Abstract
Abstract The Western Desert campaigns were fought in Egypt and Libya under the auspices of the Middle East Command, which had its headquarters in Cairo. It was the most important of the three campaigns fought by British and Commonwealth forces in the region, the others being in East Africa (Ethiopia and Somaliland) and the Balkans. Operations in this theatre were extremely mobile and covered vast expanses of territory, creating severe logistical problems. Fighting broke out in September 1940, when Marshal Graziani was ordered to launch the Italian 10th Army in an invasion of Egypt. After making a tactical withdrawal, the small British Western Desert Force, under the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, Field-Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell, made a surprise attack on the Italians, inflicting heavy losses.
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