ENGLISH

Operation Compass 1940: Wavell’s Whirlwind Offensive

By Jim Laurier , Jon Latimer

Book information

Publisher
Osprey
Year
2000
ISBN
9781855329676, 1-85532-967-0
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
44 MB (45953841 bytes)
Series
Campaign 073
Pages
97\97
Topic
History
Time added
2010-02-18 13:16:04

Description

The first battle of the desert war, Operation Compass was originally envisaged as a spoiling attack, combined with a reconnaissance in force to disrupt the Italian forces that had advanced into Egypt in September 1940. Lt Gen. Richard O'Connor launched what amounted to a British 'Blitzkrieg'. In less than two months the British forces swept 500 miles along the coast of North Africa. 7th Armoured Division raced across the desert to cut off the retreating Italians, and O'Connor's men destroyed 9 Italian divisions, and took 130,000 prisoners. In March 1941 General Rommel and the Afrikakorps landed at Tripoli.

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