The British II Corps was formed in both World War I and World War II.

During WWII its first assignment was to the British Expeditionary Force. It took part in the advance into Belgium, and was then pushed back with the rest of the force. It was evacuated from Dunkirk. After commanding forces in the United Kingdom, it was maintained as a unit for deception purposes. It played a part in Operation Fortitude, the great deception prior to Operation Neptune, the assault on the Normandy beaches.

After WWII, it was based in the Middle East, controlling British forces around the Suez Canal. Following the British withdrawal from Egypt, II Corps was also the controlling force for the invasion of the country during the Suez Crisis.