British Army During WWII

The British Army was, in 1939, a volunteer army, that introduced limited conscription in early 1939, and full conscription shortly after the declaration of war with Germany. During the early years of the Second World War, the British Army suffered defeat in almost every theatre of war in which it was deployed. From 1943, the larger and better-equipped British Army never suffered a strategic defeat (although there were failures, most notably the Battle of Arnhem, part of Operation Market Garden, in September 1944).

British Regimental Cap Badges (Museum of the Battle of Normandy in Bayeux, France)

Order Digital Image 12.317 on A4 scale

Britischen Armee während des Zweiten Weltkrieges

Ejército Británico durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial

Armée Britannique pendant la Seconde Guerre Mondiale

तस्वीरों और दूसरे विश्व युद्ध के दौरान ब्रिटिश सेना के वीडियो

британской армии во время второй мировой войны

The British Army was called on to fight around the world, starting with campaigns in Europe in 1940. After the Dunkirk evacuation, the army fought on in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre, and in the Burma Campaign. After a series of setbacks, retreats and evacuations, the British Army eventually, with its Allies, gained the upper hand. This started with victory in the Tunisian Campaign, and then Italy was forced to surrender after the invasions of Sicily and mainland Italy itself in 1943. In 1944, the army returned to France, driving the German Army back into Germany, while in East Asia the Japanese were driven back from the Indian border into eastern Burma. Both the Germans and Japanese were defeated by 1945 and surrendered within months of each other.

Esercito Britannico durante la Seconda Guerra Mondiale

Exército Britânico durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial

With the expansion of the British Army to fight a world war, new armies were formed and eventually army groups were created to control even larger formations. In command of these new armies, eight men would be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. The army commanders not only had to manage the new armies, but also a new type of soldier in formations like the Special Air Service, Special Boat Service, Commandos and the Parachute Regiment.