The British Empire and the Second World WarIn 1939 Hitler went to war not just with Great Britain; he also went to war with the whole of the British Empire, the greatest empire that there had ever been. In the years since 1945 that empire has disappeared, and the crucial fact that the British Empire fought together as a whole during the war has been forgotten. All the parts of the empire joined the struggle and were involved in it from the beginning, undergoing huge changes and sometimes suffering great losses as a result. The war in the desert, the defence of Malta and the Malayan campaign, and the contribution of the empire as a whole in terms of supplies, communications and troops, all reflect the strategic importance of Britain's imperial status. Men and women not only from Australia, New Zealand and India but from many parts of Africa and the Middle East all played their part. Winston Churchill saw the war throughout in imperial terms. The British Empire and the Second World War emphasises a central fact about the Second World War that is often forgotten. |
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... ships would have little chance against air attack in Ceylon's ill - defended harbours . Forty - eight ships left Colombo , though twenty - one merchantmen and eight Fleet Auxiliaries were still in harbour at the time of the raid . HMS ...
... ships , Taiping and Changte . Both were chartered by the Admiralty as Victualling Stores Issuing Ships . Each vessel carried enough food to feed 20,000 men for six months , including over 5000 gallons of Bundaberg rum for the Royal ...
... Ships , Air Stores Issue Ships and Amenity Ships . At its peak the BPF counted 125 ships manned by over 26,000 men , and the 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron could field 238 aircraft . It was a remarkably representative Commonwealth force ...