Playfair, p. 31</ref> During periods of peace the command exerted authority over land forces based within Egypt, the Sudan, Palestine, Transjordan, and [[Cyprus]].<ref>Playfair, p. 457</ref> However, if war broke out, the Command's area of responsibility would be extended to include [[British Somaliland]], [[Aden]], [[Kingdom of Iraq|Iraq]] and the shores of the [[Persian Gulf]].<ref name="Playfair459" /> As the war progressed, Middle East Command authority was extended over further areas including [[Ethiopia]], [[Eritrea]], [[Libya]] and [[Greece]].<ref>p.74, Bilgin</ref> [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] Sir [[Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|Archibald Wavell]], commanding officer of Southern Command in the [[United Kingdom]], was chosen as the first [[General Officer Commanding]] in Chief, a position he took up in July 1939,<ref>Playfair, pp. 457–459</ref> and was given the [[Acting (rank)|acting rank]] of [[General (United Kingdom)|General]].<ref name="Wavellapt">{{London Gazette |issue=34650|date=1939-08-01 |page=5311}}</ref>

The [[Committee of Imperial Defence]], when establishing the post of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Middle East Command, made the decision that all three services should be responsible for the defence of the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.<ref name="Playfair33">Playfair, p. 33</ref> As Middle East Command wielded authority only over land forces,<ref name="Playfair459"/> a [[triumvirate]] was established to form the High Command.<ref name="Playfair33"/> The two other members of this arrangement were the Naval Commander-in-Chief, [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean]], Admiral Sir [[Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope|Andrew Cunningham]] and [[Air Officer]] Commanding-in-Chief, [[RAF Middle East Command]], Air Chief Marshal [[Arthur Longmore]].<ref name="Playfair478">Playfair, p. 478</ref> The Naval Commander-in-Chief, [[East Indies Station]] would stand in for the Naval Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, in the latter's absence.<ref name="Playfair33"/>

Wavell had suggested that due to the complex and uncertain situation in the Middle East region, following the [[Battle of France|collapse of France]], that a committee, under a Cabinet Minister, should be established in the Middle East region to perform duties delegated to it by the Home Office, thus relieving the need to constantly refer to the War Cabinet for instructions. An alternative suggestion, however, was accepted: a ministerial committee would be established in London with the task of continually keeping the affairs of the Middle East region under review.<ref>Playfair (1956), p. 239</ref> On 28 June 1941, a position—similar to the original request put forward by Wavell—was established when [[Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos|Oliver Lyttelton]] was appointed to the position of Minister of State in the Middle East and dispatched to the Middle East. His role was to provide the three commanders-in-chief the political guidance they needed, advice on propaganda, subversive warfare, finance and economic warfare.<ref>Playfair (1956), p. 240</ref>

Middle East Command, upon its establishment, was to also co-ordinate with the French military in the Middle East and Africa. The command was also authorised to liaise with the [[Turkish General Staff]] and possibly, at a later date, the Greek General Staff.<ref>Playfair, p. 458</ref>

==Second World War==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2008}}
On 30 August 1939 Middle East Command received instructions stating that if they received a formal telegram informing them that a state of war existed between the United Kingdom and Italy, that all defensive measures taken against the Italians should be as non-provocative as possible.<ref>Playfair, p. 41</ref> Following the start of the [[World War II|Second World War]] in September and the quick [[Invasion of Poland|defeat of Poland]] in September 1939, the threat of an [[Axis powers|Axis]] attack from the [[Balkans]] against British positions in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean region became a serious possibility.<ref>Playfair, pp. 48–49</ref> On 19 October 1939, the ''Treaty of Mutual Assistance'' was signed between the United Kingdom, France and [[Turkey]];<ref>Playfair, p. 51</ref> Lieutenant-General Archibald Wavell signed on behalf of the United Kingdom.<ref>Playfair, p. 52</ref> Following the signing of this treaty, the Middle East Command, as well as the representatives of the [[Royal Navy]] and [[Royal Air Force]], were authorised to begin discussions with the Turkish general staff, and a further conference was held during March 1940.<ref>Playfair, p. 53</ref>

