North African Campaign
The North African Campaign was part of the Second World War. It took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. The campaign in North Africa included fighting in the Egyptian and Libyan Deserts (the Desert War), and in Morocco and Algeria (Operation Torch) and Tunisia (Tunisia Campaign).
There was a see-saw series of battles for the control of Libya and parts of Egypt. The Siege of Tobruk in 1941 was one of the turning points. In the Second Battle of El Alamein British Commonwealth forces under the command of Lieutenant general Bernard Montgomery decisively defeated the Afrika Korps and other Axis forces and pushed them back to Tunisia.
The late 1942 Allied landings in Operation Torch in North-West Africa was done to mop up the remaining enemy forces. There were battles against Vichy France forces which then changed sides. The Allies suffered a serious defeat at the Battle of the Kasserine Pass. Later, they defeated the Axis forces in southern Tunisia (battle of Mareth[1]), then encircled the remaining Italian & German troops in northern Tunisia and finally forced them to surrender.
After the fall of Tunis, the last troops to surrender were the Italians of general Messe on May 13, 1943 in the northern Tunisian peninsula of Cape Bon.
North African Campaign Media
A British Matilda Mk II named "Glenorchy" of Major K.P. Harris, MC, commander of 'D' Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment during Operation Compass displaying an Italian flag captured at Tobruk, 24 January 1941
Czechoslovak 11th Infantry Battalion defending Tobruk
Men of the 4th Indian Division with a captured German flag at Sidi Omar in North Africa.
Erwin Rommel with Italian governor of Libya, General Italo Gariboldi (on Rommel's right), in Tripoli, February 1941
New Zealand members of the Long Range Desert Group pause for tea in the Western Desert, 27 March 1941
British Crusader tanks moving to forward positions during Operation Crusader, 26 November 1941
British colonial troops captured by Italian and German forces in 1941
American troops on board a Landing Craft Assault heading into Oran, November 1942
Dead Italian soldier holding a photograph of his child, north Africa, 1940s
