Battle of Tripoli (1943) - Revision history

JOVFinlay2: rework section also and improved wording

2025-10-01T06:30:48Z

rework section also and improved wording

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:00, 1 October 2025
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	{{~~Orphan~~\|~~date=October 2022~~}}		{{Short description\|Allied victory in North Africa during WWII}}
			{{about\|a battle in the African campaign of WWII\|the last stand of the [[History of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi\|Socialist Jamahiriya]] of Muʿammar Qaddāfī against rebel forces\|Battle of Tripoli (2011)}}
	{{~~close paraphrasing~~\|~~date=March 2020~~\|~~source=desertrats.org.uk/battles1943.htm~~}}

	{{Infobox military conflict		{{Infobox military conflict
	\| conflict = Battle of Tripoli		\| conflict = Battle of Tripoli
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	\| date = 22–23 January 1943		\| date = 22–23 January 1943
	\| place = [[Tripoli, Libya\|Tripoli]], [[Tripolitania]], ([[Italian Libya]])		\| place = [[Tripoli, Libya\|Tripoli]], [[Tripolitania]], ([[Italian Libya]])
	\| coordinates =		\| coordinates =
	\| map_type =		\| map_type =
	\| map_relief =		\| map_relief =
	\| latitude =		\| latitude =
	\| longitude =		\| longitude =
	\| map_size =		\| map_size =
	\| map_marksize =		\| map_marksize =
	\| map_caption =		\| map_caption =
	\| map_label =		\| map_label =
	\| territory =		\| territory =
	\| result = Allied victory		\| result = Allied victory
	\| status =		\| status =
	\| combatants_header =		\| combatants_header =
	\| combatant1 = {{~~flag~~\|Kingdom of Italy}}<br/>{{~~flag~~\|Nazi Germany}}		\| combatant1 = {{flagcountry\|Kingdom of Italy}}<br />{{flagcountry\|Nazi Germany}}
	\| combatant2 = {{flag\|United Kingdom}}<br/>{{~~flag~~\|New Zealand}}<br/>{{flag\|Australia}}		\| combatant2 = {{flag\|United Kingdom}}<br />{{flagcountry\|Dominion of New Zealand}}<br />{{flag\|Australia}}
	\| commander1 = {{flagicon\|~~Nazi Germany~~}} [[~~Erwin Rommel~~]]<br/>{{flagicon\|~~Kingdom of Italy~~}} [[~~Ettore Bastico~~]]		\| commander1 = {{flagicon\|Kingdom of Italy}} [[Ettore Bastico]]<br>{{flagicon\|Nazi Germany}} [[Erwin Rommel]]
	\| commander2 = {{flagicon\|United Kingdom}} [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis\|Harold Alexander]]<br/>{{flagicon\|United Kingdom}} [[Bernard Montgomery]]		\| commander2 = {{flagicon\|United Kingdom}} [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis\|Harold Alexander]]<br />{{flagicon\|United Kingdom}} [[Bernard Montgomery]]
	\| units1 = [[~~Afrika Korps~~\|Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee:]]<br/>[[15th Panzer Division]]<br/>[[21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)\|21st Panzer Division]]<br/>[[132nd Armoured Division Ariete\|132nd (Italian) "Ariete" Armoured Div.]]<br/>[[133rd Armoured Division Littorio\|133rd (Italian) "Littorio" Armoured Div.]]<br/>[[136 Infantry Division Giovani Fascisti\|136th Infantry Division ''Giovani Fascisti'']]<br/>[[17 Motorised Division Pavia\|17th Infantry Division ''Pavia'']]		\| units1 = ''[[Panzer Army Africa\|Deutsch - Italienische Panzerarmee]]''
	\| units2 = [[Eighth Army ~~(United Kingdom)\|British 8th Army:~~]]<br/>[[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)\|XXX Corps]]<br/>[[XIII Corps (United Kingdom)\|XIII Corps]]<br/>[[10th Royal Hussars]]<ref name="ForcesWarRecords">{{citation \|url=https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/blog/2018/01/11/75th-anniversary-on-this-day-1943-into-tripoli-montgomery-marched-in-triumph \|title=Forces War Records-"75th Anniversary – On This day 1943: Into Tripoli Montgomery Marched in Triumph."}}</ref>		\| units2 = [[British Eighth Army]]
	\| strength1 =		\| strength1 =
	\| strength2 =		\| strength2 =
	\| casualties1 =		\| casualties1 =
	\| casualties2 =		\| casualties2 =
	\| notes =		\| notes =
			\| campaignbox ={{Campaignbox Western Desert}}
	}}		}}

