Tobruk, battle of

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Tobruk, battle of, 1941. The Libyan port of Tobruk, 50 miles from the Egyptian frontier, was captured from the Italians by British forces on 22 January 1941. Axis forces under Rommel subsequently defeated the British, but it was decided to hold Tobruk, which Churchill described as a ‘sally port’ deep behind Axis lines. The siege of Tobruk began on 10 April 1941, and the port was relieved by the British on 10 December 1941. Tobruk was subsequently captured by Rommel on 21 June 1942 and finally retaken by the British following the battle of El Alamein in November 1942.

Gary Sheffield

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