First Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle of the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War, fought in Egypt between Axis forces of the Panzer Army Africa—which included the Afrika Korps under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel—and Allied forces of the Eighth Army under General Claude Auchinleck.
British infantry manning a sandbagged defensive position near El Alamein, 17 July 1942.
Afrika Korps tank hunters with an Sd.Kfz. 232 armoured car in front.
Italian anti-aircraft battery at Mersa Matrouh in June of 1942
Rommel in North Africa (June 1942).
The Western Desert campaign took place in the deserts of Egypt and Libya and was the main theatre in the North African campaign of the Second World War. Military operations began in June 1940 with the Italian declaration of war and the Italian invasion of Egypt from Libya in September. Operation Compass, a five-day raid by the British in December 1940, was so successful that it led to the destruction of the Italian 10th Army over the following two months. Benito Mussolini sought help from Adolf Hitler, who sent a small German force to Tripoli under Directive 22. The Afrika Korps was formally under Italian command, as Italy was the main Axis power in the Mediterranean and North Africa.
British infantry in a re-enactment of their advance at El Alamein, 24 October 1942
132nd Armored Division "Ariete" attacks
Cruiser Tank Mk I (A9)
Ghibli approaches