Second Battle of El Alamein Second Battle of El Alamein The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein had prevented the Axis from advancing further into Egypt. In August 1942, General Claude Auchinleck was relieved as Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command. When Lieutenant-General William Gott was killed on his way to replace Auchinleck as commander of the Allied Eighth Army, Lieutenant-General Bernard Law Montgomery was appointed command in his place, and led the Eighth Army in a
First Battle of El Alamein captured and was then held against a series of Axis counter-attacks throughout the day. A small column of armour, motorised infantry, and guns then set off to raid Deir el Abyad and caused a battalion of Italian infantry to surrender. Its progress was checked at the Miteirya ridge and it was forced to withdraw that evening to the El Alamein box. During the day, more than 1,000 Italian prisoners were taken. On 12 July, the 21st "Panzer" Division launched a counter-attack against Trig 33 and Point 24, which was beaten off after a 2½-hour fight, with more than 600 German