Fort Capuzzo
Fort Capuzzo was a Fort in the Italian colony of Italian Libya, located near the Libyan-Egyptian border and next to the Italian Frontier Wire. It is famous for its role during World War II.
Contents |
[edit] History
Within a week of Italy's 10 June 1940 declaration of war upon Britain, the British Army's 11th Hussars (assisted by elements of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment) captured Fort Capuzzo. A few days later, the Italian 1st Blackshirt Division recaptured it during an attack which reached Sidi Barrani, Egypt.[1]
In December, the Western Desert Force regained the Fort during Operation Compass. It was then re-captured by General Erwin Rommel during his first offensive, falling on 12 April 1941.[2]
During Operation Brevity, the Fort changed hands briefly on 15-16 May, but ultimately remained in German-Italian possession when the operation failed and the attacking British Brigade group withdrew.[3] The fort was retaken by the New Zealand Division on 22 November 1941, during Operation Crusader.[4]
Axis forces once again took possession following the Battle of Gazala before the Fort was returned to Allied control for the final time following the Second Battle of El Alamein.[5]
[edit] Notes
- ^ First Italian offensive in Egypt (in Italian)
- ^ "History of the 7th Armored, List of Battles, 1941
- ^ Playfair, V.II pg. 162
- ^ Playfair, V.III Pg 48
- ^ Photo of Fort Capuzzo in november 1942
[edit] Bibliography
- Latimer, Jon (2001). Tobruk 1941: Rommel's Opening Move. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0-27598-287-4.
- Playfair, Major General I.S.O.; Brigadier C.J.C Molony, Captain F.C. Flynn, R.N. and Group Captain T.P. Gleave, C.B.E. (2006) [1954]. Mediterranean and Middle East Volume I: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84734-426-7.
- Playfair, Major General I.S.O. (2004) [1956] (hardback). The Mediterranean and Middle East Volume 2: The Germans Come to the Help of Their Ally, 1941. Official History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. East Sussex, UK: Naval & Military Press. pp. 406 pages. ISBN 1845740661.
- Playfair, Major General I.S.O. (2004) [1960]. History Of The Second World War: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume 3: British Fortunes Reach Their Lowest Ebb. United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-067-X.
[edit] See Also
[edit] External links
- Paterson, Ian A.. "History of the British 7th Armoured Division: Operation Brevity". http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/battles1941.htm#Brevity. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
- 1943 Drawing by Jack Crippen
- wikimapia [1]
Coordinates: 31°34′51″N 25°3′8″E / 31.58083°N 25.05222°E
|
|||||||||||||||||||