At the same time Wavell ordered his subordinate commanders to start planning operations on the assumption that the United Kingdom would soon be at war with Italy.<ref name="Playfair54">Playfair, p. 54</ref> Lieutenant-General [[Henry Maitland Wilson]], commander of British forces in Egypt,<ref>Playfair, p. 42</ref> was to plan for the capture of [[Bardia]] and [[Jaghbub, Libya|Jaghbub]] ([[Libya]]) and to examine the possibility of using [[special forces]].<ref name="Playfair54"/> Wilson was also to make preparations within Egypt to receive an additional six divisions.<ref name="Playfair54"/> Lieutenant-General [[Michael Barker (British Army officer)|Barker]] was ordered to estimate the minimum requirements for the internal security of the [[Mandatory Palestine|British mandate of Palestine]], not to consider an attack on Palestine from the north a serious threat, and be prepared to reinforce the [[Iraqi Army]]. The commanding officers in [[Kenya]] and the [[Sudan]] were given the task of reviewing operations for the purpose of destroying and dispersing Italian forces and support local risings all in support of the main Allied offensive, which was planned to be launched from [[French Somaliland]]. General [[William Platt]], commanding British forces in the Sudan, was also asked to consider launching an operation against [[Kufra]] (southern Libya).<ref>Playfair p. 53</ref> Following October 1939, as the Italians had made no aggressive moves, the [[7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|7th Armoured Division]] and other units were withdrawn from the frontline area, while training and exercises were conducted in the desert.<ref name="Playfair54"/>

[[File:Mk1CruiserTank.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The Mk I (A9) Cruiser Tank used by the [[7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|British 7th Armoured Division]]]]

On 15 February 1940, the position of General Officer Commanding in Chief, Middle East was renamed to Commander-in-Chief Middle East. The new title received some criticism on the grounds that command in the Middle East was a joint venture between all three services. As the head of Middle East Command held authority only over ground forces the criticism was expressed that the name should have been Army or Land Commander-in-Chief.<ref>Playfair, p. 63</ref>

For the first nine months of the Second World War, the Middle East was quiet. This was until Italy's declaration of war on 10 June 1940 and the start of the [[East African campaign (World War II)|East African campaign]]. However, in spite of his inferiority in troop numbers, Wavell was able to not only defend against the Italian attacks but by May 1941, he was able to defeat the Italians and occupy [[Italian East Africa|their east African colonies]] of Eritrea, Ethiopia and [[Italian Somaliland]].

When tensions increased in Iraq, Wavell—in agreement with the [[Commander-in-Chief, India]]—on 9 March 1941 suggested to the Chiefs of Staff that, if fighting was to occur in the country, it should be conducted "at first under the control of India."<ref>Playfair (1956), p. 178</ref>

In the meantime, Wavell had sent a force to Iraq to suppress a [[coup d'état]] by elements sympathetic to [[Nazi Germany]]. In June 1941, he ordered the [[Syria–Lebanon campaign|invasion and occupation of Syria and Lebanon]] to prevent further potential support of Iraq by the Germans through these [[Vichy French]]-controlled areas. In July he ordered [[Iraqforce]] to [[Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran]] in cooperation with the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] forces from the north to safeguard the oilfields. Iran and Iraq were transferred out of the Middle East Command into a separate [[Persia and Iraq Command]] in August 1942.

In the [[Western Desert campaign|Western Desert]], by February 1941, the British had appeared to be on the verge of overrunning the last Italian forces in Libya. This would have ended Axis control in  Africa. Then the tide of war turned against the British, as the Germans [[Balkans campaign (World War II)|attacked through the Balkans]] and continued on to occupy [[Crete]]. The Germans reinforced the Italians in Libya with the [[Afrika Korps]], under [[Erwin Rommel]], and the British suffered further setbacks. Wavell and Auchinleck exchanged positions, [[Claude Auchinleck]] becoming C-in-C Middle East and Wavell becoming [[Commander-in-Chief in India|C-in-C in India]].

