North African Campaign
Campaign Map
This map is adapted from the original used in Megan Hutching (ed.), The Desert Road: New Zealanders Remember the North African Campaign, Auckland, HarperCollins NZ, 2005.
Click highlighted regions for more detail
El Alamein
There were New Zealand camps at Maadi and Helwan to the south of Cairo. The famous New Zealand 'breakout' at Minqar Qa'im happened on 28 June 1942 when, during the night, troops fought through an almost complete German encirclement and fell back to the Alamein Line. Two battles were fought at El Alamein in 1942. The first was not an Allied success, but the second in October was the beginning of the victory over the German and Italian troops in the region.
Tobruk
It was to relieve Allied troops at Tobruk that New Zealanders took part in Operation Crusader in November 1941. It proved costly as thousands were taken prisoner at Sidi Rezegh and Belhamed, and many more were wounded (1700) and killed (879).
After the success at the second battle of El Alamein in October 1942, the New Zealand Division pursued German and Italian troops and captured Halfaya Pass.
Libya
El Agheila was where the Allies defeated Italian troops in late 1940 at the beginning of the North African campaign.
After the second battle of El Alamein in October 1942, the Allies pursued the Germans and Italians along the Libyan coast. They were unable to engage at either El Agheila or Nofilia as General Erwin Rommel withdrew his troops without making a stand. The Allies reached Tripoli on 22 January 1943, and unloaded supplies needed to help with the advance into Tunisia.
Tunisia
From Tripoli the Allies advanced into Tunisia where they successfully attacked the Germans and Italians at Tebaga Gap at the end of March 1943. The Axis forces withdrew to Enfidaville further up the coast of Tunisia , however. The last battle of the campaign for the New Zealanders was at Takrouna where 5 Brigade prevailed after an epic fight. On 13 May 1943 the Italians and Germans in North Africa surrendered to the Allies. The long campaign was over.
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