	'''~~The~~ Battle of ~~[[Tripoli, Libya\|~~Tripoli]]''' was an engagement on between the [[Afrika Korps\|Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee]] commanded by [[Erwin Rommel]] of [[Germany]] and [[Ettore Bastico]] of [[Italy]], who held the town, and the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)\|British 8th Army]], a [[Commonwealth of Nations\|Commonwealth]] force commanded by Sir [[Bernard Montgomery]]. After a short siege, the ~~Germans~~ withdrew from Tripoli, and the [[Allies of World War II\|Allies]] entered the town to great worldwide fanfare.		The '''Battle of Tripoli''' was an engagement on between the [[Afrika Korps\|Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee]] commanded by [[Erwin Rommel]] of [[Nazi Germany]] and [[Ettore Bastico]] of [[Kingdom of Italy]], who held the town, and the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)\|British 8th Army]], a [[Commonwealth of Nations\|Commonwealth]] force commanded by Sir [[Bernard Montgomery]]. After a short siege, the Italian and German forces withdrew from Tripoli, and the [[Allies of World War II\|Allies]] entered the town to great worldwide fanfare.

	==Prelude==		==Prelude==
	After the German defeat in the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] in November 1942, German commander Erwin Rommel shed many of his slower Italian units, leaving 30,000-75,000 men to be taken as prisoners, and dashed for Tunisia. Over the next 80 days, he withdrew 1,400 miles across Libya, losing 130 tanks and 1,000 artillery guns.<ref name="DesertRats">{{citation \|url=http://www.desertrats.org.uk/battles1942.htm \|title=Desert Rats-"Battles 1942."}}</ref> At the same time as the Second Battle of El Alamein, [[Operation Torch]] deposited approximately 83,300 U.S. and 23,000 British soldiers in three task forces in an [[invasion]] of [[French North Africa]], in [[Morocco]] and [[Algeria]] on 8 November 1942. Rommel had to reach his supply ports in [[Tunisia]] before both armies could cut him off.		After the Italian and German defeat in the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] in November 1942, German commander Erwin Rommel shed many of his slower Italian units, leaving 30,000-75,000 men to be taken as prisoners, and dashed for Tunisia. Over the next 80 days, he withdrew 1,400 miles across Libya, losing 130 tanks and 1,000 artillery guns.<ref name="DesertRats">{{citation \|url=http://www.desertrats.org.uk/battles1942.htm \|title=Desert Rats-"Battles 1942."}}</ref> At the same time as the Second Battle of El Alamein, [[Operation Torch]] deposited approximately 83,300 U.S. and 23,000 British soldiers in three task forces in an [[invasion]] of [[French North Africa]], in [[Morocco]] and [[Algeria]] on 8 November 1942. Rommel had to reach his supply ports in [[Tunisia]] before both armies could cut him off.