[[File:The Campaign in North Africa 1940-1943- Personalities E16458.jpg|thumb|right|General [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Sir Harold Alexander]], pictured here in August 1942 as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, surveys the battlefront from an open car. To his right is Major General [[John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton|John Harding]].]]

While Auchinleck was in post, the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]] confronting the German Afrika Korps and the [[Royal Italian Army during World War II|Italian Army]] was commanded successively by General Sir [[Alan Cunningham]] and Lieutenant-General [[Neil Ritchie]]. Ritchie was dismissed after defeats at the hands of Rommel. Auchinleck assumed the field command himself and the Italo-German advance was halted at the [[First Battle of El Alamein]]. The "Auk," as he was known to his troops, struggled with the innate conservatism of the army establishment to get the armoured and infantry wings of the army to fight together on the German pattern, but had only limited success.

Auchinleck, like his predecessor Wavell, was subjected to constant political interference; he received a series of hectoring telegrams and instructions from [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]] throughout late 1941 and early 1942. Churchill constantly sought an offensive from Auchinleck. Disappointed with the military reverses in Egypt and [[Cyrenaica]], he was desperate for some sort of British victory before the planned Anglo-American landings in North Africa ([[Operation Torch|Operation "Torch"]]) scheduled for November 1942. In August 1942, immediately after the Eighth Army had all but exhausted itself after First Alamein, Churchill flew to Cairo, purportedly for consultations with Auchinleck, but had in fact made up his mind before he left Britain. Auchinleck was sacked by Churchill, almost certainly because he refused to be bullied by Churchill into ordering a major offensive before he and his troops were properly prepared. He was replaced as C-in-C Middle East by [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Sir Harold Alexander]] and as [[General officer commanding|GOC]] Eighth Army by Lieutenant-General [[William Gott]], who was killed in Egypt before taking up command. On Gott's death, Lieutenant-General [[Bernard Montgomery]] was appointed commander of the Eighth Army. Auchinleck was offered the command of a newly created [[Persia and Iraq Command]] which was being split out from Middle East Command, but felt unable to accept the appointment, which was then taken by General [[Henry Maitland Wilson|Sir Henry Maitland Wilson]].

Alexander presided over Montgomery's victory at the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]]. After the Anglo-American forces from Operation Torch and the Western Desert forces met in the [[Tunisian campaign]] in January 1943, he became deputy to [[General (United States)|General]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] in [[Allied Force Headquarters|Allied Forces Headquarters]] (AFHQ).

With Eighth Army passing to AFHQ's command, Middle East Command became somewhat of a military backwater. General Wilson succeeded Alexander as its commander-in-chief and during his tenure it mounted only one significant operation: the unsuccessful [[Dodecanese Campaign]] from September to November 1943.<ref>Mead, pp. 492–493</ref>

The last act of Middle East Command took place during the [[Levant Crisis]] between May and June 1945 when British and Indian troops successfully invaded Syria and escorted French forces back to their barracks.

