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Contested area during Operation Brevity

Operation Brevity was an offensive conducted in May 1941, during the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War, against Axis front-line forces in the Sollum–Capuzzo–Bardia area of the border between Egypt and Libya (map pictured). British Middle East Command general Archibald Wavell defined Operation Brevity's main goals as the acquisition of territory from which to launch a further planned offensive toward Tobruk. On 15 May, Brigadier William Gott attacked in three columns with a mixed infantry and armoured force. The Halfaya Pass was taken against stiff Italian opposition, and Fort Capuzzo deeper inside Libya was captured, but German counter-attacks under Colonel Maximilian von Herff regained the fort during the afternoon. Gott conducted a staged withdrawal to the Halfaya Pass on 16 May, and Operation Brevity ended. The Halfaya Pass was recaptured 11 days later during Operation Skorpion, a German counter-attack. (Full article...)