	==Combat==		==Combat==
	Rommel dug a defensive line at [[Buerat]] that collapsed on January 15, 1943. In a series of desperate rear guard actions, Rommel defended his flanks while driving his main body west. [[Misurata]] fell on January 18, [[Homs]] on the 20th, [[El Aziez]] on the 21st, [[Castelverde]] on the 22nd.<ref name="ForcesWarRecords">{{citation \|url=https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/blog/2018/01/11/75th-anniversary-on-this-day-1943-into-tripoli-montgomery-marched-in-triumph \|title=Forces War Records-"75th Anniversary – On This day 1943: Into Tripoli Montgomery Marched in Triumph."}}</ref> Montgomery predicted to reporters that Tripoli would fall on January 22. Rommel did not stop to form a defensive line in Tripoli, abandoning the town that night. The 1st Gordons, 51st Highlanders, riding 40 Royal Tank Regiment vehicles, entered Tripoli unopposed the next morning.<ref name="51st Highland">{{citation \|url=https://51hd.co.uk/history/tripoli \|title=51st Highland Division-" Talking Tripoli January 1943 ."}}</ref>		Rommel dug a defensive line at [[Buerat]] that collapsed on January 15, 1943. In a series of desperate rear guard actions, Rommel defended his flanks while driving his main body west. [[Misurata]] fell on January 18, Homs{{clarify\|date=December 2024}} on the 20th, [[El Aziez]] on the 21st, [[Castelverde]] on the 22nd.<ref name="ForcesWarRecords">{{citation \|url=https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/blog/2018/01/11/75th-anniversary-on-this-day-1943-into-tripoli-montgomery-marched-in-triumph \|title=Forces War Records-"75th Anniversary – On This day 1943: Into Tripoli Montgomery Marched in Triumph."\|date=11 January 2018 }}</ref> Montgomery predicted to reporters that Tripoli would fall on January 22. Rommel did not stop to form a defensive line in Tripoli, abandoning the town that night. The 1st Gordons, 51st Highlanders, riding 40 Royal Tank Regiment vehicles, entered Tripoli unopposed the next morning.<ref name="51st Highland">{{citation \|url=https://51hd.co.uk/history/tripoli \|title=51st Highland Division-" Talking Tripoli January 1943 ."}}</ref>

	==Aftermath==		==Aftermath==
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	[[Category:Conflicts in 1943]]		[[Category:Conflicts in 1943]]
	[[Category:January 1943 ~~events~~]]		[[Category:January 1943 in Africa]]
	[[Category:Libya in World War II]]		[[Category:Libya in World War II]]
			[[Category:Military history of Tripoli, Libya]]
			[[Category:20th century in Tripoli, Libya]]

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{{Orphan|date=October 2022}}

{{close paraphrasing|date=March 2020|source=desertrats.org.uk/battles1943.htm}}

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Tripoli
| partof = the [[North African Campaign]]
| image = File:A Daimler armoured car opens fire in the gloom of early morning at the start of the battle for Tripoli, 18 January 1943. E21333.jpg
|image_size = 300px
| caption = A [[Daimler armoured car]] opens fire in the gloom of early morning at the start of the battle for Tripoli, 18 January 1943.
| date = 22–23 January 1943
| place = [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]], [[Tripolitania]], ([[Italian Libya]])
| coordinates =
| map_type =
| map_relief =
| latitude =
| longitude =
| map_size =
| map_marksize =
| map_caption =
| map_label =
| territory =
| result = Allied victory
| status =
| combatants_header =
| combatant1 = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}} {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|United Kingdom}} {{flag|New Zealand}} {{flag|Australia}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Erwin Rommel]] {{flagicon|Kingdom of Italy}} [[Ettore Bastico]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis|Harold Alexander]] {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Bernard Montgomery]]
| units1 = [[Afrika Korps|Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee:]] [[15th Panzer Division]] [[21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|21st Panzer Division]] [[132nd Armoured Division Ariete|132nd (Italian) "Ariete" Armoured Div.]] [[133rd Armoured Division Littorio|133rd (Italian) "Littorio" Armoured Div.]] [[136 Infantry Division Giovani Fascisti|136th Infantry Division ''Giovani Fascisti'']] [[17 Motorised Division Pavia|17th Infantry Division ''Pavia'']]
| units2 = [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British 8th Army:]] [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]] [[XIII Corps (United Kingdom)|XIII Corps]] [[10th Royal Hussars]]<ref name="ForcesWarRecords">{{citation |url=https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/blog/2018/01/11/75th-anniversary-on-this-day-1943-into-tripoli-montgomery-marched-in-triumph |title=Forces War Records-"75th Anniversary – On This day 1943: Into Tripoli Montgomery Marched in Triumph."}}</ref>
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
| notes =
}}

