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A U S TRA L I A IN THE WA R OF 1939-1945 SERIES ONE
A R MY V OLUM E I I I
TOBR UK A ND EL A L A MEIN
AU STRA L I A I N THE WAR OF 1 9 3 9 - 1 9 4 5 S E RIES 1 (ARMY) 1. To Benghazi. By Gavin Long. II. Greece, Crete and Syria. By Gavin Long. III. Tobruk and El Alamein. By Barton Maughan. IV. The Japanese Thrust. By Lionel Wigmore. V. South-West Pacific Area-First Year. By Dudley McCarthy. VI. The New Guinea Offensives. By David Dexter. VII. The Final Campaigns. By Gavin Long. S E RIES 2 (NAVY) I. Royal Australian Navy, 1939-42. By G. Hermon Gill. II. Royal Australian Navy, 1 942-45. By G. Hermon Gill.* S E RIES 3 (AIR) I. Royal Australian Air Force, 1939-42. By Douglas Gillison. II. Air War Against Japan, 1 943-45. By George Odgers. III. Air War Against Germany and Italy, 1939-43. By John Herington. IV. Air Power Over Europe, 1944-45. By John Herington. S E RIES 4 (CIVIL) I. The Government and the People, 1939-4 1 . By Paul Hasluck. II. The Government and the People, 1 942-45. By Paul Hasluck.* III. War Economy, 1939-42. By S. J. ButZin. IV. War Economy, 1942-45. By S. J. ButZin.* V. The Role of Science and Industry. By D. P. Mellor. S E RIES 5 (MEDICAL) I. Clinical Problems of War. By A llan S. Walker. II. Middle East and Far East. By A llan S. Walker. III. The Island Campaigns. By A llan S. Walker. IV. Medical Services of the R.A.N. and R.A.A.F. By A llan S. Walker and others. *
Not yet published.
The writers of these volumes have been given full access to official documents, but they and the general editor are alone responsible for the statements and opinions which the volumes contain.
TOBRUK AND EL ALAMEIN by BARTON MAUGHAN
CANBERRA AUSTRA L I A N W A R MEMORIAL
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAl. STAFF SERVICES
First published in 1 966
WHOLLY SET UP, PRINTED AND BOUND IN AUSTRALIA AT THE GRIFFIN PRESS, ADELAIDE. REGISTERED AT THE G.P.O. ADELAIDE FOR TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE POST AS A BOOK.
"Poor souls! to have never known the immortal will That never owns defeat, the heroic deed Whose doing is its only glory still." (C. J. Brennan)
CONTENTS Page
Preface
xv
.
XIX
List of Events Chapter
1
T H E " MI N I M U M P O S S I B L E F O R C E " GU A R D S CYRE NAICA
1
2
D E F E N C E B A S E D O N MOBIL I T Y
24
3
T H E " B E N G H A Z I HAND I C A P "
52
4
AT BAy-THE EA S T E R B A T T L E
111
5
STRIKING
159
6
AS S A U L T WI T H S T OOD
195
7
MID S U M M E R IN
THE F O R T R E S S
236
8
LAST C O U N T E R - A T T A C K A N D A C O N T RO V E R S I A L RE L I E F
305
9
PA R T I N G S H O T S AND FA R E W E L L S A L U T E S
384
10
ED DUDA
418
11
IN P A L E S T I N E, S Y R I A A N D THE L E B A N ON
514
12
A T E L A L A M E I N UND E R AUC H I N L E C K .
542
13
ALAM
14
LAUNCHING T H E B A T T L E
639
15
THE DOG FIG H T .
677
BACK
•
EL H A L F A A N D " B U L I M B A "
.
603
Ap P E ND I X E S:
1
Prisoners of the Germans and Italians
755
2
The Haifa-Beirut-Tripoli Railway
823
3
Abbreviations
830
INDEX
833
•
vii
ILLU S TRAT I O N S Page
Benghazi Harbour
76
Headquarters 26th Brigade area, 4th April 1941
76
Tobruk port and town, April 1941 .
77
Major-General L. J. Morshead and his senior