The Second Battle of El Alamein | Monty's Masterpiece

[@ImperialWarMuseums]

Thanks for watching, let's talk about Montgomery! Do you think he deserves the credit for victory at El Alamein?

[@Poliss95]

Of course he does. He was the only general to resist Churchill's clamouring for an offensive. He refused until his troops and support were ready. Previous commanders caved in to Churchill's demands and were defeated every time.

[@matthewstokes1608]

yes of course

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@Essinse Yes, Monty was a practical man. Deep Maneuver didn't always guarantee success, and you could easily risk outrunning your supply lines, as had happened a few times on both sides during the desert war. By forcing a gap in enemy lines with a powerful "mailed fist" and then driving the fist home by exploiting the gap with massive reserves of manpower, he was almost guaranteeing his ability to progress forward, even if it did take a little longer, as he was able to consolidate his gains and not risk losing them shortly after via counterattack.

[@lllordllloyd]

Almost any general could have won with the resources Montgomery had, unprecedented in previous battles. Auchinleck certainly would have won, and without making such hard work of it.

[@lllordllloyd]

@Essinse The point is his predecessors never had any of this, Churchill sacked them, and Montgomery trashed them to tge press (as ge does). Monty deserves credit for ensuring his subordinates didn't stuff everything up. Auchinleck did not micro manage his subordinates and they were almost all inept.

[@ThisBloke760]

The Australian 9th Div on the right flank were so tough they forced Rommel to send his armour and troops to try and stop them. This allowed the British armour to break through. My dad was part of the 9th Div 2/17 battalion sig corp who suffered 75% casualty in the battle. I’m convinced God was looking after him all through the battles he took part in as he was never wounded through Nth Africa, New Guinea and Borneo.

[@AnkitSingh-xl6pt]

What did he think of General Morshed ????

[@michaelhayden725]

Of course the 9th Div are also known as The Rats of Tobruk. Well done to your dad and his cobbers.

[@awf6554]

The 9th attacked and beat a dug in German infantry division in a one on one battle. Unheard of.

[@ThisBloke760]

@@awf6554the 2/17th were trained to never retreat. Their moto was ‘What we have we hold.’ As a kid I thought my dad was too tough on me but I didn’t realise how he trained me to get things done no matter how tough. I’m now 71 years old and it wasn’t until a few months ago when my wife told me how I always finished the job no matter the circumstances that I realised how well my dad raised me.

[@rodsmith3911]

My father was an RAF observer and was immediately behind the front line at El Alamein directing our aircraft onto targets. He often said that the noise of the guns left him partially deaf for several days as they fired all along the 50 mile front. Whatever folk said about Monty my Dad reckoned it was his can do attitude that gave our troops the confidence to fight at their best. We should be eternally grateful to them for turning the tide of the war for as Dad said we didn't stop at clearing Rommel out of Africa, we just kept going with the invasion of first Sicily then Italy, which forced the Italians out of the war allowing D day to take place. Dad was 31 just before Alamein and passed away aged 83 in early 1996 but he never forgot the date of the battle, it was always part of his life.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

Might I take this opportunity to apologise to your late father on behalf of my late father, whose guns (4.5 inch mediums, of 69th Medium Regiment) helped to make some of the noise.

[@rodsmith3911]

@@dovetonsturdee7033 No apologies necessary! He was mightily impressed by the barrage and could never forget it as it was a couple of days before my mother's birthday. He spent a lot of time out in the western saharan desert with just 2 other guys on a GMC truck with a radio transmitter reporting on enemy aircraft movements to get our guys onto them. They were often out alone with the danger of getting captured by the enemy as there were rapid movements on the ground. Dad started the war in the Royal Artilliery and was asked to transfer to the RAF after he'd been temporarily attached to the Observer Corps and had a good eye for aircraft spotting. He went on to be involved in both the Sicily and Italy landings and was invalided out to Tunisia to hospital after suffering an injury sustained somewhere north of Naples. He came back to the UK in time to be involved in plotting air movements during the DDay landings. He never spoke a lot about the war, but Alamein was always big in his memory.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

@@rodsmith3911 Mine was at Alamein, Mareth, and later Saleno, before being transferred to the military police and, oddly, ending the war outside Dunkirk. As he was a Manchester lad, I never quite worked out how he ended up in a Welsh artillery regiment ( 69th was the Carnarvonshire and Denbighshire Yeomanry).

[@rodsmith3911]

@@dovetonsturdee7033 My Dad was from Leicester and on call up in 1939 was ordered to report to Park Hall Camp at Whittington near Oswestry a Royal Artillery camp. He did some practice firing from the range at Towyn in West Wales. It was there that he first saw the Talyllyn Narrow Gauge Railway and as he had been to Wales and travelled on the Ffestiniog line he took an interest. When I was young he was involved with the preservation of the little trains and I have been a Ffestiniog supporter all my life having begun volunteering as a teenager. It led me to eventually work on the North York Moors Railway and I still live in Grosmont but have not lost touch with the Ffestiniog as I still do volunteer work there at 75! It's funny how life turns out and the effects of the war still affect us in our lives all these years later. I've travelled to a few places my Dad was at in the war but haven't been able to get to Egypt yet. I would like to see Alamein, Sidi Barani, and Mersa Matruh, and I'd like to see the Qattara Depression. All places he remembered from the war in the Sahara Desert. Have you been to any of the places that your father went to? I've visited Israel and Jordan where Dad did assault course training for the Sicily landings, and parts of Italy. It's such a shame that folk still make war when some of those places are so lovely to visit and enjoy.

[@JavierBonillaC]

I loved your story. I wish your dad had written a book.

[@gvjones74]

Great to stumble on this. My grandfather was part of the 8th and fought in El Alamein losing his leg to a mine. He passed shortly after his return to the UK from his injuries.

[@JitendraKumar-tt3ht]

Same here, my great-grandfather fought in this battle too, as part of the British Indian Army's 4th Indian Infantry Division, the red eagles. Held 2nd New Zealanders in high esteem.

[@johndcorcoran6550]

@@JitendraKumar-tt3ht My Father was with the 4th Indians in a RAMC unit, he too held the Kiwis in high esteem.

[@mattgrant9479]

You wouldn't say that about a land mine

[@connorfischer2023]

womp womp

[@Jon.A.Scholt]

Those dummy tanks and "disguises" for the tanks so they looked like trucks were impressive. Even up close and knowing that they're fakes/disguises they were pretty convincing; from the air they would do their job extremely well. I imagine people with experience in set design in theatres would be very good at a job like this. In a World War even the theatre kids and their skills are a valuable resource.

[@bigblue6917]

As you will probably know the dummy tanks and trucks were only a small part of the deception. That is a story in itself.

[@bigblue6917]

@@simonmorris4226 Thanks for the reminder. An interesting character but you have to take many of his claims with a rather large grain of salt.

[@louisavondart9178]

Yes, British were quick to use the talents of theater set designers. The Royal Army Ordinace Corps couldn't get enough of them and they were highly skilled. This came about from experience in WW1.

[@simonmorris4226]

@@louisavondart9178 and the deception they did by rerouting genuine radio traffic and broadcasting it from the Kent area was genius!

[@seventhson27]

Then the Germans fell for it AGAIN during Overlord.

[@padstowphantom]

My Great Uncle was killed at El Alamein as a part of the 2nd/48th. I visited his grave in 2007. Years later I met some of his comrades and met the man who was with him when he died. Old Bill said my Great Uncle was a good soldier and was missed by his mates.

[@connorfischer2023]

womp womp

[@vandarkholme4745]

Thanks for sharing your story ❤️ makes the comment section better with all these armchair generals

[@bangsarster]

Salute to men from both the sides. Real men who answered the call to duty. Respect.

[@coldlakealta4043]

you speak my Dad's words. He was in the Royal Canadian Air Force - a kid plucked off a farm tractor and sent unquestioning into events he didn't fully comprehend, based solely on his devotion to country and trust in its leaders. Those he flew against would have told identical stories. Politicians weren't in tanks or airplanes - decent, heroic young people on all sides were, based on love of country. I echo my Dad's highest respect for those in every force of every nation who were prepared to give their all. Bless the All.

[@beawsbiz]

@@coldlakealta4043 My father was taken as a prisoner by Montgomery’s forces whilst fighting under Rommel’s command and shipped to America as a prisoner of war before being eventually transferred to the UK as a prisoner of war. He was one of those that stayed in the UK where I was born in 1956. Also respect to all those professional soldiers who fought in duty to their country.

