10. THE CAULDRON. JUNE 5, 1942

In January, 1942, Rommel re-opened the offensive and pushed Allied forces back to Benghazi then Gazala, where a defensive line is prepared stretching from Gazala to Bir Hakeim.

In April, the Indian Fifth Division's units are reunited in Egypt. 

In late May, Rommel attacked by wheeling around the Gazala Line from the south. But as British tanks gained the upper hand the Afrika Korps and other units withdrew into an area backing onto the Gazala line, west of Aslagh Ridge and south of Sidra Ridge, later known as the "Cauldron". Over the next few days, after much fighting and the destruction of three British battalions, the enemy is now in a much better position to renew the offensive. A plan, codenamed Operation Aberdeen, has been developed; your Division's orders are to attack in two phases, with the objective of first controlling Aslagh Ridge and then establishing a line to hold the German and Italians back. This is a large Operation and you will have plenty of armoured and air units at your disposal.