==Middle East Land Forces from 1945==
[[File:British Forces in the Middle East, 1945-1947 E31957.jpg|thumb|right|A sergeant of the [[Royal Military Police]] lowers the flag during the handover of [[Cairo Citadel]] to the Egyptians, 4 July 1946.]]
After 1945, the Middle East Command was reformed as Middle East Land Forces.<ref>Flags of the World, [http://flagspot.net/flags/gb%5Emelf.html Middle East Land Forces (UK)], accessed November 2008, and [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=13445&CATLN=3&Highlight=&FullDetails=True&j=1 National Archives], accessed November 2008</ref> Middle East Land Forces commanded the forces in Libya (25th Armoured Brigade, which was later subsumed into [[10th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|10th Armoured Division]]) until 1957, and the [[1st Infantry Division (United Kingdom)]], [[3rd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Infantry Division]],<ref>Seemingly Southern District Canal Zone; the 32nd Brigade was moved from Cyprus to reinforce the British forces in the Canal Zone in February 1952.</ref> the [[Royal Dragoons]]; 4 [[Royal Tank Regiment]]; 43 LAA Regiment RA; [[71st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery]], three signal regiments, and other forces, in the [[Suez Canal Zone]] until the early 1950s.<ref>Graham Watson, [http://www.orbat.com/site/history/library-new/1946-1990/britishempire/army1952.html Order of Battle, British Army, 1952] Orbat.com,{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128053925/http://www.orbat.com/site/history/library-new/1946-1990/britishempire/army1952.html |date=2010-11-28}}, accessed November 2008.</ref> 2 Wireless Regiment Royal Signals was in Cyprus. In October 1951 in the Suez Canal Zone the 1st Infantry Division comprised 1st (Guards), 2nd, and 3rd Brigades; it arrived back in the UK in Autumn 1955 (Lord & Watson, ''The Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps,'' 25) minus the 1st Brigade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-div/div01inf.htm |title=1st Division (UK) |website=www.regiments.org |access-date=5 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229214211/http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-div/div01inf.htm |archive-date=29 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Suez base area was seen as essential. Among other key benefits, GHQ MELF reported to the Ministry of Defence that [[Abu Suweir Air Base|Abu Sueir airfield]], with its lengthened runway, would be capable of basing U.S. [[B-29 Superfortress]] bombers to strike Soviet targets beyond the reach of [[Strategic Air Command]] aircraft based in [[Great Britain]] itself.<ref>GHQ MELF to Ministry of DEfence, April 27, 1949, via PRO, FCO 371/73552, via Decolonization and Business: The Case of Egypt, Robert L. Tignor
The Journal of Modern History, Vol. 59, No. 3 (Sep., 1987).</ref>

The [[Free Officers Movement (Egypt)|Free Officers]], led by [[Muhammad Naguib]] and [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]], overthrew King [[Farouk of Egypt]] in the [[Egyptian coup d'état of 1952]]. The Free Officers then concluded the [[Anglo–Egyptian Agreement of 1954]], signed on 19 October, with Great Britain.{{sfn|Butler|2002|p=112}} It stipulated a phased evacuation of [[British Troops in Egypt|British troops]] from the Suez base, agreed to withdrawal of all troops within 20 months (that is, June 1956); maintenance of the base was to be continued; and allowed Britain to hold the right to return for seven years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/UNTS/Volume%20210/v210.pdf|title=Treaty Series No. 2833|publisher=United Nations|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref> In December 1954 HQ MELF moved to Cyprus.

The compromise solution to retain British influence over the Suez Canal base area, seen as vital in the event of any future Middle East war with the Soviet Union, was to arrange the Canal Zone depot area to be taken over by specially arranged British civilian contractors. As the risk of British-Egyptian ruptures over the [[Suez Canal]] rose, between September 20, 1955, and December 30, 1955, almost all the MELF (and [[Middle East Air Force]]) Canal Zone depots and workshops were handed over to the contractors.{{sfn|Kipping|1969|p=33}} Among them were 2 Base Workshop, 5 Base Ordnance Depot, and the Base Vehicle Depot all at [[Tel el Kebir]]; 9 Base Ammunition Depot at Abu Sultan near [[Deversoir Air Base]]; and the engineering base group (probably including Nos 8 and 9 Engineer Stores Base Depots at Suez and Fanara respectively).<ref>Treaty text, p. 50, 54.</ref> Other establishments included 33 Supply Reserve Depot and 10 Base Ordnance Depot.<ref>Treaty text, p.52</ref>