[@IanCross-xj2gj]

The desert was a tough environment. Conditions were primitive, food rations basic. Heat and millions of flies to cope with.

[@bangsarster]

@@coldlakealta4043 Your dad & his generation were the best.

[@donbrech7822]

Watching this on 23 October 2022, the 80th anniversary of the start of the battle of El Alamein and remembering the courage and sacrifice of the men of both the 8th Army and the Desert Air Force.

[@davidk6269]

Monty's greatest victory was finally finding the largest beret ever seen by man after years of thrift shopping.

[@j24130]

I think he just have small head

[@harrycurrie9664]

He needed one to put all his bling on.

[@arlingtonhynes]

“Incomparable in haberdashery, indomitable in retreat.”

[@analystanalyst7652]

@@j24130 The problem is that he had a big head and a small military mind. (I’ll say that I did not watch this as I can’t stand the man) The war would have ended earlier if someone hadn’t pried him off the cross. Even Churchill couldn’t stand the man. We might have been saved if Gott hadn’t been killed. A hero was needed by the British and there he was. From Sicily to Caen and on and on, he got a lot of guys killed that otherwise might have lived. When he should have been taking the Scheldt Estuary (as a result of this poor move a great many Canadian troops, once again, paid the price as they did in Dieppe) and securing Antwerp, as directed, he instead used the cover of Operation Comet to launch Market Garden, almost last minute if you will, and Eisenhower had no choice but to go along at that point due to politics and momentum. An ingenious way of stopping Patton and the 3rd Army’s reinforced deep penetration across Europe, aiming at the heart of Germany. We all would have been a lot better off if he had been shot down in 1942 instead of Gott.

[@johnbrereton5229]

@@analystanalyst7652 Nonsense and half truths ! Montgomery had cancelled Operation Comet but Eisenhower insisted it was resurrected and expanded into Market Garden. Nevertheless, Montys part of the plan was still successful, however the American Brereton (no relation) messed up his part and hollywood blamed Monty. Just as they made the loud mouthed, racist no body Patton into a hero, no mean feat in itself .

[@Frank-jg4tq]

I always get excited hearing the part New Zealanders played in any theatre of WW2. But especially El Alamein

[@michaelhayden725]

As well you might for they included the only active fighting man to be awarded VC and Bar, Capt Charles Upham.

[@bigblue6917]

On the 10th anniversary of the battle my late father, being in the Royal Artillery, was present when the British Army restaged the artillery barrage from the start of the battle. Though they only had half the number of guns my father said it was still very impressive.

[@Kalaswalia]

Where did they manage to get all the guns from?

[@bigblue6917]

@@Kalaswalia many of them were still in service from WW2. Also the UK still had national service back then so getting the man power was not a problem

[@paulinecabbed1271]

It could be heard in Alexandria some distance away. F A CT

[@paulinecabbed1271]

My dad was in Alexandria on that night and they could hear the rumble of that barrage all those miles away

[@taofledermaus]

I really enjoyed watching this

[@gwine9087]

Met a gentleman, in 1993, who was "over there with Monty". Great old guy with lots of stories.

[@Bodkin_Ye_Pointy]

The turning point of the war was not the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. If you want to put it down to a specific point then it has to be the battle of the Alam El Halfa ridge. This was Monty's first battle in charge of the 8th Army. It was fought in between the first and second battles of El Alamein and was the first of Rommel's defeats byMonty. The battle began on 30th August 1942 and Rommel was dancing to Monty's tune. So much had happened in the lead up to this battle that Rommel almost never stood a chance of victory. As a result of Monty's battle plan, Rommel was encouraged to use the now traditional flanking move around the end of the line. Apparently he never thought about why that flank was exposed after Auchinleck had closed it up. In truth, Rommel had lost his god like vista of the battle field when he lost his three main sources of intelligence that had given him better information on the disposition of allied forces than the British field officers had. Monty used this to lead him on into the teeth of his own armoured units on the ridge. These units were part of a combined arms unit that had orders to stand and not counter attack letting the Germans bash themselves against a steel wall. In the mean time, British light armoured units slipped in behind Rommel's forces and carved up his supply lines crucifying the Italian supply trucks and exacerbating Rommel's supply issues. This ultimately forced Rommel to retreat subsequent to which he was broken in the second battle of El Alamein. It is typical of British history that British historians love to ignore such a comprehensive victory because they can't bash the British forces over it. But Montgomery was the man to bring a breath of fresh air to the allied forces in the desert. He was meticulous in planning, met the troops personally to give them ownership of their roles, and established the mode of operations that stopped wild charges into the enemy guns and ensured that supply lines kept up with the advance. Something even Rommel did not do.

[@johnbrereton5229]

When I saw the question posed, I was about to write about Alam El Halfa but you had beaten me to it, why is this battle forgotten ? The Americans love to claim that Monty couldn't lose at El Alemein because he had more troops and equipment than Rommel, but they can't say that at Alam El Halfa as Rommel had been resupplied, whereas Monty had not. Rommel had 6 divisions to Montys 4, yet he still soundly beat him, just as he did in their headlong retreat all across North Africa to Tunis where they were trapped between Montys 8th Army and Anderson's 1st Army and over 362,000 casualties and 300,000 surrendered, thats more than at Stalingrad !

[@lychan2366]

I agree with your insightful analysis. I'd like to add that, other then continued defence of British homeland and home waters, and with it the preservation of the British Crown and King, keeping Britain's Atlantic lifeline to the USA free of the German U-boat menace, Churchill had prioritized limited empire resources (over other British theatres of war, especially the Far East) to defeating Rommel and Afrika Korps in the Middle East. This was to keep sea access between Mediterranean and Asia free of Fascist (Nazi and Italian) control via the Suez Canal. The was also concern over Nazi German access to Middle East oil. Another consideration was Churchill's plan to attack Europe's "soft" underbelly via Italy. In short, Montgomery had full backing from his Prime and Defence Minister in Churchill in the desert war, as part of Churchill's global strategic priorities.

[@johnbrereton5229]

@@lychan2366 Yes, Montgomery did have Churchills full backing. However, Churchill kept interfering in North Africa, and after the Italians attacked British Egypt in 1940 the British retaliated by driving them right across North Africa in a series of spectacular battles. At this point in 1940 the British had almost completely conquered North Africa, but before it was completed, Churchill ordered their best troops and equipment to Greece, leaving the British weak and vulnerable. The Italian and German reinforcements then attacked and drove them all the way back to Egypt and the war dragged on untill 1943.

[@lychan2366]

@@johnbrereton5229 I wouldn't argue with your comments about Churchill. Yes, the reason why Churchill "interfered in North Africa" was because he had staked so much of British imperial and personal pride and prestige in the desert sands of North Africa, according to his global strategic priorities. Yes, he made a number of military blunders. As Stalin & FDR soon realised, Churchill's description of Hitler's underbelly (in Southern Europe) was anything but "soft". Having tolerated and finally lost patience with Churchill (especially Stalin), they prevailed over Churchill to open up a new front in the form of Operation Overload in Western Europe in 1944. Compounding this, Churchill's subordinates who came into direct contact with him got a feeling of a powerful character, immense drive and force. Churchill’s method of dominating meetings was browbeating, badgering and cajoling. These factors made Churchill privately unpopular with his senior military commanders; the British Chiefs of Staff (COS) and Chiefs of Imperial General Staff (CIGS), especially Sir John Dill and Sir Alan Brooke. Despite Churchill's blunders and faulty thinking, his relative priority to the Middle East meant that Monty enjoyed material advantage over Rommel. Of course, Monty's leadership skills at El Alamein, did help. When WWII victory came to Europe, a grateful public of Churchill's generation remember him more for his positive role than for his mistakes.

[@montecarlo1651]

@@johnbrereton5229 Good points. Montgomery didn't have Churchill's backing until after he won at El Alamein. What Montgomery had before that was Churchill's reluctant silence after his first attempts to press Montgomery into premature action were rebuffed. Unfortunately for Auchinleck, whose plan at El Alamein Montgomery used (and publicly disparaged, to his great shame), his arguments for a respite to rebuild, train and reinforce the damaged 8th Army were over-ruled by Churchill, forcing him into premature attacks with disastrous consequences. Montgomery, like Auchinleck, could see what was needed and upon taking over the command pushed back exactly as Auchinleck had done. Having faced the same arguments for a second time, this time from the new commander he had just appointed after rejecting the arguments from the previous commander as 'defeatist', Churchill had to shut up. Really, Churchill's role in buggering up the British war effort is over-ripe for detailed debunking. You are quite right about his role in snatching defeat from victory in 1940/1 with the Greek adventure and his role in over-riding long standing Imperial Defence Policy in starving Singapore of modern forces over the lower priority Western Desert (where a purely defensive posture would have been more than enough, even ignoring the 1940 early 1941 successes), led to the worst military defeat in Britain's history. No wonder Churchill rushed to get his (version of) history out before any other author!

