Day-by-Day Timeline of Events
Wednesday, July 1st - July 22nd, 1942
The First Battle of El Alamein takes place with Erwin Rommel hoping to put a dent in the Allied defense near El Alamain. Rommel's forces consist of his Afrika Corps and three Italian troop corps.
Wednesday, July 1st, 1942
German General Erwin Rommel attempts to break through the Allied defensive perimeter at El Alamein.
Friday, July 3rd, 1942
The Allies put up a stubborn defense, repelling Rommel's offensive.
Saturday, August 1st - August 30th, 1942
British Prime Minister relieves General Auchinleck with General Harold Alexander as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East.
Saturday, August 1st - August 30th, 1942
German forces are strengthened by the arrival of another Italian division, a German parachute brigade and more tanks.
Saturday, August 1st - August 30th, 1942
Churchill replaces 8th Army leader Major-General Neil Ritchie with General Bernard Montgomery.
Sunday, August 30th, 1942
Rommel begins a new offensive starting from Bab el Qattara that becomes the Battle of Alam Halfa near El Alamein. The objective is the high ridge at Alam Halfa some 13 miles through the Allied defensive perimeter in the south.
Wednesday, September 2nd, 1942
Rommel's assault is thwarted, his tank forces suffering high losses in the attack - and his army is pushed back to Bab el Qattara.
Thursday, September 3rd - October 23rd, 1942
General Montgomery decides to make El Alamein a war of numbers and stockpiles his supplies to eventually try to overwhelm the Germans.
Friday, October 23rd, 1942
The Allied counter-offensive begins through Operation Lightfoot, a massive artillery bombardment of dug-in German forces.
Friday, October 23rd, 1942
At 10:00PM, British XIII Corps hits the German 21st Panzer Division and Italian Brescia and Folgore Divisions in the south of the German defensive wall as a diversion to its north-bound actions.
Friday, October 23rd, 1942
XXX and X Corps begin their assault on Axis nothern positions.
Sunday, October 25th, 1942
Allied mine-clearing operations begin while combat continues
Sunday, October 25th, 1942
Four Allied brigades have managed to break through the German defensive lines.
Sunday, October 25th, 1942
Montgomery enacts Operation Supercharge and pulls some diversionary forces from his southern attacks to reinforce the north where losses continue to mount.
Monday, November 2nd, 1942
As more and more Allied armor crosses through the German perimeter, Rommel orders his battle-weary forces on an eastward retreat, keeping his forces within easy access to the North African coast.
Wednesday, November 4th, 1942
British X Corps makes a substantial gain in capturing Tel el Aqqaqir, running straight through the beleagured Axis lines, effectively ending the Battle of El Alamain in favor of the Allies. The victory is a major one for the Germans are in full retreat throughout North Africa. The action officially ends all Axis presence on the continent.