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In World War II: Egypt and Cyrenaica, 1940–summer 1941
…30,000 men, under Major General Richard Nugent O’Connor, advanced westward, from Mersa Matruh, against 80,000 Italians; but, whereas the Italians at Sīdī Barrānī had only 120 tanks, O’Connor had 275. Having passed by night through a gap in the chain of forts, O’Connor’s forces stormed three of the Italian camps,…
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In North Africa campaigns: Egypt and Cyrenaica (June 1940–June 1941)
Richard Nugent O’Connor, consisted of only 30,000 men, against an opposing force of 80,000, but it had 275 tanks against 120 Italian tanks. The British tank force included 50 heavily armored Matilda IIs of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment, which proved impervious to most of…
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In North Africa campaigns: Egypt and Cyrenaica (June 1940–June 1941)
O’Connor therefore dispatched the 7th Armoured Division with the aim of heading off the Italian retreat. By the afternoon of February 5, a blocking position had been established south of Beda Fomm (Bayḍāʾ Fumm), across the enemy’s two routes of retreat. After capturing the surprised…
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In North Africa campaigns: Egypt and Cyrenaica (June 1940–June 1941)
O’Connor was sent to advise the local commander, but his unescorted staff car ran into a German advance group on the night of April 6, and he was taken prisoner. By April 11 the British had been swept out of Cyrenaica and over the Egyptian…
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