4 Air Formation Signal Regiment moved from Abyss in Egypt to Akrotiri in Cyprus in 1955; while [[15th Signal Regiment (United Kingdom)|3rd GHQ Signal Regiment]] moved from [[Moascar]] in the Canal Zone to Episkopi in Cyprus.<ref>Lord & Watson, ''The Royal Corps of Signals,'' pp 55, pp54.</ref> It appears that the last British combat unit to leave was 2nd Battalion, [[Grenadier Guards]] from Port Said.<ref>{{cite web|title=Suez Canal Zone|url=https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/suez-canal-zone|access-date=2021-03-26}}; see also J Reed, 'A History of the British Army in Egypt 1950-56,' at the Imperial War Museum, https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030043446.</ref> However another source lists the main body of 2 Grenadier Guards leaving on 24–25 March 1956 by ship (they had been located at Golf Course Camp in Port Said), and the last remaining rear-guard company leaving by air on 2 April 1956 from [[Abu Suweir Air Base|Abu Sueir]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/infantry/grenadier-guards/2nd-battalion-grenadier-guards.html|title=British Army units from 1945 on - 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards}}</ref> Kipping writes that the actual final date of British troops leaving was 13 June 1956,{{sfn|Kipping|1969|p=37}} which may represent logistics units as opposed to infantry.

In March 1954 British troops in the Sudan consisted of one battalion stationed in Khartoum, reporting ultimately to the Governor-General.<ref>[[British Parliament]] [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1954/mar/10/british-troops-in-the-sudan House of Lords Debate, 10 March 1954] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712021949/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1954/mar/10/british-troops-in-the-sudan |date=12 July 2009 }}</ref> The Governor-General's military commander was the Major-General Commanding British Troops in the Sudan, who was also Commandant of the Sudan Defence Force. In this post from 1950 onward was Major General Reginald 'Cully' Scoons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/8041179/Major-General-Sir-Reginald-Cully-Scoones.html|title=Major-General Sir Reginald "Cully" Scoones|date=11 October 1991|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=23 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224010725/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/8041179/Major-General-Sir-Reginald-Cully-Scoones.html|archive-date=24 February 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The last British troops, 1st Battalion [[Royal Leicestershire Regiment]], left the country on 16 August 1955.<ref>[http://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/aqadmin/media/uploads/4afc2b2824097_British%20Troops%20The%20Sudan%20History%20&%20Personnel.pdf British Troops in the Sudan]{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref> All of the British troops were gone by the end of August 1955.<ref>O'Ballance, 1977, p.42</ref>

In April 1960 Middle East Land Forces was reorganised into Libya and Tripolitania Area; Cyrenaica Area; Cyprus District; and [[Malta Command|British Troops Malta]].<ref name=MECRO>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071023105328/http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-cmdarmy/os-mec.htm Middle East Command at Regiments.org]</ref><ref>[http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf Army Commands] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |date=2015-07-05 }}</ref>

In March 1961 HQ MELF was moved to Aden, absorbing [[British Forces Aden|British Forces Arabian Peninsula]].<ref name=MECRO />

Middle East Land Forces was disbanded on 28 November 1967 and British forces in the [[Persian Gulf]] was transferred to Headquarters, British Forces Persian Gulf which was based in [[Bahrain]].<ref>[http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1967.cfm British Military Aviation in 1967] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010182126/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1967.cfm |date=October 10, 2008}}</ref><ref name=MECRO /> Later became British Force Gulf; had Land Forces Gulf operating under it, with an armoured car squadron and infantry battalions at Bahrain and Sharjah; disbanded and withdrawn January 1972.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-cmdarmy/os-gulf.htm |title=British Forces in Persian Gulf &#91;UK&#93; |website=www.regiments.org |access-date=5 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121050456/http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-cmdarmy/os-gulf.htm |archive-date=21 November 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Commanders-in-Chief==
Commanders-in-Chief have included:<ref>Whitaker's Almanacks 1939–1966</ref><ref name=MECRO />

