Czechoslovak Military Presence In Middle East And North Africa After the outbreak of war when Polish escape route was closed off and many Czechoslovak professional soldiers chose the southern route from Slovakia through Hungary, Romania into Yugoslavia. From there, they were dispatched by French and British authorities to the Middle East, mostly to French mandated Syria and Lebanon. Some still succeeded in departing for France and participated in its defense. Out of the remaining Czechoslovak soldiers serving with the French army, 206 men wishing to avoid internment after the French defeat crossed over to Palestine on June 29, 1940. Their numbers increased, 327 men assembled at the Gedera Camp near Tel Aviv on September 1 and more men later joined this outfit from the Soviet Union. During the autumn "The Czechoslovak Military Mission for the Middle East" has been established lead by Gen. 0. Gak-Mezl. In December British Gen. Sir A. Wavell approved the formation of the Czechoslovak Infantry Battalion No. 11 Eastern which was headed by Lt. Col. K. Klapálek.

Lining-up of the Czechoslovak Infantry Battalion No. 11 Eastern		Camp of the Battalion in Sidi al-Bishr		Soldiers of the Battalion guarding airfield

After an intensive training the battalion was assigned to guard duty in the Marsah Matrah area, later the soldiers participated in a British attack an the French Vichy forces in Syria. After emerging victorious from this conflict, the British assigned the battalion to more guard duty in northeastern Syria.

Chief of the 11th Battalion col. K. Klapalek		Captured Vichy France soldiers walking to prison camp		Czechoslovak patrol in Palmyra

The Czechoslavak Ministry of Defense in London requested the battalions would be transferred from Middle East to Britain in order to strengthen the First Czechoslovak Independent Brigade but the well-trained unit was kept in the Middle East, refitted and sent by destroyers from Alexandria on the night af October 21, 1941, to defend besieged tobruk from German and Italian assault. tobruk was a key British army fortification in North Africa, a 50-kilometer perimeter has been established to defend it. Czechoslovak defenders protecting the bomb-devastated town and its citadel assumed positions on the western side incorporated into the Polish Independent Brigade of Carpathian Rifles. Despite ever-present bombing and gun fire, the soldiers managed to adapt to harsh conditions repelling constant enemy advances and attacks. On November 18, the 8th British Army finally launched a counter-offensive which resulted in the liberation of tobruk. Veterans of the Czechoslovak 11th Field Battalion - Eastern, after vicious fighting from underground fortifications proudly assumed the "Desert Rats" nickname.

The most famous photo Small Fortress S-19 "Johny"		Czechoslovak artillerymen in tobruk		Czechoslovak attack December 12th, 1941

They remained in tobruk specializing in providing protection against annoying Axis air raids. When in the beginning of 1942 Germans and Italians overcame the British offensive and took Benghazi on January 30. tobruk was threatened again and eventually taken by the Africa Corps under the command of Gen. E. Rommel. However, by then the Czechoslovak unit was replaced by a South African division, transferred to Palestine to become, after rigorous training, in May 1942 the Czechoslovak 200th Light Anti-aircraft Division - Eastern. The unit was deployed in defense of Haifa and Alexandria before returning to tobruk in January 1943 following the annihilation of Axis forces in North Africa. The division was then taken on board of the troopship Mauretania to England around the Cape of Good Hope, landing in Liverpool on August 11, 1943. African campaign veterans were then incorporated into the Independent Armored Brigade.

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