Key points

• The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the North African Campaign, was one of the major theatres of World War II in Africa.
• The campaign began in 1940, with the Italian invasion of Egypt, and lasted until 1943, with the eventual defeat of the Axis powers.
• The British and Commonwealth forces, under the command of – amongst others - General Bernard Montgomery, fought against the German and Italian forces, under the command of General Erwin Rommel, in a series of battles in the desert.
• The campaign was characterized by armoured warfare, with both sides using tanks and armoured vehicles in the desert.
• The British and Commonwealth forces were able to achieve success in the desert thanks to their superior tanks and tactics, as well as their ability to resupply and reinforce their troops.
• The battle of El Alamein, fought between October and November 1942, was a turning point in the campaign, as the British and Commonwealth forces were able to defeat the German and Italian forces and push them out of Egypt.

 

"The Western Desert was a vast and hostile arena, an ideal ground for the German-Italian armored divisions to operate in"

Erwin Rommel, commander of the German and Italian forces in the Western Desert Campaign.

 

The North African campaign, also known as the Western Desert Campaign, was one of the major theatres of the war in Africa. The campaign began in 1940, with the Italian invasion of Egypt, and lasted until 1943, with the eventual defeat of the Axis powers. The British and Commonwealth forces, under the command of General Bernard Montgomery, fought against the German and Italian forces, under the command of General Erwin Rommel, in a series of battles in the desert. The British and Commonwealth forces were able to successfully push the Axis powers out of Egypt and eventually into Tunisia, where they were finally defeated.

 

The North African campaign was characterized by the use of armoured warfare, with both sides using tanks and other armoured vehicles in the desert. The British and Commonwealth forces used tanks such as the Matilda and the Valentine, while the German and Italian forces used tanks such as the Panzer III and the Panzer IV. The British and Commonwealth forces were able to achieve success in the desert thanks to their superior number of tanks, use of tactics, as well as their ability to resupply and reinforce their troops.

 

The battle of Gazala, fought between May and June 1942, was one of the most significant battles of the North African campaign. The battle was fought between the British and Commonwealth forces and the German and Italian forces and resulted in a victory for the Axis powers. The Axis powers were able to capture the port of Tobruk and push the British and Commonwealth forces back. The battle of Gazala was significant, as it marked the first major setback for the British and Commonwealth forces in the desert.

 

The battle of El Alamein, fought between October and November 1942, was another significant battle of the North African campaign. The battle was fought between the British and Commonwealth forces, under the command of General Bernard Montgomery, and the German and Italian forces, under the command of General Erwin Rommel. The battle was a turning point in the war, as the British and Commonwealth forces were able to defeat the German and Italian forces and push them out of Egypt.

 

The war in Africa also saw the involvement of the United States, which entered the war in December 1941, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The US Army, under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, played a crucial role in the North African campaign, by providing support to the British and Commonwealth forces, as well as by landing in North Africa in 1942 in Operation Torch. The American troops helped to reinforce the British and Commonwealth forces and contributed to the eventual defeat of the Axis powers in North Africa.

 

"The Western Desert Campaign in 1942 was a crucial year, both sides fought fiercely and the outcome of the battles were still uncertain"

Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during the Second World War.

 

In addition to the North African campaign, the war in Africa also saw several other theaters of operations. The war in East Africa, which was fought between the British and Commonwealth forces and the Italian and German forces, was one of the most significant theaters of the war in Africa. The war in East Africa was characterized by the use of irregular warfare, with both sides using guerrilla tactics and unconventional weapons. The British and Commonwealth forces were able to successfully push the Italian and German forces out of East Africa and secure control of the region.

 

The war in West Africa, which was fought between the British and French forces and the Vichy French forces, was another significant theatre of the war in Africa. The war in West Africa was characterized by the use of naval warfare, with both sides using ships and submarines to control the coasts and waterways. The British and French forces were able to successfully push the Vichy French forces out of West Africa and secure control of the region.

The war in Africa also had a significant impact on the civilian population, as significant numbers of people were displaced, injured, or killed as a result of the fighting. The war also resulted in the destruction of infrastructure and the economy of the affected regions.

 

Land forces

The British and Commonwealth forces had a significant advantage in terms of the number of troops over the German and Italian forces. The British and Commonwealth forces had a total of around 300,000 troops, while the German and Italian forces had a total of around 250,000 troops.

