Mediterranean

1940–1943: The North African campaign

September 1940 – May 1943 · 15 battles

In September 1940 the Italian army in Libya advanced into Egypt towards the Suez Canal, but halted a few dozen kilometres in, at Sidi Barrani. Over the next two and a half years the front in the Western Desert swung back and forth along the coast between Tripolitania and the Nile Delta: a British counter-offensive routed the Italians, the arrival of Rommel’s Afrika Korps reversed the situation, and besieged Tobruk became a symbol of resistance. After the British victory at El Alamein in the autumn of 1942 and the Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria, the Axis forces were driven back into Tunisia, where they surrendered in May 1943.

9–16 September 1940Italian invasion of EgyptFrom 9 to 16 September 1940 the Italian Tenth Army advanced from Libya into Egypt along the coast, took Sidi Barrani, then halted and built camps.
9 December 1940 – 9 February 1941Key battleOperation CompassFrom 9 December 1940 to 9 February 1941 the Western Desert Force destroyed Italy's Tenth Army at Sidi Barrani, Bardia, Tobruk and Beda Fomm and took Cyrenaica.
24 March – 15 April 1941Key battleRommel’s first offensive24 March – 15 April 1941. In three weeks Rommel retook Cyrenaica from the British, captured three generals and reached Egypt’s border. Tobruk held out.
10 April – 27 November 1941Key battleSiege of TobrukFrom 10 April to 27 November 1941 Australians, Britons, Poles and Czechoslovaks held Tobruk against Rommel. Supplied by sea, the fortress never fell.
15–17 June 1941Key battleOperation BattleaxeOn 15–17 June 1941 the British tried to defeat Rommel on the Egyptian frontier and relieve Tobruk. They lost more than 90 tanks and fell back.
18 November – 30 December 1941Key battleOperation Crusader18 November – 30 December 1941. The British Eighth Army relieved Tobruk and drove Rommel out of Cyrenaica, at the cost of hundreds of tanks at Sidi Rezegh.
21 January – 6 February 1942Rommel's second offensive (1942)From 21 January to 6 February 1942 Rommel struck from Mersa Brega, routed the 1st Armoured Division, retook Benghazi and drove Eighth Army back to Gazala.
26 May – 21 June 1942Key battleBattle of GazalaOn 26 May – 21 June 1942 Rommel outflanked the Gazala Line, beat Eighth Army in the Cauldron and took Bir Hakeim and Tobruk with some 33,000 prisoners.
1–27 July 1942Key battleFirst Battle of El AlameinOn 1–27 July 1942 Auchinleck halted Rommel's exhausted army at El Alamein. British counter-attacks failed and the front froze 100 km from Alexandria.
30 August – 5 September 1942Key battleBattle of Alam el HalfaOn 30 August – 5 September 1942 Rommel struck in Egypt for the last time. Short of fuel and under RAF bombs, he was repulsed at Alam el Halfa and fell back.
23 October – 11 November 1942Key battleSecond Battle of El AlameinOn 23 October – 11 November 1942 Montgomery's Eighth Army broke Rommel's position at El Alamein and drove the Axis out of Egypt – the turning point in Africa.
8–16 November 1942Key battleOperation TorchOn 8–16 November 1942 American and British troops landed in Morocco and Algeria. After three days of fighting Vichy forces, Admiral Darlan ordered a ceasefire.
17 November 1942 – 13 May 1943Key battleTunisian campaignNovember 1942 – May 1943. After a winter stalemate, Kasserine and Mareth, the Allies took Tunis and Bizerte, and the Axis lost its last army in Africa.
14–24 February 1943Battle of the Kasserine PassOn 14–24 February 1943 Rommel and Arnim routed the Americans at Sidi Bou Zid and the Kasserine Pass, but were halted at Thala and Sbiba and fell back.
20–28 March 1943Battle of the Mareth LineOn 20–28 March 1943 Eighth Army attacked the Mareth Line. The frontal assault failed, but an outflanking move through the Tebaga Gap forced Messe to retreat.