Battle of Damour

Battle of Damour
Part of the Syria-Lebanon Campaign of World War II
The broken bridge at the mouth of the Damour river
Date 5–9 July 1941 Location Damour, French Lebanon Result Australian victory
Belligerents
Australia	Vichy France French Lebanon
Commanders and leaders
Arthur Samuel Allen	Henri Dentz

Vichy France

The Battle of Damour (5–9 July 1941) was the final major operation of the Australian forces during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign of World War II.

In 1941, Damour was the French administrative capital. Damour is a large town on the coast of Lebanon and is approximately 30 kilometres south of Beirut.

The Wadi Damour, with the Damour River in its bed, was a further three kilometres to the south of the town. These features were the last major natural obstacles that had to be crossed prior to reaching Beirut. Having already captured the heights overlooking Damour on the south bank of the wadi, the plan developed by Major General Arthur "Tubby" Allen, commanding the 7th Australian Division, involved encircling the Vichy French positions at Damour.

On the night of 5 July 1941, the operation began with troops of the 21st Brigade moving into position to cross the Damour River in two places.

Early on 6 July, the Australians attacked Vichy French positions on the northern side. The 2/16th Battalion attacked at El Atiqa. The 2/27th Battalion attacked at El Boum. By nightfall, both positions were in Australian hands.

In the early hours of 7 July, the 2/3rd Battalion and the 2/5th Battalion, along with two companies of the 2/14th Battalion, moved northwards through El Boum. They outflanked Damour to the east. At Daraya, the 2/14th companies swung west to advance on Damour from the east, while the 2/3rd Battalion and the 2/5th Battalion continued north to cut the road to Beirut north of the town.

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