AFRIKA KORPS
                                 
The names of Field Marshall Erwin Rommel and the life and death of
the Afrika Korps are now the stuff more of legend than of history.
Rommel, working with usually numerically inferior forces kept the
North Africa Theatre of operations alive and received a grudging
admiration for his daring Panzer operations even from his enemies.
Throghout the campaign in North Africa, the German Afrika Korps was
always undermanned and outgunned, yet managed to inflict some
crippling reverses on the Allies - but shortage of reinforcements
and supplies coupled with ever mounting Allied military power in
North Africa, meant that despite it's unboubted fighting spirit
and the tactical genius of Rommel - the Afrika Korps was doomed....

The Second World war in North Africa: Diary.

1940
2nd Aug. Italy masses troops on Libya-Egypt border.
4th Aug. Italians invade British Somaliland.
13 Sept. Italians cross Libyan/Egyptian border.
16 Sept. Italian advance in Egypt.Sidi Barrani occupied.
9th Dec. Wavell's 'Thirty Thousand' open the First western Desert
         offensive,Operation Compass, in N.Africa.
12 Dec.  Wavell's forces capture Sidi Barrani.Over 20,000 Italians
         taken prisoner.
17 Dec.  Imperial forces take Sollum, Fort Capuzzo and several
         other Italian positions.38,000 Italians taken prisoner.

1941
5 Jan.   Gen.Bergonzoli surrenders Italian XXII Corps at Bardia.40,000
         prisoners and 130 tanks taken.
21 Jan.  British and Australian forces reach Tobruk defences.
22 Jan.  Australians enter Tobruk. Allied casualties less than 500.
         25,000 prisoners taken.
03 Feb.  British successes in N.Africa continue with capture of
         Agordat and Cyrene.
05 Feb.  British armoured column intercepts Italian retreat south of
         Benghazi.
06 Feb.  Australians capture Benghazi for 1st time.Six senior generals
         captured.
12 Feb.  Lieutenant-general Rommel arrives in Tripoli.
14 Feb.  Kurmuk recaptured:'no Italians remain on the soil of Egypt
         except as prisoners...'
22 Feb.  Rommel attacks El Aghelia.
24 Mar.  Rommel occupies El Aghelia.
30 Mar.  Axis counter-offensive in Cyrencia,N.Africa using German 5th
         Light Division under Rommel.
03 Apr.  British withdrawel in N.Africa continues as Rommel and Italians
         move east from El Aghelia.
09 Apr.  Rommel takes Bardia.
10 Apr.  9th Australian Division falls back to Tobruk.
12 Apr.  Rommel encircles Tobruk.
14 Apr.  Germans repulsed at Tobruk.
04 Jun.  Big air raid on Alexandria - 100 killed.
15 Jun.  'Operation Battleaxe' begins to relieve Australians in Tobruk.
17 Jun.  Rommel beats back British at Sollum. Operation Battleaxe fails
         with 1000 British casualties and 100 British tanks lost.
19 Aug.  Partial relief of Australians at Tobruk by sea begins.
31 Sep.  Mediterranean raids continue: Benghazi bombed 14 times.
         Tripoli 10 times.
18 Nov.  British night commando raid on German HQ in Libya.Rommel
         still away in Rome. "Operation Crusader", the British 8th
         Army offensive in Libya opens with 50 mile advance on first
         day.
23 Nov.  Rommel destroys 5th South African Brigade after five days of
         tank battle around Tobruk area.
25 Nov.  Rommel breaks out in Libya and attacks 8th Army in rear.
26 Nov.  Ritchie replaces Cunningham as Commander of 8th army.
27 Nov.  Tobruk forges links with Eighth Army.
07 Dec.  Rommel retreats westwards .
10 Dec.  Siege of Tobruk finally lifted.
19 Dec.  British retake derna from Rommel.
21 Dec.  British continue to advance in Libya.
25 Dec.  British retake Benghazi.

