WesWorld

Royal Egyptian Army

In 1946 there are around 33,200 officers and men in the Egyptian Army and 1,200 Royal Guards. The Royal Guards provide a bodyguard for the King and security for the Royal palaces. A British Inspector-General oversees general military co-operation with the British Army and the British Military Mission trains and equips the Royal Egyptian Army along British lines. The British Military Mission effectively has command control over the Egyptian armed forces.

Currently the Egyptian Army has twelve Infantry Battalions organized into I (Cairo), II (Egypt-Italian border), III (Southern Egypt/Sudan area) and IV (Alexandria) Brigades, two Cavalry Squadrons (based in Southern Egypt), one Armoured Regiment with 43 Cruiser Tank Mk V Crusader (A15), 40 Vickers Valentine and 12 Light Tank Mk VI Tetrarch (A14) (attached to I Brigade), three Artillery Regiments equipped with 25pdr field guns (one attached to each I, II and III Brigades) and one engineer company.

Standard weapons include the .303in Rifle No.2 Mk III, Short Magazine Lee-Enfield and .303in Vickers machine-guns and .303in Vickers ‘K’ LMGs. Four motorised MG companies are equipped with Carrier Machine Gun No.1 Mk I. The Royal Guards have eight Daimler Scout Cars and eight Daimler Armoured Cars. Nearly all equipment is based on standard British Army kit. All units are organised on British Army lines.