Briggs was highly regarded by his superiors, among them being Field Marshal Sir William Slim, who is perhaps most famous as being the commander of the British Fourteenth Army during the Burma campaign.

[3] Born in Pipestone, Minnesota, to English parents who returned to England a few years after his birth, Briggs was an American citizen until receiving British naturalisation papers in 1914.

Operating independently from the main force, Briggsforce advanced from Sudan and, under the direct orders of Lieutenant General William Platt, entered Eritrea from the north through the border town of Karura.

Owing to lack of transport the brigade took no part in Operation Battleaxe in June but in August was detached once again as the Oasis Group to hold the Siwa and Jarabub Oases, some 150 miles (240 km) south of the Mediterranean coast on each side of the Egypt – Libya border.

When the Afrika Korps, under Erwin Rommel ("The Desert Fox"), heavily defeated the British armour at Sidi Rezegh he made his "dash for the wire" to destroy Eighth Army's rear echelons.

[16] Briggs's brigade took part in Eighth Army's advance to and through the Axis defensive line at Gazala, ending the year at Benghazi.

When Rommel counterattacked in late January from his position at El Agheila Briggs found his brigade, still at Benghazi, threatened with being cut off.

Dispersing into battalion groups the brigade made its way south across the Axis rear lines into the desert and then turned eastwards to reach Mechili, still in British hands, with almost no losses.

His division took heavy casualties in the unsuccessful Operation Aberdeen and was forced to withdraw from Knightsbridge and El Adem to Sollum on the Egypt – Libyan border to reform.

The division was at Mersa Matruh involved in the delaying action as Eighth Army withdrew to El Alamein and again was severely mauled.

During the Battle of Alam el Halfa in late August and early September the division was engaged on the Ruweisat Ridge but saw only relatively light action as the main Axis attack developed to the south.

[31][26] In 1950, Briggs was recalled to active duty by Slim, who was by that time Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), to become Director of Operations in Malaya where the Malayan Emergency was in progress.

The role of Director of Operations in Malaya was assumed by Sir Gerald Templer who oversaw the successful implementation of Briggs' plan.