Corps, a reference to the combined Australian-New Zealand formations of World War I. This was short-lived, though, as the Allied forces in Greece were quickly overcome by the German advance and after withdrawing from Gerania through Elasson, Larissa and Levadia, I Corps HQ left Greece on 23–24 April, and were subsequently evacuated to Egypt, although elements of the 6th Division were landed on Crete where they fought another short and unsuccessful campaign in May. The corps re-formed in Deir Suneid, in Palestine, during which time the previous I Corps designation was assumed. In June 1941, as part of the initial plan for the invasion of Lebanon and Syria, held by Vichy French forces, I Corps was to take command of operations after Commonwealth forces reached their first objective, the Beirut–Damascus road. However, on 18 June, prior to that objective being reached, I Corps headquarters – based at Nazareth – took charge, to improve command and control of the Allied forces. From this date all Allied troops in the theatre came under the command of Lieutenant General John Lavarack, who took over from Blamey when he became deputy commander-in-chief in the Middle East. The forces under I Corps' command around this time included: 7th Division (less the 18th Infantry Brigade), the British 6th Infantry Division, the 1st (Free French) Light Division and the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade Group. The corps directed operations that captured Damascus and Damour before the armistice took effect on 12 July. Following the armistice in July, I Corps headquarters was established at Aley, near Beirut, and assumed responsibility for occupying all of Lebanon and Syria north of the Beirut–Damascus road. Eventually, the Australian 6th Infantry Division arrived to relieve the British 6th. Pacific area Java, Ceylon, and home defence Following the outbreak of the Pacific War, I Corps headquarters, along with the 6th and 7th Divisions, were released from service in the Middle East to meet the threat posed by the Japanese advance through the Pacific. The divisions departed Egypt by sea in several convoys between January and March 1942. The 9th Division would remain in the Middle East, though, upon request, and would see further action in the First and Second Battles of El Alamein, where they would be assigned to the British XXX Corps. As the situation in the Pacific grew desperate for the Allies, plans were made to deploy I Corps headquarters, and the