✦ History

Part of World War II, North African campaign

Western Desert campaign

June 11, 1940 – February 4, 1943 · Western Desert, Egypt–Libya border

Result Allied victory

The desert war between the British Commonwealth and the Italian and German armies along the coast of Egypt and Libya, from Italy's entry into the war to the fall of Tripoli and the Eighth Army's arrival in Tunisia.

On the map Overview Contemporaries

Allies

Axis

United Kingdom
British Raj
Mandatory Palestine
Jordan
Australia
New Zealand
Union of South Africa
Free France
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Greece
Italy
Germany
Archibald Wavell belligerent leader Bernard Montgomery belligerent leader Harold Alexander military commander Claude Auchinleck military commander Alan Cunningham military commander Neil Ritchie military commander
Erwin Rommel military commander Albert Kesselring military commander Rodolfo Graziani belligerent leader Georg Stumme military commander Italo Balbo belligerent leader Ugo Cavallero belligerent leader Italo Gariboldi military commander Curio Barbasetti di Prun military commander
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Ettore Bastico military commander

Strength and losses

Casualties
220,000
Killed
35,476
Casualties
620,000
Killed
32,342

Units

Eighth Army (United Kingdom) Western Desert Force XIII Corps (United Kingdom) 10th Infantry Division (India) 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division 5th Infantry Division (India) 7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) 24th Brigade (Australia) 26th Brigade (Australia) 7th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom) 1st Flintshire Rifle Volunteers 2/12th Battalion (Australia)
Army Group Africa Italian 10th Army (1940) Panzer Army Africa Afrika Korps 15th Panzer Division 17th Infantry Division "Pavia" 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"

Battles 18