Operation Skorpion

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Operation Skorpion Part of World War II, North African Campaign This map charts Rommel's first offensive and the British counterattacks, March 24 – June 17, 1941 Date May 26, 1941 – May 27, 1941 Location Halfaya Pass, Egypt Result German Victory Belligerents Australia  United Kingdom Germany Italy Commanders Archibald Wavell William Gott Erwin Rommel Maximilian von Herff Strength Elements of : British XIII Corps 1 Infantry Battalions Elements of: Afrika Korps Casualties and losses 1British and Commonwealth: 1 1More detailed information is available in the 'Aftermath' section

v • d • e Western Desert Campaign Invasion of Egypt – Compass – Sonnenblume – Tobruk – Brevity – Skorpion – Battleaxe – Flipper – Crusader – Gazala – Bir Hakeim – Bir-el Harmat – 1st Alamein – Alam Halfa – Agreement – 2nd Alamein

After a small lull in the fighting following Operation Brevity the Germans deployed three assault groups up in front of Halfaya Pass during the evening of 26 May and attacked the next morning.^[1] The Coldstream Guards and some supporting units fought well but could not stop the Germans from securing a commanding position, leaving the British in danger of being surrounded and cut off. During the morning Brigadier Gott authorized a withdrawal and Lt. Colonel Moubray extricated his force with great skill, but at the cost of 173 casualties, 4 field guns, 8 anti tank guns, and 5 Infantry tanks.^[2] This meant that the Afrika Korps had now retaken all ground lost to the British during Operation Brevity.

Contents 1 See also 2 References 3 External links 4 Footnotes

[edit] See also

• North African Campaign timeline
• List of World War II Battles

[edit] References

• Howard, Michael; Sparrow, John (1951). The Coldstream Guards, 1920-1946. Oxford University Press. 
• Jentz, Thomas L. (1998). Tank Combat In North Africa: The Opening Rounds, Opertions Sonnenblume, Brevity, Skorpion and Battleaxe, February 1941 - June 1941. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-76430-226-4. 
• Playfair, Major General I.S.O.; and others [1954] (2006). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume II The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941), History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series, Official Campaign History. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84734-427-5. 
• Rommel, Erwin; Liddell-Hart, Basil (editor) [1953] (1982). The Rommel Papers. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-30680-157-4. 

[edit] External links

• Bradford, George R. "BREVITY" and its Impact on the DAK.
• Paterson, Ian A. History of the British 7th Armoured Division: Operation Brevity.

[edit] Footnotes