El Alamein City

During World War II, there were two important fights in the desert west of Alexandria. Both of these battles were important to the end of the war. There were fights in the desert. Most people agree that the battles between the German armoured division led by Field Marshall Erwin Rommel and the British army were key to deciding who won the war. The outcome of the war depended on these tank battles, and they were also some of the biggest of their kind during WWII.

During WWII, Churchill is said to have said something like, “Before Al Alamein, we had never won a battle.” After we won at Alamein, we did well in other battles.

When the first battle of El Alamein ended in June 1942, neither side had made any progress. With this setback, the Germans could no longer move toward all of North Africa. In October of that year, after the German army was driven out of Libya and into Tunisia, General Bernard Montgomery led the British army in an attack on the enemy trenches. Their lines were broken, and they were sent back into Libya. The key to this success was General Bernard Montgomery’s leadership.

Because of the fighting in Cairo and Alexandria, the Germans were unable to take control of either city. This changed the balance of power in the war.

There are now cemeteries where the hundreds of people who died on both sides of the war are remembered. The German and Italian cemeteries are just north of the highway that runs along the coast from Alexandria to Mersa Matruh. Both the German and Italian Cemeteries are in this part of the countryside.

The El Alamein Museum.

and the British Cemetery are to the south of the city. The British Cemetery is not too far from the museum. The public can look at items and artefacts from the Battle of El Alamein that are on display in the museum. At each of these spots along the route, signs have been put up to let drivers know they are there.