Sam Evans is a part-time PhD Candidate in the Defence Studies Department under the supervision of Professor Ashley Jackson.

He completed his MSc in the History of International Relations from the London School of Economics in 2017. His dissertation thesis focused on the creation and training of 11th East African Division in Ceylon and its subsequent role within the Fourteenth Army during the recapture of Burma from 1943 to 1945. His main areas of interest centre on the role played by East and West African formations within Britain’s imperial military framework during the Second World War. Beyond this, his research examines organisational learning, training and leadership within the British Empire’s military infrastructure.

Sam is a Burma Star Memorial Fund Scholar and has been active in promoting the contribution made by Britain’s East and West African forces in the campaign. He was also a member of the Community Panel for the National Army Museum’s ‘Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies’ Exhibition and presented at the accompanying Burma Conference.

Research Interests

• The British Empire and imperial command structures
• Africa and the Indian Ocean theatres during The Second World War
• East and West Africa Commands
• Colonial forces within the British military
• Doctrine, training and organisational learning
• Combined-arms warfare

PhD Thesis

‘East Africa Command and the East African contribution to Britain’s imperial military strategy, 1941-45’

The creation and expansion of East Africa Command illustrated an important logistical and military evolution, underpinned by the changing political landscape and resource demand forced onto the British Empire. Whilst East Africa’s contribution was initially limited to early localised campaigns against Italian colonial forces, it was the decision to deploy East African troops outside of the continent that propelled its standing and influence. This process started with deployments to Madagascar and Ceylon and culminated in East African forces serving with the Fourteenth army in Burma.

The aim of this thesis is to examine East Africa Command’s influence on the conduct of Britain’s imperial war effort across the Indian Ocean theatre. Whilst it was an independent command, it was at the same time a subordinate part of a complex military-led machine. In examining and evaluating the Command’s organisational learning in tandem with its operational deployments, it will explore the extent of its contribution to victory and how it operated alongside and compared to similar forces within Britain’s imperial military.