World War Two remains a significant story within Britain’s
history. To this day, the war is imbued in our political ideologue, our history
curriculum, as well the many statues and monuments commemorating the fallen.
Yet, within the patriotism and remembrance, the story of
significant battles is often lost. The Battle of Britain and D-Day are far more
prominent and visceral in our imagination because they represent what we see on
our screens on bank holidays and at Christmas. No one ever remembers the
Eastern campaign in India and Burma. No one ever remembers El-Alamein.
Yet history dictates that among Agincourt, Blenheim and Waterloo,
a battle that took place in the parched and desolate desert of Egypt remains one
of Britain’s finest military moments. So what makes it so important and does it
occurrence really deserve to be elevated among Britain’s most celebrated
military victories?
November 1942, like any month since September 1939, had not
been a particularly good for the allies. For Britain, the hurried retreat from
the beaches of Dunkirk, as well as the capture of Singapore by the Japanese
meant morale was deflated. Despite the American entry into the war in December
1941, the burden on British and Commonwealth troops was immense. In the East,
the German army was advancing towards the oil fields of the Caucasus’s and
Rommel’s Fifth Panzer division was heading towards Cairo and more lucratively,
the oil fields of the Middle East.
It was by no means certain, but for Hitler to obtain a
constant supply of fuel for the Wehrmacht then the war in Europe was
consequentially over. The fate of British India would almost certainly be
decided too. At the time, it was not only the British command in Cairo’s
biggest concern, it was Churchill’s.
Only a couple years before, British troops based in Africa were
successful in maintaining their ground and in fact conquering further. In 1941
they had driven a weak Italian army out of Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia) as
well as driving Mussolini’s forces back from Italian-occupied Libya. Yet, just
as the Germans had conquered most of Europe, Hitler sent one of his most
trusted and celebrated Field Marshals to resolve the problem, The Desert Fox,
Erwin Rommel.
The introduction of Rommel made a huge difference to the
Axis’s fortunes and gave a huge awakening to the British troops. Rommel drove
the German army through British lines and within 150 miles of Cairo. Churchill saw
how his commanders were being easily out-manoeuvred and losing ground quickly and
at a heavy cost to the imperious Germans. The fall and subsequent retreat from
the important port of Tobruk saw Churchill place Cairo, the Middle East and
consequently Britain’s future war in the hands of one Bernard ‘Monty’ Montgomery.
Monty is now often recited for his tactical marvel in Egypt
as well as his miscalculation at Operation Market Garden and the so-called
bridge too far at Arnhem. Yet, his military career had begun as a humble junior
officer in the trenches of World War One. He had seen the devastation to life
and the ill-thought out planning of generals to gain or lose needless ground.
Perceived as arrogant as well as a maverick, his clubbability found himself
fans within the troops, yet unpopularity among fellow officers. Yet, for his
dislike, Monty was an astute and forward thinking battlefield commander.
His plans at El-Alamein were by no means revolutionary, but
he prepared well, he knew the lie of the land and more importantly he was able
to convey this message to the troops. The subsequent victory as Churchill
exquisitely told the House of Commons went down as history as the start of the fight
back:
“This is not the
end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of
the beginning”.
However, for all its significance, El-Alamein is presented
as one of Britain’s greatest military battles because it was probably the last
time British victory when British commanders were fully in control (this includes
the Falklands’ War). Military historians correctly point out that Montgomery’s
fortune was to some extent secured because German lines had become too
extended. The British Eighth Army had been preparing for the advance for almost
three weeks. Not only were they well dug-in but had the higher ground. Even
taking into consideration the events of the previous few months, this battle
was not as significant as it was made out to be. The importance was not the
battle, but the fact that the British had shown the Germans could be beaten.
Monty’s success should be recognised, but certainly not in
Egypt and certainly not more than the British and Commonwealth troops that collectively
became known as the Desert Rats. Monty’s significance as a commander must be
for recognising that Britain’s role had been surpassed by the Americans. He recognised
that Britain could no longer take the lead and as consequence must take some of
the pain when leading British troops after the D-Day landings. The loss of
almost 4,000 men at Caen during Operation Goodwood, though painful, reflected
Montgomery’s foresight. It is to some extent unfortunate that the failure of Market
Garden saw his reputation somewhat malaise. For others, his forthright and
somewhat arrogant memoirs saw him try inflating his own significance to Britain’s
war victory.
Today, tourist trips to the battlefield at El-Alamein are
not overly subscribed to. The area remains just as isolated as it was 70 years
before. Yet it should not undermine the importance of what occurred in those
late months of 1942. Blenheim and Waterloo were more significant for Britain’s
political standing and strength in the decades to come. El-Alamein lacked the
grace and military nous of these victories, but certainly, this was a great
moment and it was significant to how the war was won.
