Baggush Box facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Baggush Box |
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| Part of Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War | |
| Maaten Baggush Near Mersa Matruh in Egypt |
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Men of the 20th Battalion, part of the 4th Infantry Brigade of the 2nd New Zealand Division, marching in Baggush, Egypt, September 1941.
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| Coordinates | 31°10′21″N 27°40′10″E / 31.17250°N 27.66944°E |
The Baggush Box was a military camp built by the British Army. It was located in the Western Desert of Egypt. This camp was about 35 miles (56 km) east of Mersa Matruh. It played an important role during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II.
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What Was the Baggush Box?
The Baggush Box was a temporary camp for soldiers. It was built by the Western Desert Force. This force was led by Lieutenant-General Richard O'Connor. The camp had tents for soldiers to live in. It also had offices that were dug underground. These underground offices were thought to be safe from bombs.
Who Was Stationed There?
General O'Connor set up his main headquarters at Baggush Box on June 8, 1940. A nearby airfield served as the base for the Desert Air Force. This air force group was led by Air Commodore Raymond Collishaw. The camp was a key spot for planning military actions.
Important Events at Baggush Box
The Baggush Box was a place where important decisions were made. It was also a base for scouting missions.
A Scouting Flight
On June 28, 1940, Italo Balbo flew a scouting mission. He was the leader of Italian Libya. He flew over areas like Sidi Barrani and Maaten Baggush. Sadly, his aircraft was shot down when he tried to land. He was replaced by Marshal Rodolfo Graziani.
Planning a Big Attack
On November 26, General O'Connor held a meeting at Baggush Box. This meeting happened after a practice exercise called "Training Exercise No. 1." During this exercise, soldiers practiced attacking strong enemy positions. They didn't know these positions were copies of Italian camps.
The officers at the meeting said the usual battle plan was too slow. They worried it would give away their surprise. They also feared it would leave soldiers open to air attacks.
Air Support Decisions
Air Marshal Arthur Longmore was in charge of the air force. He was asked to send planes to help in Greece. He also needed to provide air cover for a big attack called Operation Compass. To do this, he moved some planes from Egypt's air defenses. These planes were then available to help General O'Connor's forces.
Changing Headquarters
Before the big attack began, General O'Connor moved his headquarters. He went to a base closer to the front lines. Lieutenant-General Henry Maitland Wilson then took over the Baggush Box headquarters. Wilson was the main commander of the British Troops in Egypt.
