✦ History

Part of World War II, Western Desert campaign

Battle of Gazala

May 26 – June 21, 1942 · Gazala

Result Axis victory

Rommel's Axis army defeated the British Eighth Army at the Gazala line in Libya. The Axis then took Tobruk and advanced into Egypt.

On the map Overview Contemporaries

Axis

Allies

Italy
Germany
United Kingdom
British Raj
Union of South Africa
Erwin Rommel military commander Albert Kesselring military commander Walther Nehring military commander Ludwig Crüwell military commander Ettore Baldassarre military commander Ettore Bastico military commander
Willoughby Norrie, 1st Baron Norrie military commander Claude Auchinleck military commander Neil Ritchie military commander William Gott military commander

Strength and losses

Strength
110,000
Casualties
50,000
Tanks
843
Aircraft
604

Units

Army Group Africa Panzer Army Africa Afrika Korps 101st Motorized Division "Trieste" 132nd Armored Division "Ariete" 17th Infantry Division "Pavia" 27th Infantry Division "Brescia"
Eighth Army (United Kingdom) 1st Flintshire Rifle Volunteers

Battles 1