[@ThePierre58]

My late uncle served with Montgomery. RAF ground crew, he is somewhere in the crowd of soldiers gathered around his jeep. They, the troops loved the bloke, one of the boys, Les told me.

[@harryhatter2962]

Have a close listen to this where the coastal line where the Australian ifantry advanced was where Rommel sent most of his armouir, they drew down on them a mechanised bigade a panzer divsion an extra infantry division as well as the original enemy infrantry division facing them and then Rommel had to send his reserve there too.

[@chesterwilberforce9832]

Friend of my dad's was left for dead at El Alamein by the Germans since he was covered in burns. As a kid I was strictly told never to talk to him about the war. The last year of life he wrote his life's story with a photo of him in his dress uniform from the war.

[@hugohqt686]

Not a word for the Free French Forces who held the axis troops for 2 weeks (May 27th - June 11th) at Bir Hakeim, thus unabling the British to retreat and reorganize to later win the 2nd battle of El Alamein.

[@albowie1486]

Because Bir Hakiem was during the abysmal Gazala campaign and had ZERO to do with the 2nd (actually 3rd) battle of Alamein being discussed here. The retreat from GAZALA was a shambles and in no ways organised or controlled. Auk made the right decision to pick Alamein as it was hard to flank - That became the first battle of Alamein where Rommel tried to breakthrough to Cairo. The second was Alam Halfa which is not given the recognition it deserves. Auk/Dorman Smith anticipated that Rommel may try to flank through that channel but the Dorman Smith plan relied on Mobile forces to plug it which would have been playing into Rommels hand as he would have picked them off Piecemeal. Many claim Montgomery just used this plan but the force dispositions and the etrenched nature of the defence plus the Artillery assembled and Deep strike of the DAK supply lines used in conjunction are all Montgomeries doing and these are what won him that battle where Rommels forces were the larger and well supplied with superior tanks (Pz IV F2) in some numbers. Instead of fighting a mobile battle with Jock columns and fd Batteries Montgomery fought a static one with Minefields , AT, Dug in tanks and Infantry backed by Medium and Heavy Artillery at the same time send ng 4 AB and the Armoured cars to attcxk his logistics tail. Of course the forgotten part is that Montgomery was already thinking ahed and left the battlefield as he wanted it with the Germans in command of the High Feature (Hienemat) and the great show of false forces to the south indicating that would be his Main axis of attack. That setup the battlefield for the coastal attacks

[@terrymcmaster2787]

Don’t forget half the French Army changed teams and fought for Hitler. Australian soldiers fought against the French in North Africa. And don’t forget the treacherous French Navy. Churchill had to sink it before it joined the Nazis.

[@excolo3290]

@@terrymcmaster2787 Why treacherous? The armistice agreement stipulated that the fleet would not be controlled by Germany, Churchill knew this. The fleet at Mers el Kebir was not very important, the Toulon fleet joined the Germans? Their orders were not to let themselves be caught by anyone, there was never the slightest risk of them crossing over to the other side. No sailor would comply with the conditions of the ultimatum sent by England. When the Germans entered Toulon in November 1942, did they manage to take control of the ships? No, they scuttled themselves because they didn't have time to light the boilers, following their orders. Negotiations were underway at Mers el Kebir, the only reason the English fleet opened fire was because they knew reinforcements were arriving from Toulon. For the Army, they also obeyed orders, they did not change sides to choose Hitler, they did not fight for the Germans and it does not seem to me that they attacked the allies, it was they who were attacked on their territory. That they were on the wrong side of history I agree, but when we are attacked we fight back, right or wrong.

[@vipertwenty249]

Both my father and his elder brother were there. Father was on the heavy artillery (7.2's) and uncle was driving a Matilda II. Things were sufficiently hectic that they never met up while they were both there. Father, being an avid photographer, took a couple of illicit photographs of the 7.2's firing at night at Alemein - a very long line of gun barrels all lit up by their own muzzle flashes, no other light apparent. Very impressive looking. The Germans probably thought so too, though for entirely different reasons.

[@jameshearn3773]

My father to, Royal co SIGNALS Then on to Monty Cassino

[@mencken8]

Rommel’s success had been based on a war of movement, since the Germans in N. Africa always were the smaller force and with difficult logistics. Being drawn into set-piece battles like El Alamein meant that Rommel was playing his opponent’s game, and bound to lose.

[@californiadreamin8423]

I don’t think Rommel was drawn into anything !! Couldn’t he read a map ? Well of course he could but he was an opportunist only this time he did not succeed. Much of his success was based on excellent intelligence via Bonner-Fellers , and that was stopped.

[@onastick2411]

I wouldn't say bound to lose, Rommel didn't know who Montgomery was, and wasn't to know he was facing a change from the tactics that had brought him so much success in the past. The burning of files back in Cairo, "the flap", as the troops derisively called it, meant it was considered very possible that Rommel would break through.

[@stephenmccartneyst3ph3nm85]

I'm disappointed with the description of allied numerical strength. To ensure success against fortified positions, it's generally accepted that 3:1 superiority is required. Monty won this battle with around 2.5:1 superiority. It was his tactical control and pre planning that won El Alamein.

[@PMMagro]

Or the folly of attacking until exhausted with little supplies and weaker numbers by the Axis...

[@joegatt2306]

At the Battle of Gazala (& Tobruk), Rommel did not need 2.5:1 superiority, or for that matter, 3:1 to win a resounding victory in attack. Actually, he had inferiority in all departments: men, tanks, (over 2:1, excluding British reserves), artillery and also in the air, (all including Italian forces). Yet, while doing most of the attacking against the entrenched British positions on the Gazala Line, (Brigade Boxes) and the fortress of Tobruk, he gave the 8th. Army a bashing, killing, wounding or capturing half the men, (50,000) while destroying or damaging virtually ALL the tank force, (1,200), loosing in return just over 5,000 casualties and 400 tanks, a significant number of which were recovered and repaired.

[@shanewilson199]

@@joegatt2306 except Rommel wasn’t fighting montgomery, who was a far more professional and solid leader than auk and co. You can’t discount leadership’s impact on an army’s willingness to fight.

[@joegatt2306]

@@shanewilson199 Good or bad leadership, the Battle of Gazala stands out as a crushing defeat inflicted by Rommel on a defending British army when nearly all the odds were against him. On the other hand, Montgomery did not need to be practically adept to win the Battle of El Alamein. He had everything stacked in his favor, from men (nearly 2:1), to tanks (2.25:1 and not counting reserves), armored cars (2.25:1), artillery (1.6:1), anti-tank guns (2:1), serviceable aircraft (2:1) with an inexhaustible supply of ammunition (over half a million artillery shells expended in just the initial bombardment of 23rd Oct.), and fuel. On the other hand, due to his acute fuel situation, Rommel could only move once to concentrate his Panzerarmee, after which, it would not be able to re-position again, and from then on, with barely enough fuel for 3 days to fight. In spite of everything, it still took two weeks for Montgomery to force Rommel to admit defeat, (4th Nov.).

[@anthonyeaton5153]

As the Yanks once said, If you find yourself in a fair fight your battle plan was wrong.

[@helenabiesma5560]

brilliant - it show the perseverance that the Allies had under their belt - love the content of the footage - so interesting

[@honahwikeepa2115]

My father and his younger brother and 14 cousins were 28th Maori Battalion NZ Crete North Africa and Italy. One Kia at Casino. The two youngest were 15&16. My father was 23. The youngest both went to Korea as well. We come from a tiny island 8 kms off the mainland roughly 3 kms long by 1 km wide.

[@marcobassini3576]

The south of the Axis line was held by the elite Italian paratroopers division "Folgore" (light infantry). This division was hit from day one by Allied armor. They managed to hold the line till the end of the battle, without giving a single meter to the overwhelming waves of tanks thrown against them. They finished the battle with only 10% of survivors, still in their initial trenches. They fired everything they had, when they ran out of ammos they repulsed the last wave of tanks by running among the advancing tanks with mines in their hands to be put under the tanks tracks. When they had nothing left, except stones to throw, they finally surrendered. They knocked out more than 200 allied tanks. The few survivors, before being imprisoned, were awarded by Montgomery the military honours and let to parade, rifles in their hands, in front of the British troops. One month later, in a speech at the House of Commons, Churchill said: "We must honour the men that were the Lions of the Folgore". On a white commemorative marble stone in the desert around El Alamein there is written: "Mancò la fortuna, non il valore." (It lacked luck, not valor). Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, about Italian troops under his command in North Africa, said: "the German soldier has astonished the world; the Italian Bersagliere [infantryman] has astonished the German soldier".

