DK - World War II Map by Map

144 THE WIDENING WAR 1942

Oct 23

The front line

extends from the sea,

south-east into the desert.

Oct 24 The 30th

Corps moves

through the

Axis minefields.

Oct 25 Allied

infantry reach

Miteiriya Ridge.

1

Sep–Oct More

than 500,000 German

mines are laid along the

40-mile- (60-km-)

long front line.

Nov 1 The Allies

simulate a coastal

landing to suggest

a seaborne attack.

Nov 4 Rommel’s forces

retreat to the west.

Oct 26 The

German

21st Panzer

Division and

the Italian

Ariete Division

move north.

Nov 2 Allied armor breaks

through Axis lines.

Oct 26–27 The

misnamed Kidney

Ridge, actually a

depression, sees the

worst of the fighting.

2

△ Advancing infantry

Allied soldiers from the British 8th Army charge

across desert terrain during the second Battle of

El Alamein in November 1942.

British

8th Army

British

30th Corps

German

Afrika Korps

El Alamein

Sidi Abd

Rahman

British

13th Corps

British

10th Corps

El Imayid

Ruweisat

Ridge

Kidney

Ridge

E

G

Y

P

T

Tel el Aqqaqir

Mite

iriy

a (^) R
idg
e
El Taka Plateau
Qa
tta
ra (^) D
epression
M e d i t e r r a n e a n
(^)
S
e
a
Axis “Devil’s
Gardens” minefields
Allied objective
Front line,
Oct 23, 1942
Main Allied attacks
Diversionary
Allied attacks
Allied amphibious
feint attack
Axis movement
AXIS AND ALLIED PLANS OCTOBER 1942
Rommel’s forces were expecting a significant British
attack, so dug in to the Egyptian desert behind deep
minefields nicknamed the “Devil’s Gardens,” backed
by anti-tank weapons. The weaker Italian troops
were arranged between the stronger German
formations. Montgomery ran a number of operations
designed to confuse and mislead his enemy, giving him
more time to resupply and to meticulously plan the
two phases of his attack, which were code named
Lightfoot and Supercharge.
OPERATION LIGHTFOOT
OCTOBER 23–NOVEMBER 1, 1942
On October 23, the British 30th Corps launched
an artillery offensive on the north of the front line,
followed by an infantry advance through northern
minefields. Further south, the British 13th Corps
conducted a diversionary assault. After some delays,
the armored divisions broke through the minefields,
concentrating their attacks in the north. The German
defenses proved robust, and the fighting was fierce.
On November 1, a diversionary amphibious assault
took place on the north coast near Sidi Abd Rahman.
US_144-145_British_triumph_Alamein.indd 144 22/03/19 11:48 AM