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Mediterranean and North Africa · British Commonwealth vs Germany and Italy

Second Battle of El Alamein

23 October 1942 – 11 November 1942

Montgomery's Eighth Army, with a large superiority in men, tanks and aircraft, ground through the Axis minefields over twelve days. Rommel's army was broken and retreated 1,500 miles to Tunisia. It was the last major Commonwealth victory won without American ground forces.

Explore Second Battle of El Alamein on the interactive map · Wikipedia

Day by day

— Lightfoot

At 21:40, 882 guns open on the German and Italian line between the sea and the Qattara Depression. XXX Corps attacks in the north to cut two corridors through the minefields; XIII Corps makes a diversion in the south. Rommel is in Austria on sick leave.

— The dog-fight

The corridors are open but the armour cannot get out of them. Montgomery pulls the New Zealanders back and shifts the weight north: the Australians crumble the coast sector while 1st Armoured holds Kidney Ridge. Rommel, back since the 25th, counter-attacks with everything and loses tanks he cannot replace.

— Supercharge

A second set-piece attack goes in north of Kidney Ridge at 01:00. The 9th Armoured Brigade is sacrificed on the Rahman track, losing 75 of 94 tanks, but the Afrika Korps is down to 35 runners by nightfall.

— Breakout

Hitler's order to stand fast arrives too late to matter. The line is broken west of Tel el Aqqaqir, General von Thoma is captured with the last of the Afrika Korps' tanks, and the Panzerarmee retreats along the coast road with the British armour behind it.

— The pursuit

The Eighth Army is past Fuka and Mersa Matruh; rain has bogged the armour and Rommel is away. It will be 1,500 miles and six months before he is caught in Tunisia.

El Alamein 1942: British infantry advances through the dust and smoke of the battle. Sergeant Len Chetwyn had a focus on creating and recording re-enactments of military scenes behind the front lines rather than recordin
El Alamein 1942: British infantry advances through the dust and smoke of the battle. Sergeant Len Chetwyn had a focus on creating and recording re-enactments of military scenes behind the front lines rather than recordinLen Chetwyn · Public domain · source
IWM caption : Kittyhawk Mark III, FR241 ‘LD-R’, of No. 250 Squadron RAF, taxying at LG 91, Egypt, during Operation LIGHTFOOT, the first phase of the Alamein offensive. FR241 is an early ‘short-tail’ Mark III with a dorsa
IWM caption : Kittyhawk Mark III, FR241 ‘LD-R’, of No. 250 Squadron RAF, taxying at LG 91, Egypt, during Operation LIGHTFOOT, the first phase of the Alamein offensive. FR241 is an early ‘short-tail’ Mark III with a dorsaRoyal Air Force official photographer · Public domain · source
A German 88 mm FlaK 36 gun which had been used as a tank attack weapon near El Aqqaqir, Egypt. The whole crew were killed and were found buried alongside the gun. Allied Sherman and Crusader tanks can be seen on the skyl
A German 88 mm FlaK 36 gun which had been used as a tank attack weapon near El Aqqaqir, Egypt. The whole crew were killed and were found buried alongside the gun. Allied Sherman and Crusader tanks can be seen on the skylAustralian armed forces · Public domain · source
A mine explodes close to a British truck as it carries infantry through enemy minefields and wire to the new front lines.
A mine explodes close to a British truck as it carries infantry through enemy minefields and wire to the new front lines.Mapham J (Sgt), No 1 Army Film & Photographic Unit · Public domain · source

Equipment in this battle

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