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

Respect to Italian

[@towelie2523]

@@ShubhamMishrabro No respect for fascists

[@facehugger3]

I heard about this too and thanks for posting the full story.

[@eric934]

I'd be interested to see the sources for this. I can't imagine Montgomery allowing any enemy troops, however brave, to parade in front of British troops weapons in hand. It would be a humiliation to the British & French that fought them. Also the source for the destruction of 200 tanks? My source has it at 31 damaged or destroyed. There's no doubt that they fought well and held their line but I'd like to see sources for such claims.

[@StephenFleming-kk7uk]

The last of these Italian paras defended the village of Toukruna against the New Zealand division in Tunisia.The New Zealander's suffered high casualties and it was their last battle in North Africa.

[@GoViking933]

If I could give this 3 thumbs up, I would! A great explainer of this part of the campaign, and lots of great footage makes for another IWM hit. The plane strafing at 10:22 is so low it’s mind boggling lol

[@mikecimerian6913]

General Auchinleck did the marshalling of forces and resources and delivered Montgomery a key in hand fighting force.

[@paulinecabbed1271]

It cannot be summed up in one simple sentence like that. It wasn’t just one single person either. It was an army of half a million men AND women

[@stephenmccartneyst3ph3nm85]

Nope, Monty had to reorganise, teach and train the Army he inherited.

[@Conn30Mtenor]

He deserves some recognition for making that good decision. He denied Rommel an open flank.

[@Conn30Mtenor]

@@stephenmccartneyst3ph3nm85 and Auk set the conditions that made that possible.

[@thevillaaston7811]

@@Conn30Mtenor Montgomery's careful handling of the battle of Alam el Halfa made sure that Alamein would be fought on allied terms.

[@Berlitz81]

When the U.K., military got the battlefield hardware, albeit somewhat below the capability of the more advanced German equipement, they thrashed Rommel's Desert Army. 1001 excuses for the rout of the German army have been stated but the bottom line was they were well and truly beaten by the dogged determination and true grit of the British 8th Army.

[@anthonyclent6240]

My father was at Gazala. He remembered getting the order: "Retreat, every man for himself!" He made it back to Alamein. He swore by Monty. Said he was the only general who knew what he was doing. who really knew what

[@jackmyers8687]

My Grandfather Jack fought with the 8th army after Dunkirk. Dispatch rider, Royal Corps of Signals. From Africa to Italy he fought for his country.

[@kidmohair8151]

02:32 if this wasn't the Imperial *War* Museum, I probably wouldn't bring this up. But. When Montgomery took command of the 8th army he was a brevet Lt General. That rank would be confirmed in Oct 1942.

[@paullyon-vv9tb]

As a American I see the great victory for the Allies was because they would win in navel battle air battle battle s so they could get supplies to the ground forces. And I believe Monty was a good general the Allies fought with Lion hearts and I believe the tanks, planes truck s and other supplies helped big time it shows working together as Allies Wins wars. A lesson we should remember today. The Nazi,s never worked well, with there Allies they missed used them on all fronts and would lose on all fronts💥💥👍👍the tanks trucks planes ext.the US sent helped

[@ralphraffles1394]

The damage inflicted to Rommel’s supply lines and air power by the SAS leading up to El Alamein is another factor. The SAS destroyed more Axis aircraft than the RAF North African squadrons combined.

[@rossleahy2150]

Where Charles Upham (NZ) won his second VC having one his first at Crete

[@michaelrooks4030]

Hi think u will find Upham was awarded his bar in the first battle of el alamein

[@StephenFleming-kk7uk]

@@michaelrooks4030 Then he was captured and spent rest of war as a POW.

[@mikes3756]

This was my father’s initiation to war. He was sent there as a junior officer. In charge of an anti tank unit. He was inspected by Monty who grunted ‘all Durham men then’. My father was from Southampton

[@SteveRose-iq1cs]

Many people rate William Slim as the best British general of WW2

[@johndawes9337]

he was for his area, Monty for his

[@CliSwe]

The comment at around 2:30 - Montgomery didn't become a Field-Marshal until much later. He held Lieutenant-General rank at the time he took over Eighth Army.

[@nickdanger3802]

Churchill Sept 42 "In spite of the heavy losses which I mentioned, the Army of the Western Desert is now stronger actually and relatively than it has ever been. In fact, so large have the new reinforcements which have reached this Army been, that what is to a large extent a new Army has been created while the fighting has actually been in progress. The principal measures which rendered this possible were taken before the disaster of Tobruk, and, indeed, before the opening of the battle at Gazala in May. They were part of the general preparation which, looking ahead, we made for the hazards and stresses of the Desert campaign of 1942. As far back as March last I asked President Roosevelt to lend me shipping to transport an additional 40,000 or 50,000 men to the Middle East so as to have something to veer and haul upon, so as to have a force which could be turned to the various theatres in which danger might develop. The President consented and placed at our disposal a number of American ships, and in consequence at the critical moment we had rounding the Cape a very large and well-equipped force which could be directed immediately to Egypt. It is to that that the improvement in our affairs, the maintenance of our affairs, in that region must largely be attributed. Besides this a broadening stream of drafts to replace casualties, of equipment, tanks, anti-tank guns, "Ack-Ack" guns and vehicles of all kinds has been flowing from this country and from the United States to the Middle East, and we now 90 have in Egypt a very good, strong, well-equipped and resolute Army barring the further advance of the invader." "I am strengthened in this view by the results of the heavy fighting of last week. Owing to the restraint and understatement which have been practised in the Middle East communiqués in deference to the taste of the House, the scale and intensity of these operations have not been realised, or have -only now begun to be realised. General Rommel has been much hampered by the sinkings of so many of his supply ships by our submarines, as well as by the British and United States air attacks renewed again from Malta and also from Egypt." Hansard WAR SITUATION HC Deb 08 September 1942

[@jacktattis]

Nick what Cape ? No US planes on Malta the US never manufactured our Artillery or Ammunition or A/T guns or 3.7 inch A/A guns and our Blitzs were Canadian Nick Where did the US sink enemy shipping in the Med Nick Oh you mean after El Alamein ?

[@nickdanger3802]

@@jacktattis Cape of Good Hope numb nutz. 4,242 57mm, M1, on carriage M2 Lend leased to Britain. page 7 Hyperwar Lend Lease shipments Ordnance--General Supplies May 1942 USS Wasp launched Spits to Malta for the second time in two months when the USN lost one fleet carrier, one fleet destroyer and one fleet oiler with another fleet carrier damaged at Coral Sea preventing the IJN form landing on New Guinea.

[@Crash-zm2qd]

My great grandfather was out there he was in Kings Dragoon Guards driving armoured cars he was out in Middle East from 1940 to 1943 after North African campaign ended he got malaria and didn’t get to Italy until December 1943.

[@guyh9992]

The Australian 9th division loved Montgomery who was so much better than his predecessors. Auchinleck had a particularly toxic relationship with Australians and his relationship with New Zealanders and South Africans was not much better. The 9th division suffered 20% of the Casualties at el Alamein despite having only 10% of the men there. Still, such was their confidence in Montgomery, they never doubted that they would win in the end.

[@Ocker3]

Rommel knew how dangerous the Australian and New Zealand soldiers were, so he had to counter them whenever they attacked. Monty knew this of course, and counted on them drawing in German resources every time the ANZACs showed up, allowing the rest of the army to attack elsewhere.

[@Gungho1a]

Where did you pick that up from? Aust 9th Division was ambivalent at best, with many officers considering Montgomery to be a prima dona. Auchinleck's issue with the Australians was that Morshead was quite prepared to appeal to the Australian government if necessary, and actually held the authority of the Australian government to countermand Auchinleck's directives and orders when he considered it necessary to protect the cohesion and integrity of 9th Division. Montgomery hadn't faced that, and didn't have time to develop ill will...on the other hand, he knew he would lose 9th Div after the battle, so he was quite prepared to burn the Division out in the fighting, as even totally losing it would not impact on his post battle troop strength. As the Australians knew that, do you really think they 'loved' Montgomery?

