Fort Capuzzo

Fort Capuzzo was a fort in the Italian colony of Libya, near the Libyan-Egyptian border. It is famous for its role during World War II.

Within a week of Italy's June 10, 1940 declaration of war upon the United Kingdom, the British Army's 11th Hussars (assisted by elements of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment) captured Fort Capuzzo. Later, the Italian 1st Blackshirt Division recaptured it during an attack which reached Sidi Barrani, Egypt. In December, the Western Desert Force regained the fort during Operation Compass. It was then re-captured by General Rommel during his first offensive, falling on April 12, 1941.^[1]. During Operation Brevity the fort changed hands briefly between May 15 and May 16, but ultimately remained in German-Italian possession when the operation failed and the attacking British Brigade group withdrew.^[2] The fort was retaken by the New Zealand Division on November 22 during Operation Crusader^[3]. Axis forces once again took possession following the Battle of Gazala before the fort was returned to allied control for the final time following the Second Battle of El Alamein.

[edit] References

Latimer, Jon (2001). Tobruk 1941: Rommel's Opening Move. Osprey. ISBN 0-27598-287-4.
Playfair, Major General I.S.O.; Brigadier C.J.C Molony, Captain F.C. Flynn, R.N. and Group Captain T.P. Gleave, C.B.E. [1954] (2006). Mediterranean and Middle East Volume I: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941), History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84734-426-7.
Playfair, Major General I.S.O. [1956] (2004). The Mediterranean and Middle East Volume 2: The Germans Come to the Help of Their Ally, 1941 (hardback), Official History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series, East Sussex, UK: Naval & Military Press, 406 pages. ISBN 1845740661.
Playfair, Major General I.S.O. [1960] (2004). History Of The Second World War: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume 3: British Fortunes Reach Their Lowest Ebb, United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-067-X.