Military History: The Battle Of Beda Fomm

February 1941 saw the British make aperilous dash across uncharted desert to confront a superior enemy, culminating in a stand-off beside the sea.Kev Lochun explains .

- Kev Lochun

General RichardO’Connor surveyed his Desert Rats,the 7th Armoured Division. By now the men had a healthy bronze to their skin, but they were sore and thirsty after weeks of slogging through the sands of North Africa. The tanks at their disposal, now far fewer in number than he would have liked, were in desperate need of repairs. Supplies of petrol, spare parts and water were all worryingly low. He considered them again. Did they have the means, never mind the will, to undertake the gamble he was about to set them on?

It was 4 February 1941, and the ‘five-day raid’ to challenge Mussolini’s invasion of Egypt was nearing the end of its second month. It had gone better than anyone could have dared to hope – not least because they were no longer in Egypt. The Italian Tenth Army was now in full flight along the Via Balbia, the coastal road skirting the shore of Cyrenaica, with the Australian 6th Division in pursuit. Could the Australians catch them? It was possible, but far from guaranteed, and O’Connor was set upon the completely destroying the Italians.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Immediately to the south of the Via Balbia is the Jebel Akhdar, an impassable massif peaking at nearly 3000 feet. Now that Tenth Army had started along the coastal road, they were stuck on it until they reached the Gulf of Sirte. In this, O’Connor spotted an opportunity. If his Desert Rats raced around the southern side of the Jebel, they might be able to cut off the Italians’ escape. Time, however, wasn’t the only concern. There was no road south of the massif, just open desert, uncharted and untrodden save by Bedouin caravanners.