Tedder was AOC Middle East in 1941 and developed effective techniques of air and ground force co-operation during the campaigns in the Western Desert. As AOC Mediterranean, he began a successful partnership with General Eisenhower in 1943 when he was responsible for co-ordinating land and air operations during the invasion of Sicily and Italy. As Eisenhower’s deputy commander in the preparations for D-Day, he worked with Harris and Spaatz on the bombing of communications in France.