Alam Halfa, Battle of

In World War II, unsuccessful German attack led by Field Marshal Rommel on the southern sector of the British defensive Alamein line in North Africa 30 August 1942.

The British general Auchinleck had forseen the possibility of such an attack and had made plans to deal with it; these were put into action by Montgomery, who now had 700 tanks to meet Rommel's force of 446 tanks. A coordinated defence with artillery, tanks, and tactical air forces stopped Rommel and on 2 September he called off the attack and retreated, having lost 3,000 troops, 49 tanks, 60 guns, and 400 trucks.