1942 âļ 'Black Saturday' at Gazala
'Black Saturday' for the 8th Army at the Battle of Gazala; d...
Year
1942
đŖ 'Black Saturday' at Gazala
'Black Saturday' for the 8th Army at the Battle of Gazala; during the course of the day Rommel does great damage to the British armour. At the end of the day not only have unsustainably large amounts of British armour been destroyed, but both 50th Division and 1st South African Division, who have largely retained their forward positions along the Gazala Line, are threatened with envelopment. The position of 50th Division is especially grave since Rommel's armour now ranges freely between them and safety.âļ
North AfricaGazalabattlesDesert WarRommelarmored warfareBritish Armytank battle
âī¸ Battle of Gazala: British Counter-Attack Fails
At Gazala, British forces of the Eighth Army commanded by General Ritchie launch a major counter-attack against Rommel's forces in the Cauldron. The attack fails, partly because Rommel has already recovered his critical logistics situation and has established an excellent defensive position, but also in large part due to German anti-tank tactics; 32nd Army Tank Brigade, for example, loses 50 of 70 tanks. By early afternoon Rommel is clearly in control of the situation and attacks the British position known as "Knightsbridge" with the Ariete and 21st Panzer divisions. Several British tactical headquarters positions are overrun and command and control of the British forces becomes problematic; as a result, several brigades are stranded in the Cauldron when the British retirement begins. In addition, the British suffer further heavy tank losses.âļ
North AfricaBattle of GazalaEighth ArmyRommelTank BattleGerman ArmyBritish ArmyDesert WarfareMilitary Strategy
âī¸ Rommel Drives Out Free French at Bir Hakeim
Rommel pushes the Free French forces out of Bir Hakeim, a fortress south-west of Tobruk. Although the 1st Free French brigade is largely surrounded, their commander, General Koenig, is able to find and fight his way through gaps in Rommel's widely dispersed forces.âļ
North AfricaDesert WarFree FrenchRommelBir Hakeimbattlesmilitary tactics
đĄī¸ British Forced Out of Knightsbridge
At Gazala, the British are forced out of the defensive position known as 'Knightsbridge;' it is only approximately fifteen miles from the Tobruk perimeter (some sources give a date of 13 June for this; the withdrawal may have been in operation on both calendar days).âļ
North AfricaGazalabattlesDesert WarBritish Armyarmored warfaremilitary tactics
âŠī¸ British Begin Withdrawal from Gazala Line
At the Gazala Line, the British position has become untenable, and General Auchinleck authorizes General Ritchie to make a concerted withdrawal from forward positions along the line.âļ
North AfricaGazalawithdrawalDesert WarBritish Armymilitary strategytactical retreat
đââī¸ 1st South African Division Withdraws from Gazala
1st South African Division is able to withdraw along the coastal road, but the road cannot accommodate all the troops at once, and this route is in any event is under threat of being cut by Rommel's forces; so troops including 50th Division must first breakout to the southwest, through the area occupied by Italian X Corps, and then turn east to rejoin 8th Army. This somewhat daring operation is concluded successfully. The RAF forces available, although outnumbered, make a valiant effort to cover the retreat. Churchill sends Auchinleck a telegram beginning, 'To what position does Ritchie want to withdraw the Gazala troops? Presume there is no question in any case of giving up Tobruk.'âļ
North AfricaGazalaretreatDesert WarSouth African Armymilitary maneuvers8th Army