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{{Short description|Battle of World War II}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict = Battle of Merdjayoun
|partof = the [[Syria-Lebanon Campaign]] of [[World War II]]
|image = 6th Australian Field Regiment - Syria 1941 (AWM 008195).jpg
|image_size = 300px
|caption =Command post of the Australian 2/6th Field Regiment during fighting against the French in the Merdjayoun sector
|date = 19–24 June 1941
|place = [[Marjayoun]], [[Greater Lebanon|French Lebanon]]
|casus =
|territory =
|result = Allied victory
|combatant1 =
{{flag|United Kingdom}}<br>
*{{flagicon|British Raj}} [[British Raj|India]]
{{flag|Australia}}
|combatant2 = {{flag|Vichy France}}
*{{flagicon image|Lebanese French flag.svg}} [[Greater Lebanon|French Lebanon]]
|commander1 = {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Arthur Samuel Allen]]
|commander2 =
|strength1 =
|strength2 =
|casualties1 =
|casualties2 =
|campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Syria-Lebanon}}
}}

The '''Battle of Merdjayoun''' took place during the [[Syria-Lebanon Campaign]] of [[World War II]] from 19–24 June 1941 between [[Vichy French]] and predominantly [[Military history of Australia during World War II|Australian]] [[Allies in World War II|Allied]] forces in and near the [[French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon|Lebanese]] town of [[Marjayoun]].

==Initial fighting==
Australian forces advancing from the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]] entered Marjayoun on 11 June 1941 against badly equipped defenders, after which the majority of the Australian [[25th Brigade (Australia)|25th Brigade]] was diverted north to attack [[Battle of Jezzine (1941)|Jezzine]], leaving a small force based around the [[2/33rd Battalion (Australia)|2/33rd Battalion]] to hold Merdjayoun.{{sfn|Coulthard-Clark|1998|p=191}} Following a strong Vichy French counterattack, this garrison was forced to withdraw south on 15 June.<ref>{{Cite web |language=fr |url=http://www.menapress.com/article.php?sid=1281 |title=Facétie de l'histoire (suite) |author=Jean Tsadik |year=2001|archive-date=2007-10-07|access-date=2016-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007224731/http://www.menapress.com/article.php?sid=1281 }}</ref> In the ensuing battle, Allied troops successfully defended the pass leading back to Palestine, and recaptured the town early on 24 June.<ref name="VC">{{London Gazette |issue=35360 |supp=y |page=6825 |date=25 November 1941}}</ref> The [[Australian 7th Division|7th Australian Division]]—commanded by Major-General [[Arthur Samuel Allen|Arthur "Tubby" Allen]]—was reinforced by units from the [[6th Australian Division]].

On 20 June, the French Information Office (''Office Francais d'Information'', OFI) of the Vichy French government announced: "Yesterday the British attempted unsuccessfully to attack Damascus and Merjayoun, [[Lebanon]]. Indian and British troops advanced in the area south and southeast of Damascus, but we succeeded in repulsing them in counterattacks by our armoured units and took 400 prisoners. Yesterday afternoon our troops warded off an enemy attack in the mountainous zone of southern Lebanon. We took 80 prisoners in this operation. Along the coast, the British fleet continued to bombard our positions."

The [[2/3rd Battalion (Australia)|2/3rd Battalion]] of the 6th Division was part of the column sent to relieve elements of the [[5th Indian Infantry Brigade]] Group which had been cut off and surrounded in Mezze, a western neighborhood of [[Damascus]], after the [[Battle of Damascus (1941)|Battle of Damascus]]. They gallantly stormed the high ground near Mezze but in spite of their efforts the column were only able to fight their way into Mezze a few hours after the Allied defenders, out of ammunition and without food for the previous 50 hours, had been overrun.<ref>{{cite book|first=Compton |last=Mackenzie|authorlink=Compton Mackenzie|title=Eastern Epic|publisher=Chatto & Windus|location=London|date=1951|pages=120}}</ref>

The [[2/5th Field Regiment (Australia)|2/5th Australian Field Regiment]] was also part of the relief column. Lieutenant [[Arthur Roden Cutler|Arthur Roden (later Sir Roden) Cutler]] repeatedly engaged enemy tanks, enemy infantry, enemy anti-tank, and enemy machine posts with his [[Ordnance QF 25-pounder|25-pounder field gun]], his [[Boys anti-tank rifle]], his [[Bren]] gun, or his [[Lee–Enfield|.303 rifle]]. He later lost his leg during the [[Battle of Damour]], but was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his actions at both Merdjayoun and [[Damour]].<ref name="VC" /> Cutler is the only Australian artilleryman to ever been awarded the VC.

==Follow-up==
On 29 June, the Vichy French government announced in a communique: "The British Fleet has bombed our coastal positions in the Middle East. We have evacuated several of our bases in the mountains of southern Lebanon under cover of artillery fire which inflicted heavy losses on our assailants. Our aerial forces, supported by naval aircraft, repeatedly intervened in the ground fighting, especially around [[Palmyra]] (Syria). A British colonel and 40 men were captured."

On 30 June, the Headquarters of Lieutenant-General [[Henry Maitland Wilson]] (Allied commander in Lebanon and Syria) announced: "The Allied offensive against [[Homs]] (Syria) is making substantial progress. An Australian squadron flying American-model aircraft, shot down a formation of six Vichy French Glenn Martin bombers in aerial combat. The Australians came back without losses to themselves."

==Notes and references==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}

'''References'''
*{{cite book|last=Coulthard-Clark|first=Chris|title=Where Australians Fought: The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles|year=1998|edition=1st|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=St Leonards, New South Wales|isbn=1-86448-611-2}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|last=Dean|first=Peter|title=The Architect of Victory: The military career of Lieutenant General Sir Frank Horton Berryman|date=7 February 2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Port Melbourne|isbn=9780521766852|pages=119–139}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Merdjayoun, Battle of}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1941]]
[[Category:1941 in France]]
[[Category:Military battles of Vichy France]]
[[Category:Syria–Lebanon campaign]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving Australia]]
[[Category:Land battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom|Merdjayoun]]
[[Category:June 1941 events]]

Battle of Merdjayoun - Revision history

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