1942
02 Jan. Imperial forces take Bardia with 8,000 Axis prisoners.
12 Jan. British recapture Sollum.
17 Jan. Last German garrison in Cyrencia,Halfaya falls;5,500 prisoners.
21 Jan. Rommel launches second counter-attack to regain Cyrencia.
28 Jan. Rommel recaptures Benghazi.
26 May. Battle of Gazala begins as Rommel thrusts towards Tobruk with
        560 tanks sweeping around Eigth Army line.
29 May. Rommel now only 25 miles from Tobruk as tank battles rage.
01 Jun. Rommel takes fortified 'box' of British 150th Brigade on the
        Gazala line.
05 Jun. Eighth Army engages enemy in the Cauldron;lose 150 tanks
        133 guns, and 6,000 men in two days fighting.
12 Jun. Rommel now 12 miles from Tobruk.
14 Jun. Ritchie orders 8th army withdrawe into Egypt.
17 Jun. Eighth army falls back into Egypt.Tobruk again under siege.
21 Jun. Tobruk falls.Rommel takes 32,000 prisoners.2,000 tons of fule.
        5,000 tons of food.2,000 vehicles.
24 Jun. Germans advance into Egypt .Sollum and Sid Barrani evacuated.
25 Jun. 8th Army retreats to Mersa Matruh as Gen Auchinleck takes 
        personal command.
26 Jun. Rommel made Field Mrshall, and attacks Mersa Matruh.
28 Jun. British fall back to El Alamein posiion.
29 Jun. Rommel takes Mersa Matruh claims 6000 prisoners.
30 Jun. Rommel reaches El Alamein.
02 Jul. British hold on at El Alamein.Rommel down to 26 tanks.
03 Jul. Germans dig in as Rommel down to 13 tanks.
05 Jul. Axis lay minefields at El Alamein.
15 Jul. New Zealanders attack Kidney Ridge.Rommel loses 2,600
        prisoners and 115 guns captured.
22 Jul. Auchinlech rebuffed at Kidner Ridge with big losses.
26 Jul. Final Australian attack at El Alamein fails.Eigth Army
        goes on the defensive after taking 7,000 Axis prisoners.
        End of 1st Alamein battle.
07 Aug. Montgomery chosen as new head of 8th Army.
31 Aug. Rommel begins final attempt to break through at El Alamein.
        Battle of Alam Halfa - Germans sustain heavy losses.
03 Sep. New Zealanders push Germans into retreat.
06 Sep. Rommel back to start position after losing 51 tanks,70 guns
        400 trucks, 2,865 men. Eighth army loose 1,640 men and 64 tanks.
07 Sep. Monty suspends battle as Afrika Korps retreat.
13 Sep. Combined forces attack on Tobruk.
08 Oct. Final 'Torch' plans issued - Invasion of North West  Africa.
24 Oct. Second Battle of El Alamein begins.8th Army gains ground on 
        6-mile front.Axis counter-attacks repulsed.
25 Oct. Montgomery switches attacks to North.Rommel returns from sick
        leave to assume command.
27 Oct. German counter-attack at El Alamein thrown back - 50 Panzers lost.
02 Nov. OPERATION SUPERCHARGE - breakout at El Alamein gets under way.
        Only 32 Panzers left.
06 Nov. 20,000 Axis prisoners taken in North Africa.
08 Nov. Operation Torch begins. In Egypt,Mersa Matruh taken by British.
10 Nov. British capture Sidi Barrani.
12 Nov. British capture Tobruk.
13 Nov. Germans cleared from Cyrencia as 1st Army enters Tunisia from
        Algeria.
19 Nov. British hit German tank column only 30 miles from Tunis.
20 Nov. 8th Army reaches Benghazi.
27 Nov. British only 22 miles from Tunis.
29 Nov. British paratroopers drop south of Tunis.
13 Dec. Rommel retreats from El Aghelia as 8th Army advances in Libya.

1943
12 Jan. South Libya cleared by Free french forces.
15 Jan. 8th Army begins new push in Libya.
16 Jan. Rommels rearguard destroyed at Buerat.
23 Jan. 8th Army enters Tripoli.
26 Jan. 8th Army takes Zaula in Libya less than 100 miles from Tunisia.
29 Jan. British cross Tunisian frontier.
17 Feb. 8th Ar,y occupies Medenine in S.Tunisia.
26 Feb. Von Arnim launches a five day counter-attack in N.Tunisia.
09 Mar. Rommel leaves Africa . Von Arnim takes over.
20 Mar. 8th Army attacks Mareth line in S.Tunisia.
26 Mar. 8th Army wins Battle of Mareth line.
28 Mar. British 1st Army goes on offensive in S.Tunisia.
30 Mar. 8th Army breaks through at Gabes Pass now heading North.
07 Apr. 8th Army and US 2nd Corps join up in Tunisia.
12 Apr. 8th Army take Sousse.
22 Apr. Allies begin final push for Tunis.
28 Apr. Last German Panzer attack in N Africa.
07 May. Tunis falls to 1st Army.
09 May. Unconditional surrender of Axis troops in Tunis.
12 May. Von Arnim and 25 other generals captured -
        END OF THE AFRIKA CORPS......