North African campaign timeline facts for kids

The North African Campaign was a really important part of World War II. It was a big fight between the Allied Powers (like Britain, the US, and their friends) and the Axis Powers (Germany and Italy). This war happened mostly in the deserts of North Africa, especially in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. It lasted from 1940 to 1943. Control of North Africa was key because it protected important shipping routes and oil supplies. This timeline will show you the main events of this desert war.

1940: The War Begins

• June 10: Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom.
• June 14: British forces from Egypt cross into Libya. They capture Fort Capuzzo.
• June 16: The first tank battle of the North African campaign happens. It's called the "Engagement at Nezuet Ghirba".
• July: The British navy shells French warships in Oran, Algeria. They do this to stop the ships from falling into German hands.
• September 13: Italian forces invade Egypt from Libya.
• September 16: Italian forces set up a front line east of Sidi Barrani.
• December 9: British and Indian forces start Operation Compass. This begins with the Battle of Marmarica.
• December 9: Indian forces capture Nibeiwa. British artillery helps them.
• December 9: British tanks and Indian troops take over Tummar West, then Tummar East.
• December 10: Indian forces capture Sidi Barrani. British artillery supports them.
• December 11: British armored forces reach Sofafi. But Libyan and Italian divisions manage to escape.
• December 16: Sollum is taken back by the Allies.

1941: Rommel Arrives

• January 5: Bardia is captured by British and Australian forces.
• January 22: Tobruk is captured by British and Australian forces.
• January 30: Australians capture Derna, Libya.
• February 5: Beda Fomm is captured by the British.
• February 6:
  • Benghazi falls to the Western Desert Force.
  • Lieutenant-General Erwin Rommel is made commander of the Afrika Korps.
• February 7: What's left of the Italian Tenth Army surrenders.
• February 9: Winston Churchill orders British and Australian troops to stop. They halt at El Agheila. This allows troops to be moved to defend Greece.
• February 14: The first units of the Afrika Korps arrive in Libya. They are led by Erwin Rommel during Operation Sonnenblume.
• March 24: Allied forces at El Agheila are defeated. Rommel begins his advance.
• April 4: Australian and British forces leave Benghazi. Benghazi and Msus are captured by the Axis.
• April 6: The British 3rd Armored Brigade is captured in Derna.
• April 8: British, Indian, and Australian forces are captured at Mechili.
• April 10: The Siege of Tobruk begins. Australian, British, and Indian forces defend it.
• April 15: British forces are pushed back to Sollum. This is on the Egyptian border with Libya.
• April 30: Australian forces lose a small part of their positions in Tobruk. This happens during the Battle of Salient. About a sixth of Tobruk is now held by Germans.
• May 3: An Australian counterattack at Tobruk fails.
• May 15: British troops launch Operation Brevity. They want to gain more land for Operation Battleaxe later.
• May 16: Italian forces attack Australian forces in Tobruk. This makes them withdraw.
• May 16: Operation Brevity is called off. Allied forces fall back to the Halfaya Pass. They had captured it the day before.
• May 26: German forces launch Operation Skorpion. They move up to Halfaya Pass.
• May 27: German forces recapture Halfaya Pass. British troops are forced to withdraw.
• June 15: British and Indian troops launch Operation Battleaxe, which fails.
• July 5: Auchinleck replaces Wavell as the main commander in the Middle East Command.
• August 15: The German Panzer Group Afrika is activated. Rommel is in command.
• September 18: A German air raid hits Cairo. 39 Egyptian civilians are killed. Nearly 100 are injured. This brings strong criticism against the Axis.
• October 1: The 5th Light Division is renamed the 21st Panzer Division.
• November 18: Auchinleck's Operation Crusader begins. British, Indian, South African, and New Zealander forces are involved.
• November 21: A British armored division is defeated at Sidi Rezegh and withdraws.
• November 22:
  • New Zealand forces attack Bir Ghirba but fail.
  • Indian forces capture Sidi Omar.
• November 23: New Zealand forces use Indian advances to destroy the Afrika Korps HQ at Bir el Chleta.
• November 23:
  • Rommel launches Panzer attacks on the British XXX Corps. But they face strong resistance from South African, New Zealand, and British forces.
  • British and New Zealand forces withdraw towards Bir el Gubi.
• November 25:
  • A Panzer attack on Indian forces at Sidi Omar is pushed back.
  • In a second attack that evening, Indian forces destroy the 5th Panzer Regiment of the 21st Panzer Division.
• November 26: Ritchie replaces Cunningham as commander of the Eighth Army.
• November 27: New Zealand troops at Sidi Azeiz are defeated by a huge advance of Panzers and German infantry.
• November 28: The 15th Panzer, even though outnumbered, forces British tanks to retreat. This leaves the New Zealand forces at Ed Duda exposed.
• December 1: New Zealand troops in Sidi Rezegh suffer many losses from Panzers.
• December 3:
  • German infantry suffers a big defeat by New Zealand forces near Menastir.
  • German forces lose against Indian forces and withdraw at Capuzzo.
• December 4:
  • New Zealand forces push back a German attack on Ed Duda.
  • Indian forces face heavy fighting trying to capture Point 174. They are against Italian forces without artillery support.
• December 9: The Siege of Tobruk is ended by the Eighth Army. This includes British, Indian, New Zealand, and South African forces.
• December 13:
  • The 8th Army attacks the Gazala line.
  • New Zealand forces are stopped at Alem Hamza.
  • Indian forces take Point 204.
  • Indian infantry face the Afrika Korps. Against tough odds, they destroy 15 of 39 Panzers.
• December 14: Indian troops push back repeated Panzer attacks on Point 204.
• December 15: A German advance overruns British forces heading to Point 204. But Indian forces at Point 204 hold on.
• December 16: Rommel, with fewer Panzers, orders a withdrawal from the Gazala line.
• December 24: British forces capture Benghazi.
• December 25: Agedabia is reached by the Allies.
• December 27: Rommel causes many losses to British tanks. They have to withdraw, letting Rommel fall back to El Agheila.
• December 31: The front lines return to El Agheila.

