Western Frontier Force
| Western Frontier Force | |
|---|---|
|
Western Desert of Egypt | |
| Active | 1915–1918 |
| Country | British Empire |
| Branch | Army |
| Engagements |
Affair of the Wadi Senab Affair of the Wadi Majid Affair of Halazin Action of Agagia Affairs in the Dakhla Oasis Operations at Girba and Siwa |
| Disbanded | 1918 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Major-General Sir C. M. Dobell |
The Western Frontier Force was raised from British Empire troops during the Senussi Campaign from November 1915 to February 1917, under the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF). Orders for the formation of the force were issued on 20 November 1915, under Major-General Alexander Wallace, C.B. The force concentrated at Mersa Matruh on the coast and began operations against the Senussi in late 1915.
Organisational history
In January 1916 during the Band of Oases campaign, a Southern Force was formed under Major-General William Peyton, who replaced Wallace two weeks later and then the force was taken over by Major-General J. Adye. On 31 March, the Southern Force merged with the Western Force that was then divided into a North-West Section and a South-West Section and Adye was made Adjutant-General of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF). Peyton took command of the Western Frontier Force (WFF) but was reappointed while in England. On 11 May, Lieutenant-General Sir Bryan Mahon took over but got sunstroke and was invalided.[1]
Major-General A. G. Dallas, in temporary command during Peyton's absence, resumed temporary command until 20 June, when Major-General Sir Charles Macpherson Dobell took up the appointment. The North-West and South-West sections were abolished and a Coastal Section formed. On 4 October, Major-General W. A. Watson took over from Dobell, who was sent to command the Eastern Force (EF) in Sinai. On 5 March 1917, the quiet on the frontier led to the WFF being amalgamated with the Delta Command (Brigadier-General H. G. Casson), comprising a Coastal and a Southern section.[1]
Commanders
- Major-General A. Wallace[lower-alpha 1]
- Major-General W. E. Peyton
- Major-General A. G. Dallas (temp)
- Lieutenant-General Sir B. Mahon
- Major-General A. G. Dallas (temp)
- Major-General Sir C. M. Dobell
- Major-General W. A. Watson
- Brigadier-General H. G. Casson
Order of battle
| Senussi 1914 | Western Frontier Force: November 1915, February 1916 and July 1916 | |
|---|---|
The composition of the force was frequently changed, it was not until the middle of February 1916 that it settled. Other units attached to the WFF included:
| |
Notes
- ↑ All data from Macmunn and Falls: Military Operations Egypt and Palestine, volume I (1928).[1]
- ↑ All data from Macmunn and Falls: Military Operations Egypt and Palestine volume I (1928) unless specified. Later information suggested that there were 10,000 Senussi.[2]
- ↑ All data from Macmunn and Falls: Military Operations Egypt and Palestine volume I (1928) unless specified.[3]
- ↑ The 6th and 22nd were new titles of the 1/2nd South Midland and 1/1st North Midland brigades.[4]
Footnotes
- 1 2 3 Macmunn & Falls 1996, p. 153.
- ↑ Macmunn & Falls 1996, p. 411.
- ↑ Macmunn & Falls 1996, pp. 107–108.
- ↑ Macmunn & Falls 1996, p. 134.
References
Further reading
- Austin, W. S (2008) [1924]. The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (the Earl of Liverpool's Own): Covering the Period of Service with New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War from 1915 to 1919. New Zealand in the First World War 1914–1918 (New Zealand Electronic Text Centre ed.). Wellington, NZ: L. T. Watkins. OCLC 349855395.
- Haythornthwaite, P. J. (1992). The World War One Sourcebook. London: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-102-6.
- Massey, W. T. (1918). The Desert Campaigns (PDF). London and New York: Putnam. OCLC 1163314. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- Rolls, S. C. (1937). Steel Chariots in the Desert: The Story of an Armoured-car Driver with the Duke of Westminster in Libya and in Arabia with T. E. Lawrence. London: Jonathan Cape. OCLC 752787276.
- The Union of South Africa and the Great War 1914–1918: Official History (Imperial War Museum and Naval & Military Press ed.). Pretoria: Government Print and Stationery Office. 2010 [1924]. ISBN 1-845748-85-9. OCLC 16795056.
