In the fall of 1941, the strategic situation in North Africa was marked by the race for the first offensive. The plans of the opponents were centered around one point - the port of Tobruk. For the Axis forces a priority was to get it for the British - unlocking.

On November 18th, even before dawn, the 8th Army's units had begun their offensive. The beginning of the offensive came out promising. The XXX Corps circumvented the German minefields at the border, and then forced a weak German insurrection back into force - on 19 November the British took Gabr Saleh.

Initially, Rommel underestimated the strength of the British offensive and opposed the XXX Corps, only weak Kampfgruppe, but then, under Sidi Rezegh, unleashed hell ....