'''Middle East Command'''
* General [[Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|Archibald Wavell]] 28 July 1939<ref name="Wavellapt"/> – 4 July 1941<ref name="Playfair244"/>
* General [[Claude Auchinleck]] 5 July 1941<ref name="Playfair244">Playfair (1956), p. 244</ref> – 14 August 1942<ref name="Playfair369">Playfair (1960), p. 369</ref>
* General [[Harold Alexander]] 15 August 1942<ref name="Playfair369"/> – February 1943
* General [[Henry Maitland Wilson|Henry Wilson]] February 1943 – January 1944
* General Sir [[Bernard Paget]] January 1944 – October 1946
* General Sir [[Miles Dempsey]] 1946–1947

'''Commanders-in-Chief, Middle East Land Forces'''
* General Sir [[John Crocker]] 1947–1950
* General Sir [[Brian Robertson, 1st Baron Robertson of Oakridge|Brian Robertson]] 1950–1953
* General Sir [[Cameron Nicholson]] 1953
* General Sir [[Charles Keightley]] 1953–1957
* General Sir [[Geoffrey Bourne, Baron Bourne|Geoffrey Bourne]] 1957–1958
* Lieutenant-General Sir [[Roger Bower]] 1958–1960
* General Sir [[Richard Anderson (British Army officer)|Richard Anderson]] 1960–1963

'''General Officer Commanding Middle East Land Forces'''<ref name=MECRO />
* Major General [[Philip Tower]] (to 30 November 1967)

==Notes==
{{Reflist|3}}

==References==
* {{cite book|first=Pinar|last=Bilgin|title=Regional Security in the Middle East|year=2005|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=978-0-415-32549-3|page=246 pages}}
* {{Cite book|first=L. J. |last=Butler |title=Britain and Empire: Adjusting to a Post-Imperial World |publisher=I.B. Tauris |location=London |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-86064-449-8 }}
* {{cite book|first=Norman|last=Kipping|title=The Suez Contractors|year=1969|publisher=K. Mason, 1969 |isbn=978-0-900534-41-6}} - between September 20, 1955, and December 30, 1955, almost all the Canal Zone depots and workshops were handed over to the civilian contractors (p.&nbsp;33).
* Michael Mason (1994) Killing Time: The British Army and its Antagonists in Egypt, 1945–1954, ''War & Society,'' 12:2, 103-126, DOI: 10.1179/072924794791200214
* {{cite book|first=Richard|last=Mead|title=Churchill's Lions: A biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II|year=2007|publisher=Spellmount|location=Stroud (UK)|isbn=978-1-86227-431-0|page=544 pages}}
* {{cite book|first1=Major-General I.S.O.|last1=Playfair|author1-link=Ian Stanley Ord Playfair|first2=Commander G.M.S.|last2=with Stitt [[Royal Navy|R.N.]]|first3=Brigadier C.J.C.|last3=Molony| first4=Air Vice-Marshal S.E.|last4=Toomer|editor-last=Butler|editor-first=J.R.M|editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler|series=History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series|title=The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume I The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941)|publisher=Naval & Military Press|year=2004|orig-year=1st. pub. [[HMSO]] 1954|isbn=1-84574-065-3|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|first1=Major-General I.S.O.|last1=Playfair|first2=Captain F.C.|last2=with Flynn R.N.|first3=Brigadier C.J.C.|last3=Molony|first4=Air Vice-Marshal S.E.|last4=Toomer|editor-last=Butler|editor-first=J.R.M|series=History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series|title=The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume II The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941)|publisher=Naval & Military Press|year=2004|orig-year=1st. pub. HMSO 1956|isbn=1-84574-066-1|name-list-style=amp}}

{{British armies, commands, and corps during the Second World War}}

[[Category:Military units and formations of the British Army in World War II]]
[[Category:Commands of the British Army]]
[[Category:North African campaign]]
[[Category:Western Desert campaign]]
[[Category:20th century in Egypt]]
[[Category:Libya in World War II]]
[[Category:Greece in World War II]]