Deployment of Anglo-American forces by theatres in summer 1942.
Deployment of the armed forces of the Anglo-Americans (Britain with Commonwealth and United States) by theatres of war (Europe, Middle East, Atlantic) in summer 1942 according to nominal (paper) strengths (TOE).
Deployment of Anglo-American forces
Table of Contents
British and Commonwealth Ground Forces
British and Commonwealth Forces – Divisions:
Theaters of War | Coastal defense, Airborne | Motorized Infantry | Armoured |
|---|---|---|---|
8th Army (Western Desert) | - | 5 | 2 |
8th Army (Fortress Tobruk) | - | 1 2/3 | 1/3 |
British troops Egypt | - | 2/3 | 1 |
Shipping transfer to 8th Army | - | 1 | 1 |
9th Army (Palestine) | - | 1 2/3 | - |
10th Army (Iraq) | - | 2 | 1 |
Cyprus | - | 1/3 | - |
Great Britain | 8 | 26 | 2 1/3 |
in UK for Operation Torch | - | 1 | 1 |
Reinforcements for 8th Army for time of Second Alamein | - | 3 1/3 (2 from UK) | 2 2/3 (from UK) |
TOTAL | 8 | 42 2/3 | 11 1/3 |
British and Commonwealth Forces – Infantry:
Theaters of War | Infantry (rifle men) | automatic rifles | sub-machine guns | machine guns | mortars | light anti-tank weapons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8th Army (Western Desert) | 43,089 | - | ? | 5,285 | 1,246 | - |
8th Army (Fortress Tobruk) | 13,274 | - | ? | 1,602 | 389 | - |
8th Army (Fortress Tobruk) | 8,130 | - | ? | 1,052 | 223 | - |
Shipping transfer to 8th Army | 10,569 | - | ? | 1,342 | 296 | - |
9th Army (Palestine) | 12,190 | - | ? | 1,920 | 363 | - |
10th Army (Iraq) | 17,886 | - | ? | 2,209 | 514 | - |
Cyprus | 2,439 | - | ? | 289 | 73 | |
Great Britain | 257,450 | - | ? | 33,785 | 7,506 | - |
in UK for Operation Torch | 10,569 | - | ? | 1,727 | 296 | - |
Reinforcements for 8th Army for time of Second Alamein | 33,058 | - | ? | 4,610 | 883 | - |
TOTAL | 408,696 | - | ? | 53,821 | 11,789 | - |
British and Commonwealth Forces – Vehicles and Artillery:
Theaters of War | Tanks | Assault Guns, AFV's | APC's | Trucks | Field guns | AT guns | AA guns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8th Army (Western Desert) | 347 | - | 1,456 | 13,710 | 456 | 336 | 344 |
8th Army (Fortress Tobruk) | 58 | - | 455 | 4,082 | 136 | 96 | 98 |
8th Army (Fortress Tobruk) | 174 | - | 259 | 2,899 | 96 | 80 | 86 |
Shipping transfer to 8th Army | 174 | - | 344 | 3,618 | 120 | 96 | 102 |
9th Army (Palestine) | - | - | 426 | 3,595 | 120 | 80 | 80 |
10th Army (Iraq) | 174 | - | 600 | 5.776 | 192 | 144 | 150 |
Cyprus | - | - | 85 | 719 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Great Britain | 580 | 52 | 7,109 | 60,512 | 2,400 | 2,238 | 1,794 |
in UK for Operation Torch | 201 | 26 | 151 | 3,626 | 120 | 250 | 102 |
Reinforcements for 8th Army for time of Second Alamein | 758 | 52 | 1,155 | 10,129 | 312 | 564 | 268 |
TOTAL | 2,466 | 130 | 12,040 | 108,666 | 3,968 | 3,900 | 3,040 |
U.S. Ground Forces
US Forces – Divisions:
Theaters of War | Garrison and Airborne divisions | (partly) motorized Infantry | Armoured |
|---|---|---|---|
Eastern USA | - | ca. 10 | ca. 3 |
Deployed for Operation Torch | - | 4 | 3 |
Iceland | 1 | - | - |
TOTAL | 1 | 14 | 6 |
US Forces – Infantry:
Theaters of War | Infantry (rifle men) | automatic rifles | sub-machine guns | machine guns | mortars | light anti-tank weapons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern USA | 85,140 | ? | ? | 3,079 | 1,518 | 7,391 |
Deployed for Operation Torch | 36,120 | ? | ? | 1,306 | 690 | 3,678 |
Iceland | 7,740 | ? | ? | 280 | 138 | 557 |
TOTAL | 129,000 | ? | ? | 4,665 | 2,364 | 11,626 |
US Forces – Vehicles and Artillery:
Theaters of War | Tanks | Assault Guns, AFV's | APC's | Trucks | Feld guns | AT guns | AA guns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern USA | 681 | 402 | 1,553 | 20,100 | 480 | 1,171 | - |
Deployed for Operation Torch | 590 | 312 | 549 | 9,934 | 192 | 490 | - |
Iceland | - | 24 | - | - | 48 | 109 | - |
TOTAL | 1,271 | 738 | 2,102 | 30,034 | 600 | 1,700 | - |
Deployment of the Air Forces
Strength of RAF:
Theaters of War | Fighter-bombers | light and medium Bombers | Heavy Bombers |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Great Britain | c.1,188 | c.540 | c.820 | c.396 |
Iceland and USA | - | - | c.24 | - |
Middle East | c.144 | c.288 | c.386 | c.36 |
Malta | c.90 | - | c.18 | - |
Gibraltar and West Africa | c.18 | - | c.16 | - |
TOTAL | 1,440 | 828 | 1,264 | 432 |
The figures for the US Air Force based on the figures of the US Army Air Force in December 1941.
US Army Air Force:
Theaters of War | Fighters | Fighter-bombers | light and medium Bombers | Heavy Bombers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern USA | c.651 | - | c.463 | c.86 |
Deployment of Navies
Strength of Royal Navy:
Theaters of War | Battleships | Heavy Cruisers | Light Cruisers | Fleet Carriers | Light and Escort Carriers | Destroyers | Escorts | MTBs | Subs | Merchant Fleet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Home Waters UK | 1 | c.41 (incl. light) | (with heavy) | 1 | c.3 | c.67 | c.242 | ? | c. 18 | ? |
Iceland, US, Convoy PQ-17 | 2 | 6 (incl. light) | (with heavy) | 1 | - | 23 | 4 | ? | 2 | 34 |
Middle East | 1 | c.8 (incl. light) | (with heavy) | - | c.1 | c.30 | c.4 | c.10 | c.10 | ? |
Malta | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ? | c.10 | ? |
Gibraltar, West Africa | 2 | c.4 (incl. light) | (with heavy) | 2 | - | c.10 | - | ? | - | ? |
TOTAL | 6 (+5 Far East + 2 under Repair for 1+ year) | c.10 (+ 2 Far East) | c.41 (+5 Far East) | 4 | 4 (+1-2 Far East) | c.130 (+20 Far East) | c.250 | ? | c.40 (+15 Far East) | c.9,787 worldwide (c.19.095m t) incl. Commonwealth, Belgium, Greece, Dutch, Norway |
Strength of US Navy Atlantic:
Theaters of War | Battleships | Heavy Cruisers | Light Cruisers | Fleet Carriers | Light and Escort Carriers | Destroyers | Escorts | MTBs | Subs | Merchant Fleet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US East Coast | 7 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 76 | 46 | - | c.40 | c.3,000 (worldwide c. 11.763m t) |
