The Second Field Army is a military formation of the Egyptian Army, formed in 1968.[1][2] Army headquarters is at Ismailia. It is usually commanded by a field commander of lieutenant-general rank of at least 34 years' service, and reports directly to the Army General Headquarters and General Staff.
Just before the Battle of the Chinese Farm in 1973, it included on its southern flank the 21st Armoured Division commanded by Brigadier General Ibrahim El-Orabi and the 16th Infantry Division commanded by Brigadier General Abd Rab el-Nabi Hafez. In addition to being division commander Hafez also commanded forces within his division's bridgehead over the Suez Canal, which included the 21st Armoured Division. Orabi's unit included the 1st Armoured Brigade commanded by Colonel Sayed Saleh, the 14th Armoured Brigade commanded by Colonel Othman Kamel, and the 18th Mechanized Brigade commanded by Colonel Talaat Muslim. Hafez's 16th Division included the 16th Infantry Brigade, commanded by Colonel Abd el-Hamid Abd el-Sami', as well as the 116th Infantry and the 3rd Mechanised Brigades.[3]
Trevor N. Dupuy writes the 182nd Parachute Brigade was assigned to Second Army.[4] After the Battle of the Chinese Farm, Ismaila was under threat. The 182nd Parachute Brigade, comprising the 81st, 85th and 89th Battalions (each composed of three companies) under the command of Colonel Ismail Azmy, was assigned responsibility for defending the area south of Ismailia against an Israeli offensive. Azmy arrived at Nafisha with the bulk of his brigade at midnight on October 17, where he was briefed by Brigadier General Abd el-Munim Khalil, commander of Second Army. Khalil identified the west bank strong points as objectives for the paratroopers to secure, as the ramparts could be used to provide fire support to Egyptian forces on the east bank. The paratroopers would also hold Serabaeum and the bridges there over the Sweetwater Canal.[5][6]
Twenty-first century
President Mohamed Mursi attempted to strengthen his ties with the armed forces. Accompanied by Defence Minister Abdul Fatah al-Sisi, he greeted soldiers during his visit to the 6th Armoured Division of the Second Army, near Ismailia, some 75 miles north of Cairo, on October 10, 2012.[7]
In mid-2015, Second Army elements stationed in Ismailia were deployed to Sheikh Zuweid to combat the Sinai Insurgency.[8] It is assigned to defend the Northern Suez Canal.[9]
Operation Badr Order of Battle, 1973
See Dani Asher, The Egyptian Strategy for the Yom Kippur War: An Analysis, 2009, p.11
Second Field Army (Northern Canal Zone) - Maj Gen Sa'adeddin Ma'moun
Ahmad Ismail Ali (the first commander of the Second Army from November 1968 - March 1969) (Later Army Chief of Staff, Chief of Intelligence, Minister of Defense and promoted to Field Marshal).
References
^John Keegan, World Armies, Second Edition, MacMillan, 1983, p. 165, ISBN978-0-333-34079-0.
^Commander of the 31 thunderbolt Brigade and Commander of the Thunderbolt Units in Yemen, 1964; Commander of the 135th Independent Infantry Brigade in Port Fouad during the Yom Kippur War, 1973; Commander, Port Said Sector, 1973-1974; divisional commander, 23rd Mechanised Division? 1975 - 1976;
Chief of Staff of the Second Field Army 1980-1981; Army Commander, 1981-83.
Hammad, Gamal (2002). Military Battles on the Egyptian Front (in Arabic) (First ed.). Dār al-Shurūq. p. 903. ISBN977-09-0866-5.
