First Battle of El Alamein
1942 battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War
The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle during the Second World War that took place in El Alamein, Egypt. It was fought between the Allied forces, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy from July 1 to July 27 1942. It was part of the Western Desert Campaign.
German Field Marshal Commander Erwin Rommel led the Afrika Korps. British Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck led the Eighth Army, defending El Alamein from Rommel's attacking army. Italian General Ettore Bastico was also part of the battle.
The British prevented a second advance by the Axis forces into Egypt, which were 66 miles from Alexandria and dangerously close to the ports and cities of Egypt.
