Action at Bir el Gubi (November 1941)

Action at Bir el Gubi (November 1941)
Part of Operation Crusader during the Second World War

Italian M13/40 tanks in North Africa.
Date19 November 1941
Location
Biʾr al-Ġubbiyy, Italian Libya
31°32′15″N 24°01′51″E / 31.5374°N 24.0307°E / 31.5374; 24.0307
Result Italian victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom  Italy
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom John Scott-Cockburn Fascist Italy Mario Balotta
Strength

22nd Armoured Brigade[1]

132nd Armoured Division "Ariete"[1]

Casualties and losses
100 killed and wounded
32 captured
52 tanks destroyed
[1][2]
95 killed and wounded
82 missing
12 guns lost
14 tankettes destroyed
[1]

The Action at Bir el Gubi (November 1941) (Arabic: بئر الغبي, romanizedBiʾr al-Ġubbiyy, lit.'Well of the Depressed Terrain') took place on 19 November 1941 near Biʾr al-Ġubbiyy, Libya. It was one of the opening engagements of Operation Crusader in North Africa and resulted in a success for the Italian armoured forces.

  1. ^ a b c d Walker, Ian W. (2003). Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts. United Kingdom: The Crowood Press. p. Ch.4.
  2. ^ Delaforce, Patrick (2002). Churchill's Desert Rats 2. United Kingdom: Sutton Publishing. p. 59.