el agheila Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

November 18 – December 30, 1941) was the third, the largest, the longest and ultimately successful attempt to relieve the 1941 Siege of Tobruk.

British Eighth Army's initial plan to destroy the Axis armoured force before advancing its infantry came apart when, after a number of inconclusive engagements, the British 7th Armoured Division were heavily defeated by the Afrika Korps at Sidi Rezegh. Rommel's subsequent advance of his armoured divisions to the Axis fortress positions on the Egyptian border failed to find the main body of the enemy infantry, which had by-passed the fortresses and headed for Tobruk, and Rommel was obliged to withdraw his armoured units to support the fighting at Tobruk. http://louis1j1sheehan.us Despite achieving some tactical successes at Tobruk, the need to preserve his remaining forces, which lacked both supply and replacements, prompted Rommel to withdraw his army to the defensive line at Gazala, west of Tobruk, and then all the way back to El Agheila. http://louis1j1sheehan.us