Military Stories: The Battles at El Alamein

This is the compelling story of the change of military fortunes in Europe during the Second World War. It took three great battles at El Alamein before Britain, supported by Commonwealth Countries, managed to overcome an Axis Army under the command of Irwin Rommel, who had become the legend know as the Desert Fox.
This video tells the story of how after over two years of see-sawing fortunes in the Western Desert, the British withdrew to a strong defensive position. From there, at last, they were able to overcome and defeat the German-Italian Army in three battles that proved to be the turning point of the Second World War in Europe. Before El Alamein, the Axis forces carried all before them; after El Alamein the Axis forces would be on the back foot. This video gives an understanding of the politics, strategies, and commanders involved in the battle and the importance of this battle within the wider war.
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[@DidMyGrandfatherMakeThis]

Really enjoying your work and the brilliant pacing, informative and interesting. Subscribed

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Thanks

[@bobjackson4720]

My father was in this campaign as ground crew for the eight army air force. At the time he was a boxer and knew how to handle himself, as a result he occasionally joined the commandos for night time attacks on the German camps. I wish I could remember more of his stories. He was also at Tobruk.

[@Demun1649]

So what. Ground crew, right back out of danger. My dad was in the 4th Royal Horse Artillery, on 25-pounder howitzers. Part of the 4th Armoured Division. He was in the Western Desert Force in 1939, and in the 8th Army until North Africa was in Allied hands. 4th Armoured Division was then rotated to Britain for re-equipping, and training for D-Day. My dad fought through France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. After the Nazi defeat, he switched from the 4th RHA, to the Military Police and worked in the British Sector until 1947. Came home, met my mum, got married, and I was born in April 1949. And the planet rejoiced!

[@kwakagreg]

@@Demun1649 you obviously know little about the war in the desert. Your statement is insulting to those brave men who died there. You could say, if you didn't know better, that the artillery were back out of danger because they weren't in range of the German and Italian tanks and infantry No one was back out of danger. the Germans had control of the air for much of it and airfields were heavily bombed especially those stationed in Tobruk. I suggest you read Chester Wilmotts account Tobruk 1941. He was there,

[@Demun1649]

@@kwakagreg Do read my post again. Then POINT OUT THE PART THAT CONTAINS MY INSULT. Unlike you, I served 5 years in a PROPER army, with 3 combat tours, and spent the last six months of my service as the regimental instructor in close quarter combat. You clearly are a book historian, never knew anyone who fought in the desert in WW2, and have no direct reference to details. I suggest, strongly, that you read "Death by Design", by Peter Beale, a tank commander. Who details exactly how PATHETIC the ENGLISH were at producing tanks throughout WW2, were pathetic at training the crews, and were pathetic at teaching tactics. My DAD was there in the desert, and told me about most happenings, including details that showed that the DAK were just as much Nazis as the SS and Gestapo, details YOU don't have a clue about. Just another child. I have been leading the Armistice Parade, on the 11th November, at 1100 hours, for 22 years now, every year, regardless of weather, and every year the numbers grow, BECAUSE I DO IT PROPERLY. You, most likely, "might" turn out for the totally British insult called Remembrance Day, but I doubt it.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Every serviceman has his roll to play and nowhere is really safe!

[@TheBezaleel]

Very good video, enjoying this channel.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Thank you very much!

[@davidlee6720]

Don't forget SAS raiding in the desert and cutting off fuel and crucial supplies, they fought way above their weight and did untold damage. My grandfather was with Montgomery's artillery. He was still relatively young of course, my mother was a child and us children were still yet to be born.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Many great men took part in the war in the Western Desert.

[@alisonhilll4317]

Watch " Europa the last battle " then history makes sense.

[@stevesoutar3405]

In one particular month, the SAS were credited with destroying more Axis aircraft on the ground than the entire Desert Air Force accounted for

[@Demun1649]

@@alisonhilll4317 How does it make sense that rational people, in Germany, VOTED the Nazi scumbags into power? Where is the sense?

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@@stevesoutar3405 An estimated 400 Axis aircraft apparently.

[@andrewwilde3389]

How can anyone watch this excellent video whilst listening to the absolutely dreadful accompanying music.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Sorry ... it's quite an old video

[@gary8306]

My grandfather was there. Survived unscathed thankfully.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Glad to hear! My father also survived but was in reserve for this battle! But his unit got slaughtered at Mareth which was the next battle against Rommel.

