Part 7/16:

The news of successes and ongoing attrition in the desert prompted a critical leadership change. On November 26th, British Chief of the General Staff Middle East Command, General Arthur Smith, arrived to relieve Cunningham, who was deemed unwilling or unable to adapt to the evolving battlefield conditions. Reluctantly, Cunningham stepped down, with Major General Neil Ritchie taking command of the Eighth Army. Ritchie, inexperienced in frontline leadership, was a staff officer with limited combat command experience, prompting concerns about his ability to lead the battered force.

Cunningham’s departure became public only two weeks later, but his departure underscored internal tensions and the urgent need for fresh leadership to face the daunting challenges ahead.