[@guyh9992]

@@Gungho1a Results speak for themselves, el Alamein was a victory. The Australian military had lost faith in the judgement of Churchill and British commanders in general by around April 1942, the fact that they were prepared to tolerate Montgomery says it all. The Australians were quite prepared to appeal to the Australian government due to experience in 1941 when the British had disregarded the agreement reached by Churchill and Menzies in 1940; the AIF would fight as a single contiguous force under an Australian commander. Blamey ensured the relief of the 9th from Tobruk and forming up of the Australian Corps much to the displeasure of the British who treated Australian commanders with disdain. Blamey decsribed himself as the most hated man in Cairo before his return to Australia. Montgomery had no intention of splitting the Australians up, he was too smart. He also didn't "burn" them out as expendable, he gave them a tough job that he was confident they could do; lead the attack and then withstand Rommel's counterattack which was German doctrine at the time. He was confident because the 9th under Morshead had withstood Rommel at Tobruk the year before. Churchill tried to keep the 9th division until the end. As the British controlled shipping the only reason why they released the 9th was that Australia made it clear no further reinforcements would be sent. Hundreds of thousands of Australians flocked to the streets of Australian cities to welcome Montgomery after WWII (there is a KZbin video) and he also had a happy reunion with members of the 9th division, as he did for the rest of his life.

[@louisavondart9178]

@@guyh9992 ...Blamey went on to become the most hated man In Australia. Aussie troops refused to do the " Eyes Right " for him on parade. He'd called them cowards in New Guinea and they never forget an insult.

[@thevillaaston7811]

@@louisavondart9178 'Aussie troops refused to do the " Eyes Right " for him on parade.' Where is this on record? 'He'd called them cowards in New Guinea and they never forget an insult.' Where is this on record?

[@patrickcooper7869]

My late father fought with 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (60th Rifles) at El Alamein - he was a mortar man in the battle where,as attached to the 1st Armoured Division,they suffered heavy losses fighting German and Italian forces .He also took part in the pursuit of the defeated Axis army through to Tunisia and the end of the North African campaign.

[@soultraveller5027]

The 9th Australian division decisive battles at the first battle of. El Alamein and the second battle of Al Alamein made it possible for the success of Montgomery operation supercharge to final brake Through Rommel's defensive line the Aussies brought pressure on the German lines forcing Rommel to send reinforcements to hold the unremitting attacks by the Australian 9th division suffering Heavy casualties in the process after the breakthrough the 9th Aussie division took no further part in the North African offensive campaign pushing Rommel's army right across North Africa into Tunisia they stood down rested they were then shipped back to Australia on the insistence of the Australian prime minister where they took on the Japanese in battles around New Guinea and successful retaking New Guinea

[@Rusty_Gold85]

They were famous for beating the Germans and The Japanese. No other Army unit could say that

[@soultraveller5027]

@@Rusty_Gold85 yes indeed they paid a heavy price specially againest Rommels afkrian Korp through they didn't break the German line the certainly put tremendous pressure on Rommel held Just !! He consider the Aussie 9th division an elite fighting solders because of thier stature they. We're big strapping men from few prisonors captured and there tenacity in fighting they were the only division that could have done what they did every body from Winston churchill down to the lower ranks in montgomery Eight army knew what the aussies 9th division contribution in the Elamien battles and without thier sacrifice the outcome as it did wouldn't have happen

[@hurfyable]

Yes agree the 740 souls of the 2/27th WA can vouch for that

[@jacktattis]

I served with a Warrant Officer in Vietnam in 1966 who had been a corporal at El Alamein

[@kevi152]

Kidney ridge and Mieters ridge was taken by the 4th Indian div. This , as Rommel later mentioned was crucial.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

My Great Uncle was in the 7Th AIF and around 1st El Alamein he was injured in the head and lost his eye. He was eventually cleared back to Melbourne before he was demobbed a Year later . The Head aches couldnt be resolved. Lucky for him as it was the 7TH was sent home to take on the Japanese in Papua New Guinea (before El Alamein2)

[@englishmaninfrance661]

Remind you of anything ? Like Russia in Ukraine perhaps Overstretched and under supplied . And getting spanked My dad , long gone bless him , then moved over to Italy after this And fought st Monte Casino . He would never talk much about his time in the service , I don't blame him . But I do miss him dearly

[@jeremyandmichelledevereux2756]

The Australian 9th Division were the shock troops of the Empire. 17000 Australian soldiers threw themselves at that "diversionary attack", 1240 are buried there.

[@richardruff8712]

I was under the impression that there were THREE distinct parts of the El Alamein battles... the First battle of El Alamein ( where Auchinleck succeeded in stopping the German advanced guard at the hastily constructed "Alamein Line " between the coast and the Depression ) .... The Second battle of El Alamein ( where Rommel tried his outflanking move but was stopped at the Alam Halfa ridge ) .... and the Third battle of El Alamein ( where the massively reinforced 8th Army, after the famous bombardment, finally broke through the minefields and swung out into open country )... Finally the Church bells could ring !!!

[@paulinecabbed1271]

Yes the battles in the Western Desert had been going backwards and forwards for several years, first with the Italians trying to gain land in Egypt, then later German assistance.

[@johnbeavin9170]

Monty got the credit because The Auk set the trap and Rommel's rear was under threat. Monty must be the most overrated general of WW 2

[@richardruff8712]

@@johnbeavin9170 Yes, I tend to agree... I think that the British Govt, News, media, etc., all wanted to applaud the efforts of a Brit. General, and tended to minimise the work done by ANYONE else, of any nationality... If we look at the whole of the North African coastline, from Tripoli to Alexandria, it is a fact that the ONLY superb defensible position is the 50 mile gap from the Sea to the Qattara Depression...The fact that it is the last realistic place, where a retreating army could put up an effective block, means that, in my opinion, ANY General would have been able to stop Rommel there... It is generally accepted that Rommels' superior tactical brain, achieved successes, where there was vast open desert to work in.... But the area between El Alamein railway station and the 1,000 foot drop to the salt marsh, meant that Rommel was , for the first time, unable to swing far out into the desert, and do his skill... So I think that The Auk did a great job at the so-called " first battle of Alamein " but Churchill was eager to have a Brit. get the plaudits....

[@freddieclark]

@@johnbeavin9170 I think that title would go to Patton, especially after his disaster at Metz where he had 50,000 casualties with only a Pyrrhic to show for it. Even the Germans were surprised by Patton's decisions.

[@japhfo]

@@richardruff8712 And Auchinleck was British.

[@carrickrichards2457]

The great 'Auk' demanded 3 months to build up for an offensive after 1st El Alamein. He was also an Indian Army General who had inadequate knowledge of his mainly British Army Staff officers' strengths and (too many) weaknesses. Montgomery promised an earlier offensive and replaced him. Monty still took 3 months to prepare for the 2nd Battle of El Alamein (and remove many poor staff officers). The UK 57mm (6 pounder) AT gun was extremely effective when Rommel exposed his armour in counter attack (look at 'Outpost Snipe').

[@thevillaaston7811]

Where it it on record that Montgomery promised an earlier offensive?

[@carrickrichards2457]

@@thevillaaston7811 Churchill dismissed General Auchinleck in August 1942 after the commander refused to launch an immediate counterattack after El Alamein. He was unable to re-organise and resupply after the battle, as quickly as demanded by Churchill. (NY Times Obituary) This, along with his poor relationship with many senior British and Dominion officers in Eighth Army, led to him being relieved of command. His main failing in North Africa was appointing a number of senior commanders who proved to be unsuitable for their positions, or who had personality clashes with other colleagues in Eighth Army. (National Army Museum). Montgomery said Aukinlech had plans to withdraw from El Alamein, which was false. Can't now find the source of Montgomery's promise to attack sooner, which was to Brooke not Churchill directly.

[@thevillaaston7811]

@@carrickrichards2457 31.07.1942 Auchinleck signalled to Churchill that it was unlikely that Eighth Army could resume its advance until the middle of September. Just over six weeks later. 19.08.1942 Montgomery, in his 5th day in command of Eighth Army, indicated to Churchill that needed six weeks to get ready for battle. Six weeks later was 30th September. 30.08.1942 - 05.09. 1942 The Battle of Alam-el-Halfa. In the period after the conclusion of the battle, Montgomery reviewed the Eighth Army situation and concluded that Alamein would not commence until the 23rd October, the first full moon in October. 23.10.1942 - 11/11/1942 The Second Battle of Alamein. Montgomery went on to deliver a resounding victory that ended the war in North Africa as a contest, for less than 8% casualties.