The British and Commonwealth forces were made up of a mix of troops, including British and Commonwealth soldiers, as well as troops from other Commonwealth countries such as India, Australia, and New Zealand. The British and Commonwealth forces were also reinforced by the United States in 1942, with the arrival of the American troops in Operation Torch.

The German and Italian forces were made up of a mix of troops, including German and Italian soldiers, as well as troops from other Axis countries such as Romania and Hungary. The German and Italian forces were also reinforced by troops from Vichy French forces.

The British and Commonwealth forces had a significant advantage in terms of the number of troops, which allowed them to maintain a constant pressure on the German and Italian forces and to conduct a war of attrition. The German and Italian forces, on the other hand, were stretched thin and had difficulty replacing their losses.

During the Western Desert Campaign, the British and Commonwealth forces had a total of around 3,000 tanks, while the German and Italian forces had a total of around 2,000 tanks. The British and Commonwealth forces had a mix of tanks, including the Matilda, Crusader, and Valentine, while the German and Italian forces primarily used the Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks.

It's important to note that these are approximate figures and the number of tanks available to each side varied throughout the campaign due to losses, maintenance and reinforcements. Also, the quality and capabilities of the tanks were also different, with the German and Italian tanks being considered more advanced and better armoured than the British and Commonwealth tanks.

It is difficult to determine the exact number of artillery pieces each side had during the Western Desert Campaign. However, it is known that the British and Commonwealth forces had a significant amount of artillery, which included field guns, anti-tank guns, and howitzers. They had a combination of 25-pounder field guns, 6-pounder anti-tank guns and Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns which could be used against ground targets. The German and Italian forces also had a significant amount of artillery, which included field guns, anti-tank guns, and howitzers. They had a combination of 75mm, 88mm and 105mm field guns and anti-tank guns.

The number of artillery pieces available to each side varied throughout the campaign due to losses, maintenance and reinforcements. The quality and capabilities of the artillery pieces were also different, with the German artillery being considered more advanced and better in range and firepower than the British and Commonwealth artillery – particularly the fearsome 88mm AA gun which was converted to an anti-tank role.

Air power

During the Western Desert Campaign, the British and Commonwealth forces had a significant advantage in air power over the German and Italian forces. The British and Commonwealth forces had a total of around 1,500 aircraft, while the German and Italian forces had a total of around 800 aircraft.

The British and Commonwealth forces had a mix of aircraft, including fighters such as the Hurricane and the Spitfire, as well as bombers such as the Wellington and the Blenheim. These aircraft were used for both ground attack and air-to-air combat. The Royal Air Force (RAF) also had a significant number of reconnaissance aircraft, which provided valuable intelligence on the movement and positions of the German and Italian forces.

The German and Italian forces had a mix of aircraft, including fighters such as the Me 109 and the Macchi C.202, as well as bombers such as the Ju 87 and the SM.79. However, these aircraft were not as advanced as the British and Commonwealth aircraft and were outmatched in both range and performance.

The British and Commonwealth air forces were able to achieve air superiority over the German and Italian forces, which provided a significant advantage in terms of reconnaissance, ground support and interdiction. The RAF was able to conduct bombing and strafing runs on the German and Italian ground forces, which disrupted their logistics and hindered their mobility. The German and Italian air forces, on the other hand, struggled to match the British and Commonwealth air power, and were not able to provide effective air support to their ground forces.

In conclusion, the British and Commonwealth forces had a significant advantage in air power over the German and Italian forces during the Western Desert Campaign. The RAF's ability to achieve air superiority provided a significant advantage in terms of reconnaissance, ground support, and interdiction. The German and Italian air forces were outmatched and were not able to provide effective air support to their ground forces.

 

Casualties

It is estimated that the British and Commonwealth forces suffered around 35,476 deaths during the Western Desert Campaign, while the German and Italian forces suffered around 32,342 killed. The number of civilians who were killed or injured as a result of the fighting is not well documented, but it's estimated to be in the tens of thousands.

These are rough estimates, as many deaths were not reported or recorded during the chaos of the war, and it's likely that the actual number of casualties is much higher.

 

Conclusion

The war in Africa during World War II was fought primarily in the North African desert and was a major theatre of operations for both the Axis and Allied powers. The war in Africa was characterized by the use of armoured and irregular warfare and saw the involvement of the United States. The North African campaign was a turning point in the war and marked the defeat of the Axis powers in Africa. The war in Africa also had a significant impact on the civilian population and the economy of the affected regions. The war officially ended in May of 1945 with the unconditional surrender of Germany.