Editing Mortimer Wheeler (section)

===Second World War: 1939–45===

Wheeler had been expecting and openly hoping for war with [[Nazi Germany]] for a year before the outbreak of hostilities; he believed that the United Kingdom's involvement in the conflict would remedy the shame that he thought had been brought upon the country by its signing of the [[Munich Agreement]] in September 1938.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|p=189}} Volunteering for the armed services, on 18 July 1939 he returned to active service as a major (Special List).<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34660|date=29 August 1939 |page=5925 |supp=|nolink=y}}</ref> He was assigned to assemble the 48th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery at [[London Borough of Enfield|Enfield]], where he set about recruiting volunteers, including his son [[Michael Mortimer Wheeler|Michael]].{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=196–198}} As the 48th swelled in size, it was converted into the 42nd Mobile Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in the [[Royal Artillery]], which consisted of four batteries and was led by Wheeler – now promoted to the temporary rank of [[lieutenant-colonel]] (effective 27 January 1940) – as Commanding Officer.<ref>{{cite book|pages=522f|title=The Quarterly Army List: October 1942 (Part I)|publisher=HM Stationery Office|year=1942}}</ref>{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=198, 199}} Given the nickname of "Flash Alf" by those serving under him,{{sfnm|1a1=Piggott|1y=1977|1p=635|2a1=Hawkes|2y=1982|2p=198}} he was recognised by colleagues as a ruthless disciplinarian and was blamed by many for the death of one of his soldiers from [[influenza]] during training.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=198–199}} Having been appointed secretary of the Society of Antiquaries in 1939 and then director in 1940, he travelled to London to deal with society affairs on various occasions.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|p=200}} In 1941 Wheeler was awarded a Fellowship of the British Academy.{{sfn|Piggott|1977|p=638}} Mavis de Vere Cole - Wheeler’s wife, had meanwhile entered into an affair with a man named Clive Entwistle, who lambasted Wheeler as "that whiskered baboon". When Wheeler discovered Entwistle in bed with her, he initiated divorce proceedings that were finalised in March 1942.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=200–202}}

In the summer of 1941, Wheeler and three of his batteries were assigned to fight against German and Italian forces in the [[North African Campaign]]. In September, they set sail from Glasgow aboard the [[RMS Empress of Russia|RMS ''Empress of Russia'']]; because the Mediterranean was controlled largely by enemy naval forces, they were forced to travel via the [[Cape of Good Hope]], before taking shore leave in [[Durban]]. There, Wheeler visited the local [[kraal]]s to compare them with the settlements of Iron Age Britain.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=203–205}} The ship docked in [[Aden]], where Wheeler and his men again took shore leave.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|p=206}} They soon reached the British-controlled [[Suez]], where they disembarked and were stationed on the shores of the [[Great Bitter Lake]].{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|p=207}} There, Wheeler took a brief leave of absence to travel to [[Jerusalem]], where he visited Petrie on his hospital deathbed.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=207–208}} Back in Egypt, he gained permission to fly as a front gunner in a [[Vickers Wellington|Wellington bomber]] on a bombing raid against Axis forces, to better understand what it was like for aircrew to be fired on by an anti-aircraft battery.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|p=208}}

[[File:Forum leptis magna.JPG|thumb|left|In North Africa, Wheeler sought to preserve archaeological remains, such as those of Leptis Magna (pictured), from being damaged by occupying troops.]]

Serving with the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|Eighth Army]], Wheeler was present in North Africa when the Axis armies pushed the Allies back to [[El Alamein]]. He was also part of the Allied counter-push, taking part in the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] and the advance on Axis-held [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]].{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=209–216}} On the way he became concerned that the archaeological sites of North Africa were being threatened both by the fighting and the occupying forces. After the British secured control of Libya, Wheeler visited Tripoli and [[Leptis Magna]], where he found that Roman remains had been damaged and vandalised by British troops; he brought about reforms to prevent this, lecturing to the troops on the importance of preserving archaeology, making many monuments out-of-bounds, and ensuring that the [[Royal Air Force]] changed its plans to construct a radar station in the midst of a Roman settlement.{{sfnm|1a1=Piggott|1y=1977|1p=635|2a1=Hawkes|2y=1982|2pp=216–218}} Aware that the British were planning to invade and occupy the Italian island of [[Sicily]], he insisted that measures be introduced to preserve the historic and archaeological monuments on the island.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|p=218}}

Promoted to the acting rank of [[brigadier]] on 1 May 1943,<ref>{{cite book|pages=522f|title=The Quarterly Army List: December 1946 (Part I)|publisher=HM Stationery Office|year=1946}}</ref> after the German surrender in North Africa, Wheeler was sent to [[Algiers]] where he was part of the staff committee planning [[Allied invasion of Italy|the invasion of Italy]].{{sfnm|1a1=Piggott|1y=1977|1p=635|2a1=Hawkes|2y=1982|2pp=219–220}} There, he learned that the [[India Office]] had requested that the army relieve him of his duties to permit him to be appointed Director General of Archaeology in India. Although he had never been to the country, he agreed that he would take the job on the condition that he be permitted to take part in the invasion of Italy first.{{sfnm|1a1=Piggott|1y=1977|1p=635|2a1=Hawkes|2y=1982|2pp=220–221}} As intended, Wheeler and his 12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade then took part in the invasion of Sicily and then mainland Italy, where they were ordered to use their anti-aircraft guns to protect the [[X Corps (United Kingdom)|British 10th Corps]].{{sfnm|1a1=Piggott|1y=1977|1p=635|2a1=Hawkes|2y=1982|2pp=122–124}} As the Allies advanced north through Italy, Wheeler spent time in [[Naples]] and then [[Capri]], where he met various aristocrats who had anti-fascist sympathies.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=124–126}}

Wheeler left Italy in November 1943 and returned to London. There, he resigned as the director of the London Museum and focused on organising the Institute of Archaeology, preparing it for its adoption of a new director, [[V. Gordon Childe]], after the war. He also resigned as director of the Society of Antiquaries, but was appointed the group's representative to the newly formed [[Council for British Archaeology]].{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=226–227}} He developed a relationship with a woman named Kim Collingridge, and asked her to marry him. As she was a devout [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]], he officially converted to the religion, something which shocked many of his friends, who believed that he was being dishonest because he did not genuinely believe in the doctrines of the faith.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|pp=227–229}} He then set sail for [[Bombay]] aboard a transport ship, the ''City of Exeter'', in February 1944.{{sfn|Hawkes|1982|p=229}}