commanded a portion of the division that had been diverted there while in transit. An initial attempt to join the main part of the division in the Middle East in October 1940 was foiled when the ship he was travelling on was bombed and forced to return to England. Greece Miles served throughout the Greece campaign and played a key role in the organisation of the withdrawal of the division as it retreated ahead of the advancing Germans. His artillery allowed the New Zealand infantry to defend against attacks in daylight and then withdraw at night. The artillery was particularly vital in covering the undefended high ground on the flanks of 6th Infantry Brigade as it manned a holding position at Thermopylae. Miles was mentioned in despatches for his work during this period. and was also awarded the Greek Cross of Valour. He briefly took command of all New Zealand forces on Crete, to where the bulk of the division had been evacuated from Greece, but after a few days went on to Egypt and missed the subsequent Battle of Crete. Some of his artillery units had also left Crete, albeit without much of their equipment, prior to the fighting. North Africa After convalescing, Miles re-joined the 2nd New Zealand Division in North Africa, where it was reforming after the losses incurred in Greece and on Crete. He then participated in Operation Crusader. During this campaign, aimed at lifting the besieged port of Tobruk, the 2nd New Zealand Division was involved in heavy fighting around Sidi Rezegh, where Miles deployed artillery in support of the 6th Infantry Brigade. Having established a corridor to Tobruk, the commander of the division, Major General Bernard Freyberg, was becoming concerned that they would be unable to hold it open. On 30 November, he entrusted Miles with getting permission from Lieutenant General Alfred Godwin-Austen, the corps commander, to withdraw into or alongside Tobruk. Tentative permission was granted but only if Sidi Rezegh could not be held. However, the same day the 6th Brigade was overrun by elements of the 15th Panzer Division. Miles advised Freyberg, still unaware of the fate of 6th Brigade due to poor communications, of Godwin-Austen's instructions on his return to the 2nd New Zealand Division's headquarters early on 1 December. Later that day, the 6th Field Regiment was overrun by German forces advancing to Belhamed. Miles, concerned about his artillery given