1940 |
|
10 June |
Italy declares war on France and Great Britain |
13 September |
Italian offensive into Egypt, to halt at Sidi Barrani on the 18th |
9 December |
British Western Desert Force, led by General Richard O’Connor, attacks the Italian positions at Sidi Barrani (Operation Compass), this turns into a major offensive leading to the seizure of Cyrenaica |
1941 |
|
February |
British victory at Beda Fomm and destruction of the Italian Tenth Army; arrival of the first German units in Libya along with their commander, General Erwin Rommel |
1 April |
Rommel starts his offensive, which leads to the recapture of Cyrenaica |
11 April |
Tobruk, held by Australian troops, is besieged by the Axis forces, who are unable to seize it, despite repeated attempts |
18 November |
British Eighth Army’s ‘Crusader’ offensive is started, Tobruk is relieved and on 8 December Rommel’s Panzer Army Africa starts to withdraw west |
1942 |
|
21 January |
Rommel’s second offensive in Cyrenaica, halted at the Gazala line on 4 February |
27 May |
Panzer Army Africa attacks the Gazala line, and although the plan turns into a failure the following day it eventually defeats the Eighth Army which, on 14 June, starts withdrawing east leaving Tobruk to be held by the South Africans |
20–21 June |
Tobruk is seized by Panzer Army Africa, which two days later crosses the Libyan–Egyptian frontier |
25–28 June |
Panzer Army Africa attacks and seizes Mersa Matruh, two days later the forces of the Eighth Army withdraw behind the El Alamein line |
1–3 July |
First battle of El Alamein: Panzer Army Africa attacks the defence perimeter, but is repulsed by the Eighth Army |
9 July |
Rommel’s second attack against the Alamein line in the south, at Bab el Qattara, fails again |
10–14 July |
9th Australian and 1st South African divisions attack from the Alamein perimeter |
15–17 July |
The New Zealand Division attacks at Ruwesait Ridge |
21–27 July |
Panzer Army Africa faces a serious crisis, although it manages to hold the line; a new series of attacks is launched by Australian, South African and New Zealand forces at Ruwesait and Miteirya ridges; eventually both sides start to dig and form a defence line |
12 August |
General Bernard Law Montgomery takes over command of the Eighth Army from General Claude Auchinleck |
31 August– 4 September |
Rommel’s second attempt to break through the Alamein line, this time moving from the south. The battle of Alam Halfa ends with Panzer Army Africa’s failure, and its eventual retreat back to the starting positions. Both sides prepare for the decisive battle |
23 September |
Rommel leaves Egypt and returns to Germany; temporary command of the Panzer Army Africa is taken over by General Georg Stumme |
23 October |
Operation Lightfoot: the first phase of the second battle of El Alamein starts |
24–26 October |
After the attack fails to break through the Panzer Army Africa defences, the ‘dog fight’ ensues |
26–27 October |
British 1st Armoured Division attacks Kidney Ridge and repulses Afrika Korps’ counterattacks |
28–30 October |
9th Australian Division swings north and attacks toward the coast, facing fierce opposition from Afrika Korps |
1 November |
Montgomery devises the Supercharge plan, intended to achieve a decisive breakthrough |
2–3 November |
Eighth Army starts Operation Supercharge and penetrates the enemy defences, after its counterattacks ended in a failure |
4 November |
Panzer Army Africa starts its withdrawal to the west |
5–6 November |
Panzer Army Africa regroups at Fuka before withdrawing further westwards |
8 November |
Allied landings in French North-West Africa, followed by the Axis creation of the bridgehead at Tunis |
10–11 November |
Panzer Army Africa reaches the Libyan–Egyptian frontier, only to continue with its march to the west |
24 November |
The Axis forces take position on the Mersa Brega line, which is held until 12 December when Panzer Army Africa starts the second phase of its withdrawal |
19 December– 15 January |
Rommel’s last stand on the Buerat line is threatened by Eighth Army’s advance and is abandoned on 16 January |
1943 |
|
23 January |
Tripoli is seized by the Allies three months after the beginning of the second battle of El Alamein; the following day the Axis forces start to cross the Libyan–Tunisian frontier |
4–15 February |
The Axis forces start to deploy on the Mareth line in Tunisia; the war in the Western Desert is over |
23 February |
Rommel takes over command of the newly formed Army Group Africa; the Panzer Army Africa (also known as German-Italian Panzer Army) becomes 1st Italian Army |
14–25 February |
Led by Rommel, the Axis attack the US II Corps’ positions at Kasserine but fail to achieve a breakthrough |
9 March |
Rommel leaves North Africa |
20–27 March |
Battle of the Mareth line, followed by the Axis withdrawal |
5–6 April |
Battle of Wadi Akarit, the Axis forces retreat into the Tunis bridgehead |
19 April– 13 May |
Last Allied offensive in Tunisia, which ends with the final surrender of all the Axis forces in North Africa |