El Alamein - The North African Campaign

The battles of El Alamein

The New Zealand Division fell back to the Alamein Line, where it took part in the first Battle of Alamein. At Ruweisat on 15 July, and El Mreir a week later, the New Zealanders carried out their part of the attack plans by seizing their objectives in successful night assaults. Both times the infantry battalions were left unsupported on their objectives, and when German tanks appeared they had no choice but to surrender.

The inability of New Zealand anti-tank and other support weapons to get forward to the newly won positions contributed to the debacle at Ruweisat. But its main cause was the failure of the British armour to move forward. Faulty command and staff work and a lack of initiative on the part of the exhausted British tankies lay at the heart of the problem. Two New Zealand brigades suffered heavy casualties in these battles, and several thousand more were taken prisoner.

Conscious that time was not on his side, Rommel tried to break the stalemate on the Alamein Line. This action marked the debut of a new commander of 8 Army, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery. Montgomery was fortunate to arrive on the scene as conditions began to favour the Allies. But Montgomery was not just a lucky general. He brought a new uncompromising approach, immediately indicating that there would be no thought of further retreat.

In the second Battle of El Alamein, which began on 23 October 1942, the New Zealand Division had a key role. With South African, Australian and Scottish divisions, it would 'break in' to the enemy defences, which were now covered by deep minefields. The violence of the opening barrage is still remembered for lighting up the sky like fireworks on Guy Fawkes' night. The New Zealanders seized their objectives on Miteiriya Ridge.

The battle did not develop as Montgomery expected because the armour became bogged down. He planned a new attack further south: Operation Supercharge would essentially repeat the process of the initial attack. Although he looked to the New Zealand Division's experienced headquarters to plan Supercharge, the division itself was too weak to provide the punch necessary so two British brigades helped carry out the attack. New Zealand infantry battalions would protect the flanks while other divisional units advanced with the British infantry.

Operation Supercharge began at 1.05 a.m. on 2 November. By 4 November Rommel was withdrawing the mobile parts of his army. Many of the Italian troops, without adequate transport, were taken prisoner. Rommel felt that the Axis loss at Alamein was decisive. For the time being, however, he conducted a skilful retreat.

Anglo-American forces landed in Vichy French Morocco and Algeria on 7 November 1942. Resistance ended after three days. To meet the new threat, the Axis poured men into Tunisia, forming a new army commanded by General Hans-Jurgen von Arnim. The Germans and Italians were now fighting on two fronts in North Africa.