Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45
Battle for Egypt – The Summer of 1942
by Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Scoullar
War History Branch
Department of Internal Affairs
Wellington, New Zealand
1955
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Aftermath of Libyan Campaign
Chapter 2: A Hazardous Project
Chapter 6: Forced March to the Desert
Chapter 7: Preparations for Decisive Battle
Chapter 8: Auchinleck takes Command
Chapter 9: Rommel’s Battle Plans
Chapter 11: New Zealand Division Isolated
Chapter 12: Twenty-four Tense Hours
Chapter 13: Eighth Army in Last Ditch
Chapter 15: Eighth Army Holds the Line
Chapter 16: Defeat of Ariete Division
Chapter 17: Thrusts, Parries, and Plans
Chapter 18: Both Armies Prepare Attacks
Chapter 19: Battle of Tell el Eisa
Chapter 20: Armies Spar for Positions
Chapter 21: Planning for Ruweisat
Chapter 22: Capture of Ruweisat Ridge
Chapter 23: The First Disaster
Chapter 24: Fighting on the Ridge
Chapter 25: Enemy Prepares Counter-attack
Chapter 26: Fourth Brigade Overrun
Chapter 28: Raids, Patrols, Consolidation
Chapter 29: Plans for El Mreir
Chapter 30: Advance of Sixth Brigade
Chapter 31: Succession of Disasters
Chapter 32: Price of Bad Planning
Appendix II: 22 Battalion in Captivity
Looking north-east at Minqar Qaim – Wire for defensive positions in Syria – Machine-gunners digging in, Syria – Sappers digging a gunpit, Syria – Convoy at the ruins of Palmyra – On the Damascus road – Dumps on fire at Mersa Matruh – Unloading on the escarpment at Minqar Qaim – Digging in on the rocky escarpment – Looking east from 5 Brigade HQ – Shells bursting on gun positions – Observing shellfire – A 25-pounder in action at Minqar Qaim – Lieutenant-General Freyberg wounded – The break-out – painting by Peter McIntyre – Wrecked vehicles – painting by J. Crippen – Headquarters 5 Infantry Brigade halted – After early morning conference at Munassib – The northern edge of the Qattara Depression – 19 Battalion advancing against Ariete Division – Enemy shells on Alam Nayil ridge – Some of the guns captured by the CRA’s column and 19 Battalion – German 88-millimetre guns captured on Alam Nayil – Ruweisat Ridge – 18 Battalion transport bombed – 25-pounders firing on Ruweisat Ridge – painting by C. Hansen – 21 Battalion Signal Office – El Mreir Depression – painting by J. Crippen – 28 Battalion RAP – The hard summer of 1942 – Lieutenant-General W. H. E. Gott – General Auchinleck and Major-General Freyberg – Brig G. H. Clifton and Col W. G. Gentry – Rommel, with staff, and Brig Clifton – Brig H. K. Kippenberger – Maj-Gen L. M. Inglis – Brig C. E. Weir – Lt-Col G. L. Agar – Lt-Col R. C. Queree – Lt-Col K. W. R. Glasgow – Lt-Col C. L. Walter – Lt-Col J. M. Mitchell – Lt-Col F. M. H. Hanson – Lt-Col A. J. Nicoll – General Auchinleck and Lt-Col R. J. Lynch – Lt-Col C. L. Pleasants – Lt-Col S. F. Hartnell – Lt-Col J. T. Burrows – Brig Kippenberger and Lt-Col S. F. Allen – Lt-Col J. T. Russell – Lt-Col R. E. Romans – Lt-Col A. W. Greville – Lt-Col C. D. A. George – Lt-Cols J. Gray and J. N. Peart – Lt-Col F. Gwilliam – Col S. H. Crump – Brig H. S. Kenrick – Capt C. H. Upham – Sgt K. Elliott
Maps
The Axis Approach to the Oilfields – Syria and Lebanon – Minqar Qaim and Alamein: Dispositions on evening 26 June 1942 – El Alamein – Ruweisat Ridge: Plan of Attack and Dispositions on 14 July 1942 – El Mreir: Plan of Attack and Dispositions on 21 July 1942 – The Advance of Panzerarmee on Matruh, 26–27 June 1942 – 21 Panzer Division’s Encirclement of New Zealand Division at Minqar Qaim on 27 June 1942 – Withdrawal of New Zealand Division from Minqar Qaim on night 27–28 June 1942 – The Rout of Ariete Division, 3 July 1942 – 4 and 5 New Zealand Brigades from 3 to 7 July 1942 – Ruweisat Ridge: The Morning of 15 July 1942 – Ruweisat Ridge: Afrika Korps’ Attack on 4 New Zealand Brigade, 15 July 1942 – El Mreir: The Advance and Dawn Counter-attack, 22 July 1942 – El Mreir: 23 Armoured Brigade’s Advance and final New Zealand Dispositions, 22 July 1942
The occupations given in the biographical footnotes are those on enlistment. The ranks are those held on discharge or at the date of death.
This volume was produced and published by the War History Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs
Editor-in-Chief: Sir Howard K. Kippenberger, KBE, CB, DSO, ED
Associate Editor: M. C. Fairbrother, DSO, OBE, ED
Sub-Editor: W. A. Glue
Illustrations Editor: J. D. Pascoe
Archives Officer: R. L. Kay
The Author
Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Scoullar served with the Otago Regiment from 1916 to 1919 and in the New Zealand Staff Corps from 1920 to 1922. He was brigade major and later a zone commander, Auckland Fortress, from 1941 to 1943. He is a journalist and throughout the Second World War from September 1939 to December 1945 was military commentator for the Weekly News. He is now Editor of the Bay of Plenty Times, Tauranga.