[@freddieclark]

@@carrickrichards2457 Auchinleck, did have a plan for a Suez defence if Alamein did not go well and he decided to withdraw, and he allocated forces for this. (See Tank Warfare in North Africa Gazala to Tunisia 1942-43 Robert Forczyk).

[@roysimmons3549]

Much underrated soldier..Not a butcher.

[@ukmediawarrior]

This battle was one reason that German generals considered Monty a cautious general rather than someone like Patton who the Germans considered more like Rommel, an attacking general. At many points during this battle Rommel almost won, even with the Allied 2/1 and in some places 3/1 advantage in numbers Rommel not only almost held them, but almost defeated them. If he had had the supplies he needed he would of won the desert war. So yes, Monty had greater logistical support and greater numbers but I would argue he was tactically superior to Rommel, in fact after the battle began Monty found himself reacting to Rommel's moves more than the other way around.

[@stc3145]

Rommel made the big mistake of advancing into Egypt instead of defending in Libya like he was originally supposed to.

[@Poliss95]

Patton was a blowhard show-off and not a very good general. Monty had to come to his rescue at The Battle of the Bulge. The Germans can't have thought much of Romell either or they would have put him on the Eastern Front instead of a sideshow like North Africa.

[@simonmorris4226]

I suggest you research Wellingtons tactics in the peninsular war. I suspect Monty Had!

[@Bullet-Tooth-Tony-]

@UK Media Warrior Despite claims that "Monty only attacked with overwhelming force", he had just a 4/3 advantage in infantry (60,000 to 45,000), Yet he inflicted 30,000 to 50,000 casualties on the Germans, and by the time Panzer Army Africa retreated to Tunisia 80- 90% of the army were killed, missing or captured.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

You've got good points, despite those who support Monty in the replies. For me the deciding point is Operation Market Garden, a plan destined to FAIL from the start. Putting an Army down a single avenue of approach while overextending the Airborne forces positions that were ABSOLUTELY RELIANT on that single avenue of advance (with WILDLY EXPOSED FLANKS) was something that a green Platoon Leader "Might" try, only to have their ears pinned back by the more experienced Battalion Commander. For that Monty will be a FAMOUS FAILURE in my book. Conversely, the only strategic failure the Rommel made was not insisting on more explosives being used blow up Hitler. In every case on the field of battle, Rommel made the most of what he had, and as you said wasn't timid about attacking when it was to his advantage. In fact, Field Marshall Rommel is widely considered the "Father of Maneuver Warfare" for good reason. A doctrine fully embraced by most modern militaries including the United States. Rommel's genius is very apparent in Gen. Schwarzkopf's great "Hail Mary" flanking maneuver of the Gulf War. SSG. U.S. Army (Medically Retired) Infantry / Sniper / SOF Intel (SOT-A), multiple tours

[@DaveAinsworth-y8h]

The 2nd Rifle Birgade and 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corp was some regular battaliond in 8th Army. The Lt Col Vic Turner was the 24th Victoria Cross of the Rifle Birgade at Defense of Sinpe.

[@MrAnonymousRandom]

If Monty was the kind of cautious general, I wonder why he didn't put more efforts into completely destroying Rommel's supply lines by forming more SAS style units to cause trouble behind enemy lines and redirecting ground attack aircraft to attack truck columns.

[@jjsmallpiece9234]

See the other comment below. I can't remember the exact figures but a very large amount of German/Italian supplies were attacked and sunk by the RAF and Royal Navy as they sailed across from Italy to north Africa. Hence why Malta was such an important base - with RAF aircraft and RN submarines based there.

[@conan5300]

Forming SAS and LRDG units was a massive undertaking requiring loads of training as well as experience to pull off correctly. The early SAS joined LRDG patrols and used them like a taxi service to drop them off on a mission and pick them up again. Members of the SAS even said the experience of the LRDG was invaluable in those operations and it took a while for the SAS to catch up to the LRDG's long-distance driving and survival skills. This is mostly from the book Eastern Approaches; in the second part of the book, he covers his time in the SAS during the North African campaign, it's a little before Alamein but gives a good idea of the difficulties of raising such a force.

[@thevillaaston7811]

@@louisavondart9178 'LRDG were New Zealanders' And also British.

[@denisrobertmay875]

The LRDG and the later SAS had been operating for over 2years. They were useful in intelligence gathering and disruption activities, they were high risk with high casualty rates requiring the most highly trained and motivated troops but Campaigns could only be won with Main Force actions. There was a fear that without main action the Western Allies could do little except "Commando" attacks carried out by near "private" armies.

[@stephenmccartneyst3ph3nm85]

Because he bloody well did exactly what you're suggesting! On arriving in Africa, he deliberately moved his HQ closer to Desert Air Force HQ to better co-ordinate with them. He specifically tasked LRDG with scouting the Tebaga gap to see if it could be used to outflank the Mareth line, which was done successfully. This notion that Monty was cautious is utter nonsense. Tell me that Operation Supercharge was cautious, when 9th Armoured Brigade was told "Monty was aware of the risk and has accepted the possibility of losing 100% casualties in the 9th Armoured Brigade to make the break, "... Doesn't sound cautious to me.

[@Poliss95]

The footage at 1:10 is used as the intro to the Doctor Who story, The War Games, which is set in WWI.

[@docbrosk]

Well, control of the air, control of the sea, and numerical superiority there as well as on the ground (plus coming at Rommel from two directions) might just possibly have mattered.....

[@imperialinquisition6006]

Which was of course the intention. Grand strategy. But of course they should’ve had a man in man tank duel with equal numbers of aircraft and tanks.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Precisely and well said. It wasn’t all good old Diggers with rifle and bayonet.

[@albowie1486]

Two directions? Op Torch was 3000 miles away and only started very late in the Ala. It had zero effect on the battle and by the time US forces faced Rommel at Kasserine Montgomery had gone 1900 miles and was taking the on the German defences to Tunisia having defeated him in four battles at this stage

[@stormus65]

Thanks so much for mentioning the part Malta GC played in the second battle of El Alamein ^.^

[@dazitmane8905]

Always love me some Monty appreciation.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Excellent Military documentary coverage introduced thanks for sharing

[@Willzy800]

Montgomery did a really good job here. He chose the ground well as it couldn't be outflanked, ocean to the north, Qatarra depression to the south. He realised that he did not have to attack Rommel prematurely and recklessly. So he took his time, patiently building up his resources and material, coming up with a solid battle plan, basically giving himself the best chance of winning possible.

[@californiadreamin8423]

He didn’t choose the ground as such, but he knew it from service here in the years before the war. His knees weren’t as white as suggested.

[@georgesheffield1580]

And he had a shorter supply line .

[@davidpowelson4817]

It was actually Gen Claude Auchinleck who chose the Battleground at the Qatarra depression at the First Battle of El Alamein. Auchinleck had fewer soldiers and equipment and still did good considering that fact. Montgomery who was arrogant and overrated in my opinion waited until a few hundred American Tanks and more Troops arrived before he commenced the Second Battle of Alamein. The Long German supply lines and the short British Supply lines was also a strong mitigating factor of the outcome.

[@catinthehat906]

Up until June 1942 Rommel had been receiving detailed information about the strength and movement of British forces from reports sent to Washington by Colonel Bonner Frank Fellers, the U.S. military attaché in Cairo. The American code had been stolen following a covert operation by Italian military intelligence at the American Embassy in Rome the previous year. Montgomery benefited because the Americans finally stopped using the code, so Rommel no longer had the intelligence advantage.

[@vincnetjones3037]

Montgomery didn't choose this position. The Allies had already stopped the Axis in 1st Alamein and following attack. This was a counterattack...that was hugely outnumbering the Axis.

