Mediterranean and North Africa · British Commonwealth and Free France vs Vichy France
Syria-Lebanon campaign
8 June 1941 – 14 July 1941
After German aircraft used Syrian airfields during the Iraq revolt, Commonwealth and Free French forces invaded Vichy Syria and Lebanon. The Vichy garrison fought hard for five weeks before an armistice at Acre.
Explore Syria-Lebanon campaign on the interactive map · Wikipedia
Day by day
— Exporter
German aircraft on their way to Iraq had refuelled at Rayak and Aleppo in May, and that was reason enough. At 02:00 on 8 June three columns crossed from Palestine and Transjordan: the 21st Australian Brigade up the coast for Beirut, the 25th through the hills for Merdjayoun and Rayak, and the 5th Indian Brigade with the Free French for Deraa and Damascus. Leaflets promised the Vichy garrison of 35,000 that nobody wanted a fight; General Dentz fought for five weeks.
— The counter-attack
The advance up the coast was held at the Litani and then at Sidon, and in the hills the Vichy armoured cars and Renault tanks came back hard: Merdjayoun was retaken on 15 June and Kuneitra fell the next day, with an Indian battalion surrounded there and taken prisoner. Damascus, which had looked open on the 12th, now had to be fought for. Reinforcements were called across from Egypt and Iraq.
— Damascus
The 5th Indian Brigade took the Mezze fort on the western edge of the city and held it for a day and a night while the Free French came in from the south; Damascus surrendered on 21 June. At Mezze and outside it the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion fought against the 6th Foreign Legion Regiment of the Levant. On the same day Habforce set out from Iraq for Palmyra and the 10th Indian Division began up the Euphrates towards Deir ez-Zor.
— Damour
Palmyra held out until 3 July and Deir ez-Zor fell the same day, which brought the Iraq columns in behind Homs. On the coast the last position before Beirut was the Damour river, a gorge held by the best of the Vichy troops with their guns above it. The 21st and 17th Australian Brigades attacked in the small hours of 6 July with the fleet firing in support, and were through the village on the 9th with Beirut 20 kilometres ahead.
— Acre
Dentz asked for terms on the 11th and the armistice was signed at Acre on 14 July. The campaign cost about 4,000 Commonwealth and Free French casualties and some 6,000 Vichy; of 37,000 Vichy troops offered the choice, fewer than 6,000 joined the Free French and the rest were repatriated to France. Syria and Lebanon came under Allied control, and the northern flank of Egypt was closed for the rest of the war.