1942: Turning Point Battles

• January 21:
  • Rommel's second offensive begins.
  • German forces begin Operation Theseus.
• January 23: Agedabia is captured by Axis forces.
• January 29: Benghazi is captured by Axis forces.
• February 4: A front line is set up between Gazala and Bir Hakeim.
• May 26: Axis forces attack the Gazala line. The Battle of Gazala and Battle of Bir Hakeim begin.
• June 11: Axis forces begin an offensive from "the Cauldron" position.
• June 13: "Black Saturday". The Axis causes a heavy defeat for British armored divisions.
• June 21: Tobruk is captured by the Axis.
• June 28: Mersa Matruh, Egypt, falls to Rommel.
• June 30: Axis forces reach El Alamein and attack Allied defenses. The First Battle of El Alamein begins.
• July 4: The First Battle of El Alamein continues. The Axis digs in, and the Eighth Army launches attacks.
• July 31: Auchinleck calls off attacks. This allows the Eighth Army to regroup and get more supplies.
• August 13: Alexander and Montgomery take command. Alexander leads the Middle East Command, and Montgomery leads the Eighth Army.
• August 30: Rommel launches the unsuccessful Battle of Alam el Halfa.
• September 13: Allies launch the unsuccessful Operation Agreement. This was a large raid against Tobruk.
• October 23: Montgomery launches Operation Lightfoot. This starts the Second Battle of El Alamein.
• November 5: Axis lines are broken at El Alamein.
• November 8: Operation Torch is launched. General Eisenhower leads it. Allied forces land in Morocco and Algeria.
• November 9: Sidi Barrani is captured by the Eighth Army.
• November 13: Tobruk is captured by the Eighth Army.
• November 15: British forces capture Derna in Libya.
• November 17: The First Army (from Operation Torch) and Axis forces meet at Djebel Abiod in Tunisia.
• November 20: Benghazi is captured by the Eighth Army.
• November 27: The First Army's advance is stopped. This happens between Terbourba and Djedeida, 12 miles from Tunis. An Axis counterattack stops them.
• December 10: The First Army front line is pushed back to defensive positions east of Medjez el Bab.
• December 12: The Eighth Army starts an offensive towards Axis forces near El Agheila.
• December 22: The First Army starts a three-day attack towards Tebourba, which fails.
• December 25: Sirte is captured by the Eighth Army.

1943: Allied Victory in Africa

• January 23: Tripoli is captured by the British Eighth Army.
• January 30: Axis forces capture Faïd pass in central Tunisia.
• February 4: Axis forces in Libya retreat to the Tunisian border. This is south of the Mareth Line.
• February 14: Axis forces advance from Faïd to launch the Battle of Sidi Bou Zid. They enter Sbeitla two days later.
• February 19: The Battle of Kasserine Pass is launched by Axis forces.
• March 6: Axis forces launch Operation Capri against the Eighth Army at Medenine. But they lose 55 tanks. Patton takes command of II Corps.
• March 16: The Battle of the Mareth Line begins.
• March 19: The Eighth Army launches Operation Pugilist.
• March 23: The U.S. II Corps comes out of Kasserine to meet the Axis at the Battle of El Guettar. The Battle of Mareth ends.
• March 26: The Eighth Army launches Operation Supercharge II. This outflanks the Axis position at Mareth, making it impossible to hold. The Battle of Tebaga Gap takes place.
• April 6: The right side of the First Army links up with the Eighth Army. The Battle of Wadi Akarit takes place.
• April 22: Allied forces launch Operation Vulcan.
• May 6: Allied forces launch Operation Strike.
• May 7: British troops enter Tunis. American troops enter Bizerte.
• May 13: The Axis Powers surrender in Tunisia.
• May 14: Moncef Bey is removed from power in Tunisia.
• May 15: Muhammad VIII al-Amin is made Bey of Tunisia.
• August 1: Operation Tidal Wave attacks Nazi oil refineries in Romania. This is launched from a base in Benghazi, Libya.

1944: French Forces Join In

• August 15: Operation Dragoon begins. This is an Allied landing in Provence, France. They capture the ports of Toulon and Marseille. The French Liberation Army makes up most of the troops landing on French soil.

1945: End of the War

• May 8: The Sétif massacre happens. Algerian people demonstrating for independence are killed. This happens on the day Germany surrenders.