[@johnlegge2556]

All true, but Monty had made trivial amendments to Sir Neil Ritchie's plan. Monty's brilliantly stubborn insistence on the equipment and manpower denied Ritchie made Monty's execution of Ritchie's plan possible. Focus on Monty takes focus away from equally creditworthy aspects (in random Order): 1. USA supplied M3 Tanks; 2. Admiral Cunningham's Cochrane like victories which made possible the RN Med Fleet fighting the SS Ohio into Malta, making supply of the 8th Army possible; 3. The Indian Army's indispensable skill, weight, and courage; 4. The NZ Long Range Desert Group in Canadian Military Pattern Chevrolet Trucks; 5. The SAS destroying vital Luftwaffe Aircraft on the Ground; 6. The Merchant Marine with massive US and Commonwealth content; 7. Slim's pacification of Iraq, and access to Oil; 8. The RAF; 9. The Australian Division; 10. Commonwealth African forces; 11. 51st Highland Div. and their shockingly effective Pipers. Yes, Pipers; leading the critical infanty break-through; and 12. Inherited personal Staff and HQ systems which prevented Monty's capture, wounding, or elimination. Certainly Monty a first rate Conductor of this operation; But Monty was handed a brilliant Plan, International Commonwealth Combined Arms Forces, and FDR - Churchill Lend - Lease materiel and supply. Monty was a great General. But slow and stingy with thanks to those who made his success possible.

[@H4CK61]

You failed to mention the Intelligence gathered by the LRDG which gave Montgomery the strength and positions of the German and Italians. They were hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles behind enemy lines on what they called road watch.

[@simonfowler7561]

Excellent history lesson thanks!!

[@andrewrosser8909]

The role of the Australians to fix the Germans in the north can’t be overstated

[@anthonyeaton5153]

AS YOU KEEP TELLING US AD NAUSEAM! Give it a rest.

[@mikeh5431]

Excellent summary- thanks

[@johnfleet235]

I must admit I am not a big Monty fan. I would give him part of the credit for El Alamein, but the Royal and US Navy, plus the merchant ships also deserve credit for ensuring victory. Allied naval forces mostly British sunk the ships supplying Rommel and the huge mass of cargo ships that safely delivered tanks, fuel, and other weapons that defeated Axis forces.

[@robertpatrick3350]

This somewhat underplays the Naval war in med……

[@johnfleet235]

@@robertpatrick3350 Sorry Patrick-I was thinking also about the Naval war in the med. The mostly British naval forces with some help from the RAF did a fantastic job of defeating the German and Italian naval and air forces operating in the Med.

[@spidos1000]

What did the us navy do in the med? Didn’t think they contributed much.

[@nickdanger3802]

@@spidos1000 In May 42 USS Wasp launched Spits to Malta for the second time in two months while the Pacific Fleet lost one fleet carrier, one destroyer and one oiler preventing the Australians on New Guinea from being outflanked at Coral Sea.

[@thevillaaston7811]

@@nickdanger3802 Don't give us that crap. Britain defeated the the German Navy, the French Navy, the Italian Navy, and also had to deal with the Japanese in the Indian Ocean. WASP helped the Royal Navy in 1942, VICTORIOUS helped the US Navy in 1943 Britain was 21 miles from its nearest enemy, the USA was 3,500 miles from its nearest enemy.

[@alessandroguermandi8828]

Monty had twice the soldiers,twice the tanks,triple the cannons and four times the trucks.The Allies frequently had numerical superiority in the Western Desert but never had it been so complete in quantity and quality. With the arrival of Sherman tanks, 6-pounder anti-tank guns and Spitfires in the Western Desert, the Allies gained a comprehensive superiority.I wonder how Monty managed to win.A genius.

[@johndawes9337]

Patton had a 8to1 advantage in everything at Metz against cooks and clerks. yet still managed to mess it up

[@alessandroguermandi8828]

Hannibal at Cannae,Paulinus at Watling Street,Caesar at Alesia,Rundstedt at Kiev (1941),Rommel at Gazala.Want more?@@johndawes9337

[@alessandroguermandi8828]

@@johndawes9337 Alexander at Gaugamela,Hannibal at Cannae,Caesar at Alesia,Paulinus at Watling St,Napoleon at Austerlitz,Runstedt at Kiev(1941),Rommel at Gazala.Want more?

[@johndawes9337]

@@alessandroguermandi8828 oohhh being a clever shirtfront going way back in time..not that clever though you forgot Monty's Battle of Alam Halfa the 1st time he bashed Rommel then he did him 4 more times...this gentleman had this to say about it.. As Generalfeldmarschall Kesserling noted ‘even a victorious army cannot keep up a pursuit of thousands of miles in one rush; the stronger the army the greater the difficulty of supply. Previous British pursuits had broken down for the same reason.’ and rather admiringly pointed out, ‘the British Eighth Army had marched halfway across North Africa - and over fifteen hundred miles - had spent the bad winter months on the move and in the desert, and had had to surmount difficulties of every kind.’ yes Monty was a genius never beat in battle and by far the best general in the MTO and the ETO..or do you think you can name a better one.. if so who and why?

[@JamesRichards-mj9kw]

@@johndawes9337 Montgomery lost Operation Market Garden. Kesselring, Rommel, Guderian, Model, von Bock and Manstein were all far better generals.

[@pitch1691]

You should do a video on the battle of Kursk and Stalingrad

[@nicholastullett5653]

Little note. Montgomery was not a field Marshall when taking over the 8th army.

[@ayanandcarsandtheworld5981]

I bought the Memoirs of Field Marshal Montgomery as a child still have the book as one of my prized possessions. I admire and respect British Field Marshal Montgomery and also German Field Marshal Rommel. They both deserve their place in history. I respect England and Germany both. Al Alamein, Stalingrad and Kohima and Midway are all important battles of WW 2. Hope Russia and the West become friends again like in WW 2. 🔥

[@californiadreamin8423]

The American diplomat in Cairo was a US Army officer….Bonner Fellers…and he was full access to 8th Army plans, strengths, dispositions etc…and made daily radio reports to Washington using a code that the Italians had stolen. The messages were on Rommel desk before they were decoded in Washington.

[@nickdanger3802]

Not the only source. According to Macfarlane, company 621 “were so good at it that Rommel used to get reports on our activities when fighting was going on, even the conversations between tank commanders for example, that’s how good it was.” This gave Rommel a massive edge during battle, “no wonder he was a brilliant general,” THE AUSTRALIANS WHO CAPTURED ROMMEL’S INTELLIGENCE UNIT, COMPANY 621

[@californiadreamin8423]

@@nickdanger3802 Yup.

[@davidsike734]

Sad how many allies had to die because they weren't aware of the intelligence breach in Cairo. Makes you wonder if that had never happened, if Rommel would have gotten as far as he did. Knowing your opponent's plans, strengths and weakness is crucial in any battle plan.

[@nickdanger3802]

"There was also too much chatter on the British radio nets-gossiping really-and no real radio discipline. Another bad British habit was too much "cc’ing" of messages instead of simply leaving these addresses off of messages that did not directly concern them. From just one message, Seebohm could learn all the out stations (subordinate units) to the control station (commanding unit). He could combine that with a captured codebook and/or good traffic analysis, and a British order of battle could be built up over time." Rommel’s 621st Radio Intercept Company

[@andrewcombe8907]

The supply lines being attenuated was why Tobruk was so strategically important. The port of Tobruk was crucial.

[@shamrock141]

Montgomery made many decisions that tremendously helped the war effort in North Africa that largely go unnoticed. Everyone likes to look at the general that pulls a victory despite being outnumbered and outgunned but it's important to remember that's the exception, not the rule. Winning the war needs supplies, sabotage, technological advancement, communication and experience, which Monty prioritized

[@StephenFleming-kk7uk]

He was also involved in the Dieppe raid and Arnheim, which did not end well in both cases.

[@KeithHays-ek4vr]

It's a shame that the Imperial War Museum chooses to memorialise Montgomery's achievements so poorly. The Grant tank pictured is located as far away from the entrance at Duxford as humanly possible. His caravans are in storage. Most people walk past them - if they get to the storage area - not knowing what they are. I believe that they had previously been kept outside in the weather at Duxford. The exhibit of Monty's staff car at IWM London is woeful, with cartoon caricatures of Monty and Rommel separated by - I kid you not - a fly swatter! - It's a bloody disgrace. Shame on the people at IWM who allowed this to happen.

[@justjoking5841]

He wasn't the best but he did exactly what was expected of him. Simple as

[@7ITZDANGER7]

If rommel had gotten supplies and more equipment monty didn't stood a chance😂😂

[@thevillaaston7811]

Your point is?..

[@jillwilliamson4825]

My dad fought in Italy and north Africa 🇬🇧

[@YmTan-uf4bx]

It was at the fourth battle of Alamein that Monty finally break out of Alamein when Rommel run out of supplies😮

[@vertmicko4763]

And he ran out of supplies because of men like my uncle of the RN based in Malta who sank many Axis supply ships.

[@dave-hp3rf]

there is no doubt that the great Australian 9th div was integral to Rommels defeat,in saying that it was a joint effort of all who fought in this battle.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Bravo well said. It was a combined effort.

