A new and detailed account of the battle of Gazala from 27 May-18 June 1942 which reconsiders the brigade battles for Eighth Army. It uses archival war diaries and reports, supported by numerous published memoirs, and regimental histories to provide a fresh voice for the men who fought there.
This work examines how the physical terrain of Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia influenced British military operations during the North African campaign in World War II. It emphasizes the operational and tactical significance of the landscape, arguing that terrain should be considered alongside traditional military factors. Unlike previous studies, it evaluates these influences throughout the entire campaign until the Axis surrender in May 1943. The book challenges the notion that the Western Desert was primarily a flat region suited for mobile armored warfare, highlighting instead that British operations were driven by the necessity to capture and maintain strategic terrain features. At the operational level, planning focused on securing key ground in Libya, particularly in Cyrenaica, during critical phases of the campaign. Additionally, the author discusses how British forces adapted their tactical doctrines, shifting from combined arms assaults to separate engagements between infantry and armored units until late 1942. The terrain also impacted practices such as unit dispersal and the creation of temporary units like Jock columns for enemy engagement. These interconnected themes provide new insights into British warfare methods. The author draws on primary documents, war diaries, and memoirs from major UK archives, supported by 24 pages of specially commissioned color maps.