Saturday, September 30, 2023 About Us Contact Us Terms of Service Copyright Privacy

War News | Military History | Military News

The North African Campaign of World War Two – In Pictures!

Damian Lucjan, Guest Author

The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942)

It was a battle that lasted 27 days and prevented Afrika Korps from reaching Cairo. After the battle of Gazala, the British Eighth Army retreated to El Alamein line.

The road to El Alamein [via]
The road to battle [via]
Area of Western Desert Campaign 1941–1942 [via]
Area of Western Desert Campaign 1941–1942 [via]
Rommel in North Africa. June 1942 [via]
Erwin Rommel in North Africa. June 1942 [via]
15 June 1942 [via]
Generaleldmarshall Erwin Rommel during a briefing. 15 June 1942 [via]
'Moritz' - personal vehicle of Erwin Rommel [via]
‘Moritz’ – personal vehicle of Erwin Rommel [via]
Gerenal sir Claude Auchinleck with Winston Churchill
General sir Claude Auchinleck (right), Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain (left).  5 August 1942 [via]
British troops dig in at El Alamein during the first battle. El Alamein, 1942 [via]
British troops dig in at El Alamein during the first battle. 1942 [IWM 4700-32]
British infantry manning a sandbagged defensive position near El Alamein. 17 July 1942 [via]
British infantry manning a sandbagged defensive position near El Alamein. 17 July 1942 [via]
Afrika Korps tank hunters with an Sd.Kfz. 232 armoured car in front [via]
Afrika Korps tank hunters with an Sd.Kfz. 232 armoured car in front [via]
An Australian machine gun post near El Alamein in July 1942. The forward troops had to endure cramped conditions in slit trenches during the heat of the day, as movement above ground was impossible due to enemy fire [via]
An Australian machine gun post near El Alamein in July 1942. The forward troops had to endure cramped conditions in slit trenches during the heat of the day, as movement above ground was impossible due to enemy fire [via]
An Australian soldier with a captured German MG 34 machine gun. 25 July 1942 [via]
An Australian soldier with a captured German MG 34 machine gun. 25 July 1942 [via]
A 4.5-inch field gun of 64th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery, in action in the Western Desert. 28 July 1942 [via]
A 4.5-inch field gun of 64th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery, in action. 28 July 1942 [via]
Panzer II of the Afrika Korps [via]
Panzer II of the Afrika Korps [via]
A Valentine in North Africa, carrying British infantry [via]
A Valentine in North Africa, carrying British infantry [via]
Destroyed Panzer IIIs near Tel el Eisa [via]
Destroyed Panzer IIIs near Tel el Eisa [via]
A 25-pdr field gun of 11th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, in action. July 1942 [via]
A 25-pdr field gun of 11th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, in action. July 1942 [via]
Gunners of 2/8th Australian Field Regiment firing a 25-pounder during the battle of El Alamein. Artillery was used at El Alamein on a massive scale, supporting the infantry when they went forward, and protecting them when they were counterattacked. 12 July 1942 [via]
Gunners of 2/8th Australian Field Regiment firing a 25-pounder during the battle of El Alamein. Artillery was used at El Alamein on a massive scale, supporting the infantry when they went forward, and protecting them when they were counterattacked. 12 July 1942 [AWM 024513]
A soldier inspects a dug-in German 88mm anti-tank gun abandoned during the enemy retreat in the Western Desert. 24 July 1942 [via]
A soldier inspects a dug-in German 88mm anti-tank gun abandoned during the enemy retreat. 24 July 1942 [via]
A Hurricane fighter-plane burning after it had been shot down near El Alamein. 7 July 1942 [via]
A Hurricane fighter plane burning after it had been shot down near El Alamein. 7 July 1942 [AWM 024476]
A Crusader tank of the Australian 9th Division Cavalry Regiment. Most Allied armoured formations in North Africa were British, and they were the ones who usually bore the brunt of Rommel’s panzer attacks. 10 July 1942 [via]
A Crusader tank of the Australian 9th Division Cavalry Regiment. Most Allied armoured formations in North Africa were British, and they were the ones who usually bore the brunt of Rommel’s panzer attacks. 10 July 1942 [AWM 024483]
A German 88mm anti-tank gun captured and destroyed by New Zealand troops near El Alamein. 17 July 1942 [via]
A German 88mm anti-tank gun captured and destroyed by New Zealand troops near El Alamein. 17 July 1942 [via]
A soldier inspects an Italian M13/40 tank that was knocked out near El Alamein. 11 July 1942 [via]
A soldier inspects an Italian M13/40 tank that was knocked out near El Alamein. 11 July 1942 [via]
A German Signals reception unit in the desert at first day of the battle of El Alamein [via]
A German Signals reception unit in the desert [via]
German 15 cm heavy artillery howitzers being towed by Sd.Kfz. 9 "Famo" half trucks towards El Alamein during the first battle. July 1942 [via]
German 15 cm heavy artillery howitzers being towed by Sd.Kfz. 9 “Famo” half trucks towards El Alamein during the first battle. July 1942 [IWM (MH 5869)]
A camel stands in the midst of wrecked vehicles from the Battle of El Alamein [via]
A camel stands in the midst of wrecked vehicles from the Battle of El Alamein

Damian Lucjan

Damian is a history geek that’s working for War History Online for almost a decade. He can talk about the history and its chain of events for hours and is 100% legit fun at parties. Aside of history, geography and etymology of all things are no less exciting for him! An avid video game player, meme distributor, and your comment section moderator all in one. Mythologies of all cultures are fascinating to him, Greek, Nordic, Slavic – you name it, and he’s in!

In his spare time, assuming he has some left, he gives it all to his family, enjoying morning walks, a good book, an exciting FPS, and a long nap…or a few. Definitely a cat person.