Britain at War - Desert Battle - Description
The desert wastelands of North Africa provided the settings for some of the toughest fighting of World War Two. The soaring desert temperatures, lack of water, swarms of flies, blinding sand storms and featureless, rocky terrain all conspired to ensure the soldiers' lot was not a happy one.
And yet, it was here that Britain and her Commonwealth Allies found their early successes, first against the fabled Afrika Korps of Erwin Rommel. The lifting of the siege of Tobruk, the longest in British military history, was a source of great celebration, coming at a time when the war was going badly for Britain.
Victory at El Alamein in November 1942 is regarded as the turning point of the war.
In conjunction with amphibious landings in Tunisia and French Algiers, the way was paved for complete victory in North Africa some six months later.
Desert Battles of World War II is also available in the Britain at War eight-disc box set.