[@nobbytang]

Excellent video …particularly Rommel admission they had lost air superiority…just read James Holland book “Sicily” in which the despondent Luftwaffe accepted the wars loss let alone the battle for Sicily all because of the allies air control !!…

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

If you had to choose one big difference between WW1 and WW2 it would have to be control of the air. It was a dimension of war that Generals had never had to consider before.

[@martiniv8924]

My father went to Egypt at the end of 39’ as a 19 year old, in the first battle of El Alamein , he said that quite a few 8x8 German armoured cars had broke through on their flank, they believed they’d found a way through the Qattara depression, but it was all in vain

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Thank you for your contribution. I have never come across a story of the Germans trying to find a way through the Qattara Depression wo what you say is very interesting.

[@melmo5218]

Drop the music.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Understood. This is an old production but it is still being watched so it has been left up. We are working on a very much improved production about the Battles at Alamein.

[@gerardcarlile5671]

My teacher ,in the 70s was a Freddy de Guingand but he pronounced it Gangon . Great teacher and said he was in Burma during the war. I always wondered if they were related

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

👍

[@jaywalker3087]

My second cousin was in a Sherman tank here.. He didn't make it. The petrol driven Sherman was known as 'the Ronson' after the make of a cigarette lighter. When hit they simply went up in flames, known as 'Brewing Up'......

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

That's the problem with tanks, they are such a big target. Better off being in the infantry!

[@MrSmegfish]

The SAS took out hundreds of Axis aircraft.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Indeed.

[@benjo_pharmer]

Sorry, but your strategic pincer down through Stalingrad is utterly impossible. Have you got any idea how shambolic the German logistics were. That could barely supply the 6th army heading towards Stalingrad, let alone push through the Caucasus and link up. Perhaps the British were worried about it and this influenced them, but it was never going to happen.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

It was a German pipe-dream and a British worry.

[@EdMcF1]

Isn't hindsight wonderful and easy?

[@jameswebb4593]

Germany's Achilles heel was Oil or lack of. The German push to the Caucasus was a vital part of Hitlers war strategy. The much vaunted Tiger Tank could only do 4 mpg , fighter planes consumed between 70-90 gals/hr. The whole war was dependent upon the black gold. The only part of your post that is true , was the Germans shortages , They used horses instead of trucks , as they only needed hay.

[@stevesoutar3405]

If Rommel had succeeded (a big 'IF') then the oilfields in Persia (modern day Iran) would have become available to the Axis - if they could link up north, or else face running the gauntlet of the Royal Navy in the Med

[@richardmiranda640]

Yes, perhaps professor

[@ShevillMathers]

Music adds nothing to series like this, a pain in the rear-most irritating.

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

This is an old production which viewers are still watching so has been left on the channel. Made with very limited equipment.

[@kenreeve6549]

My Grandad fought here in the RAF .I really wanted to see this but the stupid overpowering,over loud over dramatized music noises are louder than the dialogue WHO does this to a great documentary ?

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

Apologises. This is an old production but it is still being watched so it has been left up. We are working on q very much improved production about the Battles at Alamein.

[@fToo]

Are you sure that Freddie de Guingand was appointed by Auchinleck as his Chief of Staff ? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_de_Guingand

[@GreatStoriesNow933]

As your Wiki link suggests the situation was confused with Auckinlech being both C-in-C and Army Commander. There is also confusion over the role and the, possibly undue, influence of Brigadier Eric Dorman-Smith during this period. However Dorma-Smith was removed from the scene at the same time as Auckinlech which may have left de Guingand, by default, the senior staff officer. What is clear from books written by de Guingand is that he was definitely working at Eighth Army HQ as a Senior Staff Officer before Montgomery was appointed. He was responsible for drawing up plans for, what would be, the Battle of Alam el Halfa, before Montgomery arrived, and that Montgomery fought that Battle on the basis of those plans. Taking further evidence from de Guingand's books, he was instructed to meet Montgomery on the road midway to Eight Army HQ at Alamein so he could travel with Monty to brief him as to what to expect when he arrived. De Guingand even goes into detail about putting "too much spin" on the poor state of the Eighth Army in that briefing which resulted in Monty making (possibly) too much play about the bad times which, perhaps, left a rather too negative perception of Auckinlech's time in charge. Also in the book de Guingand retells being told by Monty that he could keep his job but he was made very aware that he would to prove that he was up to it. One final thought; Monty and de Guingand actually knew each quite well before this incident. So whether there was any assumption that de Guingand get the job as a result is difficult to asses.