THE ITALIAN ARMY - DIVISIONE FOLGORE

Over the walls of the Italian El Alamein Memorial, there are these words: "Folgore Division: Legion of souls watching over the desert"

THE GAZALA LINE BATTLES

MAY 26-27 1942

The 8th Army front extended from Gazala to Bir Hacheim and was interlaced with huge minefields of a scale and complexity never encountered before. Behind this line loomed the strongly defended boxes of Knightsbridge and El Adem and finally Tobruk, occupied by experienced desert fighters. Even Rommel underestimated the strength of the forces mustered here. However, within 3 weeks of opening his offensive, Rommel would reduce this magnificent British army to a state of complete rout.

THE ITALIAN ARMY

Italy had colonies in Africa with borders to British African colonies. So the war was brought to Africa. Fights started in East Africa between the Italian colony Ethopia / Somalia and the British colonies Sudan and British Somali Land. Italy had to surrender against British troops in East Africa at the end of 1941.

The second African war took place in North Africa between Italian Lybia and British protected Egypt.

Italian Anti Aircraft Gun in action on Lybia