Battle of El Alamein Remembered

Alexander Turnbull Library, War History Collection DA3431

THE BARRAGE OPENS: No 3 gun, C Troop, 47 Battery, 5 Field Regiment firing during the opening barrage of the Battle of El Alamein, 23 October 1942.

In early August 1942 General Sir Harold Alexander replaced General Sir Claude Auchinleck as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, and Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery took command of the 8th Army and issued new orders -

"No Withdrawal, No Surrender"

	NEW ORDERS: A special message to his troops from General Montgomery dated 20 August 1942.

This was a month of unbearable heat, furnace-like conditions, sand storms, scorpions, mosquitoes, flies and Stuka dive bombers. It was also a month when vast quantities of war materials poured into the Middle East and the RAF became very prominent in the skies.

Two hundred and twenty thousand Allied troops, 1000 tanks and 400 armoured cars were mobilised and shortly before 10pm in the bright light of a full desert moon, on the night of October 23 a barrage of 900 field guns opened up as a prelude to Operation Lightfoot, and the now famous battle of El Alamein. Twenty minutes later the infantry assault began in the New Zealand sector.

The story of this battle had its beginning in June 1942 when the New Zealand Division was urgently recalled back to Egypt from Syria.

TAKING COMMAND: Lt Gen Montgomery.

The Division, less the 6th Brigade, which was left at Amiriya, near El Alamein, was deployed on an escarpment at Minqar Qaim in an endeavour to impede the advance of the Afrika Corps, but was unfortunately surrounded by the enemy. Then on the night of 27 June, the New Zealanders made a spectacular breakout and took up a defensive position known as the 'Kaponga Box' near a small siding on the Mediterranean railway, 80km from Alexandria on what was to become the El Alamein line.

This was a strip of barren desert wasteland stretching 40km from the coast to the Quattara Depression, a sea of sand impassable by wheeled vehicles - and dominated for some 18km by Ruweisat Ridge running parallel to the coast.

For the next five months this relatively small area was to be the battleground for British, Australian, South African, Indian, Free French and New Zealand troops.

"It was a long protracted period of living dangerously," says Alan Johnston, El Alamein veteran and former Dominion President of the New Zealand Returned Services' Association.

"For those who were present in Egypt at that time, El Alamein has a certain instant recall because so much happened to so many New Zealanders during this particular action that it remains indelibly printed on one's memory. It tested the mettle of all who were involved."

Three major engagements took place during this period. The first, a five-day operation in mid-July was fought to secure a bridgehead on Ruweisat Ridge.

"This was not a good time for the New Zealand Division," says Mr Johnston, "we lost 1500 killed, wounded and taken prisoner with the majority of 19, 20 and 22 Battalions going into the bag."

It was during this battle that Captain Charles Upham VC was wounded and taken prisoner and, for his gallant actions against the enemy at Ruweisat Ridge, was awarded his second Victoria Cross - in this same action, Sergeant Keith Elliott also won the coveted award for valour.

"It was a time when there were many instances of extreme bravery and heroism, both recorded and unrecorded," says Mr Johnston.

On July 21, the New Zealand Division attacked once again, this time on El Mreir Ridge, and again lost 700 officers and other ranks.

Then, on 23 October, heralded by the roar of 900 Allied artillery pieces, came the massive offensive against the Afrika Corps that was El Alamein, but it was not to be a walk-over. Such had been the build up of German and Italian forces, that six days later, the breakthrough had still not been accomplished.

But, when the Axis armies in Africa rose to meet the onslaught of the 8th Army, they were at an immediate disadvantage in almost every department. Not least of their deficiencies was the absence of their great leader, Rommel, a sick man who had returned to Germany on 23 September for treatment and rest. In his place General G Stumme held command - disgruntled in the knowledge that if an attack came, Rommel would return at once.

Imperial War Museum
SURRENDER: During the savage fighting in the 30th Corps sector, one of Rommel's Panzers surrenders to a British infantryman.

It was not until the unleashing of Operation Supercharge, led by the 2nd New Zealand Division and augmented by two British infantry brigades on the night of November 1/2, that victory was finally achieved by the Allies. Both protagonists lost heavily in the ensuing conflict, but by day's end Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Corps and his Axis partner were in a state of complete collapse and, in spite of Hitler's order to "stand fast", began a disordered westward retreat harried continually by Allied air and land attacks.

But that victory was not without tragic cost. During the seven-day breakthrough (October 23 to November 2) that is now commemorated as El Alamein, 380 New Zealanders were killed in action and a further 1300 wounded.

In total, the North African campaign cost the New Zealand Division 1300 officers and men killed, 3700 wounded and 2000 taken prisoner of war.

"This was a disastrous price to pay for victory, especially when those figures only apply to one country's casualties," says Alan Johnston who, as an infantry sergeant, suffered severe leg wounds during the early campaign. But it was a victory that was sorely needed by the Allies and the manner of its achievement echoed around the world.

	El Alamein War Cemetery

The names of 11,945 Commonwealth servicemen are commemorated on the Alamein Memorial in the El Alamein War Cemetery which contains the graves of men who died at all stages of the desert campaigns.

The inscription reads, "To the glory of God and to the undying memory of the Eighth Army. 23 October - 4 November 1942."

Later, when reviewing New Zealand troops in Tripolitania, Winston Churchill said, "The Division's feat of arms entitles this army of the desert to fill a deep founded sense of comfort and pride based on valiant duty faithfully done. You will be cherished by future generations who, through your exertions and sacrifices will go forward to a better and a fairer and a brighter world."

Mr Johnston says this particular period of action in World War II was most significant and in the opinion of those who served and survived at El Alamein, together with many Allied leaders, it was considered the turning point of the war

"A victory it was - but not a glorious victory, there is no glory in war, only human tragedy and suffering," he says.

"As we all know in time of war, leadership itself is never sufficient unless backed by personal involvement and with the ability to lead by action. This is reflected in the veterans who returned home and who have been untiring in their peacetime efforts on behalf of the dependants of those who fell in battle and of those of their comrades who returned broken in body, mind and spirit." he says.

"It is fitting that 60 years on, many survivors from both sides of this human tragedy of desert warfare will meet once again at El Alamein to reflect on the significance of the battle and to remember with pride and sorrow those of their comrades who made the supreme sacrifice."

The Germans, Italians and British take turns at organising an annual international commemoration at El Alamein with this year's ceremony being hosted by the Italians. There is also a separate Commonwealth service of commemoration.

New Zealand will be officially represented, by a delegation led by the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Helen Clark and the Chief of General Staff, Major General Jerry Mateparae. Included in the party, which will travel to Egypt by RNZAF transport aircraft, will be a 25-strong tri-Service Honour Guard, a Defence Maori cultural group, four veterans of the battle chosen by ballot and two representatives of RNZRSA. They will be joined by three members of the Cadet Force and three secondary school students chosen as winners of an El Alamein essay competition arranged by the Prime Minister's Department.

Miss Clarke says she was keen to encourage a greater interest in New Zealand history among young people. "El Alamein was a major turning point in World War II," she says, "and New Zealanders played a key role in events there."

"On this day we will not be paying homage only to our own fallen," says Mr Johnston, "but will be remembering all of the 40,000 troops of all nations, both friend and foe who now lie in the desert sands."

Further article:

El Alamein - a Commonwealth victory