Despite the shellacking handed them at
Gazala, Tobruk, and Mersa Matruh
the Eighth was still an army.
They were focused, ready and willing
to end Rommel's joy ride here and now.
The Afrika Korps' sprint into Egypt left their air cover
behind. The Messerschmitt fighters were notoriously
short ranged and couldn't reach Rommel's forces
as he neared Alamein.
Britain's Desert Air Force took advantage of Germany's
vulnerability and bombed Rommel's troops without
let up, day and night. Everything down to refueling
tanks was disrupted. Still, Rommel urged his men on
with single-minded ferocity.
Time was critical. Soon the 8th Army would receive
300 Sherman tanks from the US - the first of this
new breed of armor, just off the assembly line.
Ships filled with troops were also on the way.
Rommel had to crush the British now or lose
all hope of taking North Africa.
Rommel charged into the British defenses believing
he was still fighting General Richie. He wasn't.
Auchinleck's troop deployment was not anticipated
by the German generals and they ran full bore into
a barrage of artillery fire that came from three directions.
For three days Rommel twisted and turned looking
for a soft spot in the British defense. He found none.
A spent force.
The Afrika Korps was exhausted.
They could go no further.
Rommel's only choice now was to
set out the mine fields and stretch out
the barb wire. From here on Rommel
would be on the defensive.
* * * * *
OVER EASY
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