Walter, Brian E. The Thin Khaki Line

An Operational History of the British and Commonwealth Armies during World War II

The British Army emerged from the First World War as the world's leading military force. The same army entered the Second World War after two decades of neglect by the government, pitifully small compared to its main rivals and completely unprepared for the tasks ahead. Despite its deplorable condition, the army dutifully marched forward to face the enemies of the British Empire, as it had done so many times before. Soon after, it was embroiled in a global conflict against three powerful adversaries the armed forces of Germany, Italy and Japan. During the war, the British Army, together with its imperial and Commonwealth counterparts, grew from a force of just a few hundred thousand men to a total strength of over eight million men and 110 field divisions, 70 of which saw action during the conflict. After a series of early defeats including in France, Greece, Malaya and Tobruk this combined force slowly managed to turn the tide against the Axis attackers. In battles spanning a vast area, including Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific, the British Army and the armies of the Commonwealth eventually achieved a series of impressive victories, avenging their earlier defeats and contributing to the downfall of the Axis powers. The scale of this achievement is reflected in the fact that British and Commonwealth forces inflicted an incredible four million casualties on the Axis powers during the war, while their own losses amounted to less than a quarter of that number. In this book, Brian E. Walter provides a complete, balanced and detailed account of the contributions of British and Commonwealth forces during the Second World War. The book is the result of over 30 years of meticulous research and analysis and is considered the definitive single-volume source on the subject. It provides a comprehensive account of all major actions by British and Commonwealth armies in all theatres of war, both well-known and lesser-known, and offers a unique analysis of the effectiveness and relevance of the army's achievements.