The British Eighth Army was formed in September 1941 in North Africa from troops stationed in Egypt. By November of that year, it consisted of two corps, XIII and XXX. It included, among others: the 2nd New Zealand Infantry Division, the 4th Indian Infantry Division, the 7th Armoured Division (the famous "Desert Rats") and the 1st South African Infantry Division. By the end of 1942, it numbered around 220,000 men, formed into 10 divisions and several independent brigades. The Eighth Army had its baptism of fire during the Battle of Tobruk in November 1941. Later, in 1941-1943, it fought in North Africa, winning a very important victory at the Battle of El Alamein, and later defeating the Axis forces in Libya and Tunisia. It is worth adding that its commander from August 1942 to December 1943 was Bernard Law Montgomery - one of the best British commanders of World War II. In 1943-1945, the Eighth Army took part in the battles in the Apennine region, participating in the landings in Sicily and in the landings in southern Italy. Its soldiers later broke through the Gothic Line and the Gustav Line, and also took part in the battles of Monte Cassino in 1944. It was the 8th Army that included the 2nd Corps of the Polish Armed Forces under the command of General Anders. In 1945, the Eighth Army participated in the fighting in the Po River Valley, and later entered Austria, where it completed its combat career during World War II.