[@harryeaton7193]

Those Italian POWs were the main reason the UK eat-out food improved massively in the post war period.

[@johndawes9337]

other than fish n chips there was very little take away food until the 70s

[@starsailor49]

Many of the 8th Army defeats leading up to El Alamein we’re due to intelegence leaks from American sources directly to Rommel. He had access to pretty much all Alied plans, troop movements and composition.

[@romanceano7519]

It was a I WW style battle because the one in charge was a I WW style general. Over-preparation, slow action, atrition, atrition and atrition, the only things he knew. It is grotesque to continue fuelling the prestige of Montgomery when what won the day was the will to fight and die of the Australians. They won the battle. Montgomery made a foul of himself planning things that never happened and simulating prescience when everything he knew was from Enigma. The prestige he won in Alamein would cost many lives in Normandy where he did the same again: frontal attacks with funny names. Only time the guy tried to be imaginative was in Market-Garden and it was even worst.

[@seanlander9321]

Australia was always Monty’s saviour in North Africa.

[@dovidell]

Field hygiene was also a factor - The British and commonwealth forces utilised ammunition boxes as de-facto latrines , which were then properly disposed of , thus limiting ( to a degree) the possibility of certain diseases and illnesses , the axis forces were not schooled in such matters , and as a result , they had a smaller percentage of forces actually fit for combat

[@AnkitSingh-xl6pt]

For all the hate Monty receives in the United States today, one cant deny he was a brilliant commander in his own right. Even Patton, for all his disgust for Montgomery, quoted that "It feels hard but I gotta admit Monty's one hell of a good soldier, an outstanding staff officer and an excellent General".

[@IanCross-xj2gj]

Generous praise indeed from Monty's severest critic 😂

[@AnkitSingh-xl6pt]

​@@IanCross-xj2gjyou're yet to meet some dumba** named Walt Miller. He's available on quora. Claims he served with the USMC for 20 years. Even if questions are concerning the Pacific Theatre, he does drag Monty into it and as per his opinion, the Allies would've "lost WW2 altogether had it not been for Patton". Just waiting for the day he comes up with the "fact" that WW2 itself was caused by Monty(in league with Hitler and Stalin).

[@Fufiloofa]

Spitfire at 10:23! How low is that?!

[@diannegooding8733]

Monty was serving and wounded, I believe during World War One. He saw the debacles and the great number of casualties, despite evolving tactics. He determined to fight in a very different way during World War Two. The battles where his tactics went very wrong, were not his fault! In fact he was so good that the yanks have always done what they can to belittle his achievements! If nothing else, he never pistol whipped a PTSD patient in hospital!

[@japhfo]

"he never pistol whipped a PTSD patient " neither did George Patton. Behave.

[@monty5692]

Just to correct the narrative slightly (at 2:33), Montgomerie was not a Field Marshall at the time of El Alamein, nor for some time after; as far as I remember (without looking it up!) he was at the time a Lt. Gen.

[@johnjamesflashman6856]

We owe a lot to the Commonwealth soldiers, sailors and airmen. Also all other foreign servicemen. Thank you

[@anthonyeaton5153]

The Australians NEVER have a complimentary word to say about the British Army.

[@johnjamesflashman6856]

@@anthonyeaton5153 I'm British and I believe we have the best army in the world.

[@michaelrooks4030]

​@anthonyeaton5153 still can't get that big chip of your shoulder can u mate lol😂

[@zty3529]

Appreciate the precious history told

[@johnslight5742]

Not a word about Enigma. The key reason for Rommel's defeat had nothing to do with Montgomery (yes he had double the men and armour). From intercepting all German messages (Enigma) they knew the departure date of every fuel tanker (bound for Tripoli) from the South Italian ports. They let every third get through. British submarines sank the rest. Rommel ran out of fuel for both aircraft and tanks.

[@thevillaaston7811]

Auchinleck, who commanded Eighth Army before Montgomery was also able to see intercepted German messages, as did US commanders, when the USA eventually joined the war against Germany. So allied victories had nothing to Auchinleck, Eisenhower, Bradley, and their subordinate commandders like Hodges, Patch, Patton, Simpson, etc?

[@edopronk1303]

It's surprising that the axis fought so well. I hear shortages on all fronts for them, long supply lines and shifting generals, whereas the allies had superior numbers and good supply lines.

[@stephenbesley3177]

Again, as always, the story of Lt. Gen. William Gott is ignored. Montgomery was NOT the first choice to replace Auchinlech. If anything, the change was decided by a young pilot and over heated engines waiting for Gott. Deciding to fly at 500 instead of 50 feet led to Gott being the highest ranking British officer to be killed in combat at the hands of the Luftwaffe.

[@jameshepburn4631]

“Strafer” Gott was favored because he had been in the N. African theatre for a while and they thought he would organize an offensive sooner. Alan Brooke personally recommended Monty to theater commander Alexander who agreed with the very competent Chief of the Imperial General Staff.

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

Also the battle where the Magic circles smoke and mirrors guys went to war, to move the Canal the Nile and create forces where there were none. The hand held mine dector was developed by a free Polish forces officer who gifted his design waving the patent, to the allies to save lives. He was subsequently granted a modest military pension and gifted a postwar house.

[@Oldgit51]

Monty's greatest victory was the use of the enigma machine, thus knowing what the Germans were going to do before the battle, fact conveniently forgotten in posts like this.

[@thevillaaston7811]

That applied to every US engagement with the Germans. WShich one do you want?

[@adrianbruce2963]

So far as I understand it, breaking the Enigma in time to act on the information, was never a foregone conclusion (each day brought a new combination to be broken). Nor was absolutely everything sent by that method. So while it's seriously important, it's not a guarantee.

[@stephenmccartneyst3ph3nm85]

Whilst Rommel's successes came as a result of the compromised reports from the US embassy in Cairo. He stopped winning when that dried up. What's your point?

[@albowie1486]

I'd suggest you do a little research on that subject, It helped but there is clear evidence of how it hindered as well. It was not real time as many claim and particularly in the pursuit phase rarely accurate or timely. I'd start with the Stewart book "Victory in the Desert from Alam Halfa to Tunis 1942-43 - How the tide was turned". He devotes a very well researched chapter to that specific issue. Also conventiently forgotten is that up until Alamein Rommel had daily updates as to the intent, strengths and disposition and plans of the 8th Army thanks to the US Defence Attache sending detailed reports to the US Chief of Staff via a compromised code that initially the US failed to change when British Intelligence proved it was their reports he was getting. Once he lost this and Sieboms SIGINT unit seized by the Australians he really struggled in everything he did even when freshly supplied and equipped.

[@veridian79]

I can My dad was in The 2/48th AIF They had the furtherest point on the right flank. Monty wanted them personally to have that job, if that right flank feel the whole battle would fail. they fought three days soli for Trig 29 at the end they were only 41 men left standing, but they took and held that position.

[@iancraig1951]

As I understand the first ever defeat of the jerries was Tobruk..Rommels first defeat

[@anthonyeaton5153]

No the first defeat inflicted on ‘the Jerries’ was The Battle of Britain.

[@ianmangham4570]

My uncle Harry was in whats now Libya in ww2 , he was 7th armour rolled into the 8th Army for the BIG PUSH ,my older bro did a paper for grammar school about him, i remember he said everyone felt the barage in their bowels 😅, he had souvenirs/hitler youth dress dagger 🗡 and many more goodies

[@josephsarra4320]

I have a request that I want to make, can you do a video or a bunch of videos based on the battle of Stalingrad, such as why does hitler want to take the city and how and why the nazis failed at that battle? Please let me know soon.

[@jackowens7636]

KZbin Tik Stalingrad...sortrd

[@Brian_is_unconnected]

yes please more eastern front stuff

[@ImperialWarMuseums]

Keep your eyes peeled over the next few months, you may be in luck 😉

[@scottkrater2131]

There's a channel called Tikhistory that has a long running series on Stalingrad.

[@MililaniJag]

@6:39 Is that Gen.Claire Chennault? Cheers!

[@tonystone1016]

Remember Montgomery is just a small cog in this battle. Allied air and naval campaign that stopped reinforcements and supplies for Nazi Germany are the stars. Montgomery is a side note in the story, the brave men he commanded are the real heroes.

[@adrianbooth438]

My (step) grandfather (Roy) worked in "Codes & Ciphers" in Montgomery's HQ at El Alamein. He never revealed any details, other than to consistently say that Montgomery was overrated. I still wonder if he knew about Ultra!