The Battle of Bir Hakeim

[Theobald]

The Battle of Bir Hakeim

At the end of May 1942, the Free French 1st brigade occupied the southern sector of the British 8th Army's deployment in Libya, facing German and Italian Axis troops. This was a key point on the extreme left of the position since it could prevent any potential encirclement from the south of Allied forces retreating in disarray from the defeat and the fall of Tobruk that had opened the road to Cairo for the German tanks.


On 27 May 1942, the position of Bir Hakeim came under attack from the Italian "Ariete" armoured division and was engaged in fierce fighting that even reached into the interior of the stronghold. The enemy was driven back, leaving 40 tanks on the field.

From 1 to 10 June the position came under methodical attack and was completely surrounded by German and Italian forces in vastly superior numbers. General Rommel, in command of the enemy forces, endeavoured to remove the obstacle barring his advance. General Koenig, commanding the French brigade, responded to an ultimatum from Rommel calling upon him to surrender, with the words, "We are not here to surrender".



Despite the most intense artillery fire and aerial bombardment, the brigade held off every enemy attack, gave not an inch of ground and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.
The incredible boldness of a group of volunteers from the "Train" (transport corps) enabled a convoy of 30 lorries to reach the position under cover of night. By 10 June, however, supplies of water, food and ammunition were virtually exhausted. The garrison was given the order to retreat by the commander of the British 8th Army. During the night of 10 to 11 June, the brigade broke through the encircling enemy lines by sheer force, negotiating mine fields and bringing back its wounded and any equipment still usable.


By holding out for far longer than could have been hoped, in a feat which won worldwide acclaim, the Free French 1st Brigade had enabled the British 8th Army to withdraw in good order and had won the time needed to prepare for a reversal of the situation at El Alamein.

The military cemetery on the site of the battle itself has been maintained in memory of those who fell. It is reached by a track, lined with crosses of Lorraine, that runs from El Adem.

Because of its isolation, the 182 bodies it once contained have been transferred to El Adem alongside the bodies of the first four French soldiers to fall at Cyrenaica on 21 January 1941, and those of the six men who lost their lives in the in the Khufra raid led by General Leclerc.



Source

Free French First Brigade

Strength : 3,703 soldiers

Casualties : 140 dead, 229 wounded, 814 prisoners

Axis' Troops

Strength : about 40-50,000 men, 5 divisions (Afrika Korps : 15th and 21th PanzerDivision, 90th Light Division; Italian "Ariete" armoured Division and "Trieste" motorized division)

Casualties : 3,300 dead and 277 prisoners

More links (in French) :

http://www.histoiredumonde.net/artic...id_article=816

http://www.birhakeim-association.org...tebataille.htm

http://www.birhakeim-association.org...emoignages.htm

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataille_de_Bir_Hakeim

http://www.net4war.com/e-revue/dossi...irhakeim01.htm

[Theobald]

Famous Quotations

- The Nation has tremendous pride learning what its soldiers at Bir-Hakeim have done. Brave and pure children of France have written with their blood one of the most beautiful pages of glory!



- Know and tell your troops that whole France is looking at you and that you are her pride.

- De Gaulle

- During this battle I took myself, several times, the direct command of the troops. During this Campaign in Africa, I've hardly seen tougher fight.



- One more time we had the proof that a French leader, decided not to surrender, can carry out miracles, even if the situation seems hopeless.

- Rommel

- [...] It is a new proof of the theory I've always supported, that is to say the French are, after us, the best soldiers of whole Europe. France will always be able, even with her current birth rate, to have 100 divisions. It will be absolutely necessary, after this war, to make a coalition able to militarily stop a country able to achieve military prowesses which astonish and amaze the world, like in Bir Hakeim.

- Hitler

- I think I've never faced, during whole campaign in Africa, such a keen and heroic defense.

- Von Mellenthin

- By delaying 15 days the offensive of Rommel, the Free French troops of Bir-Hakeim greatly contributed to secure Egypt and Suez.

- Winston Churchill

- [...] The Free French have, since the very beginning, disturbed Rommel. Their heroic resistance saved 8th British army from a disaster. [...]

- Playfair (British general)