'''The Battle of [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]]''' was an engagement on between the [[Afrika Korps|Deutsch-Italienische Panzerarmee]] commanded by [[Erwin Rommel]] of [[Germany]] and [[Ettore Bastico]] of [[Italy]], who held the town, and the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British 8th Army]], a [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] force commanded by Sir [[Bernard Montgomery]]. After a short siege, the Germans withdrew from Tripoli, and the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] entered the town to great worldwide fanfare.

==Prelude==
After the German defeat in the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] in November 1942, German commander Erwin Rommel shed many of his slower Italian units, leaving 30,000-75,000 men to be taken as prisoners, and dashed for Tunisia. Over the next 80 days, he withdrew 1,400 miles across Libya, losing 130 tanks and 1,000 artillery guns.<ref name="DesertRats">{{citation |url=http://www.desertrats.org.uk/battles1942.htm |title=Desert Rats-"Battles 1942."}}</ref> At the same time as the Second Battle of El Alamein, [[Operation Torch]] deposited approximately 83,300 U.S. and 23,000 British soldiers in three task forces in an [[invasion]] of [[French North Africa]], in [[Morocco]] and [[Algeria]] on 8 November 1942. Rommel had to reach his supply ports in [[Tunisia]] before both armies could cut him off.

==Combat==
Rommel dug a defensive line at [[Buerat]] that collapsed on January 15, 1943. In a series of desperate rear guard actions, Rommel defended his flanks while driving his main body west. [[Misurata]] fell on January 18, [[Homs]] on the 20th, [[El Aziez]] on the 21st, [[Castelverde]] on the 22nd.<ref name="ForcesWarRecords">{{citation |url=https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/blog/2018/01/11/75th-anniversary-on-this-day-1943-into-tripoli-montgomery-marched-in-triumph |title=Forces War Records-"75th Anniversary – On This day 1943: Into Tripoli Montgomery Marched in Triumph."}}</ref> Montgomery predicted to reporters that Tripoli would fall on January 22. Rommel did not stop to form a defensive line in Tripoli, abandoning the town that night. The 1st Gordons, 51st Highlanders, riding 40 Royal Tank Regiment vehicles, entered Tripoli unopposed the next morning.<ref name="51st Highland">{{citation |url=https://51hd.co.uk/history/tripoli |title=51st Highland Division-" Talking Tripoli January 1943 ."}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
Montgomery ordered a huge victory parade in Tripoli on 23 January 1943. On 3 February 1943, [[Prime Minister]] [[Winston Churchill]] addressed 8th Army in Tripoli. "Let me then assure you, soldiers and airmen, that your fellow-countrymen regard your joint work with admiration and gratitude, and that after the war when a man is asked what he did it will be quite sufficient for him to say, 'I marched and fought with the Desert Army.' And when history is written and all the facts are known, our feats will gleam and glow and will be a source of song and story long after we who are gathered here have passed away."<ref name="DesertRats1943">{{citation |url=http://www.desertrats.org.uk/battles1943.htm |title=Desert Rats-"Battles 1943."}}</ref>

Rommel successfully withdrew to Tunisia, where he was reinforced with [[Tiger I|Tiger tanks]] and more infantry. But it was too little, too late. 1st and 8th Armies merged into the [[18th Army Group]]; together with the [[II Corps (United States)|Americans]], they breached the [[Mareth Line]]. By May 1943, Some 50,000 Axis soldiers surrendered, ending the North African Campaign.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Conflicts in 1943]]
[[Category:January 1943 events]]
[[Category:Libya in World War II]]