Battle of Point 175

Battle of Point 175
	Part of Operation Crusader during the Second World War
	; Tobruk–Sollum area 1941
Date	29 November – 1 December 1941
Location	near Sidi Rezegh, Libya31°49′36″N 24°08′10″E / 31.82667°N 24.13611°E
Result	Italian victory
Belligerents
Italy	New Zealand
Commanders and leaders
Mario Balotta	Bernard Freyberg
Strength
132nd Armoured Division Ariete: 9,274 men	2nd New Zealand Division: 20,000 men
Casualties and losses
Operation Crusader: 5,707	Operation Crusader: 4,620

The Battle of Point 175 was a military engagement of the Western Desert Campaign that took place during Operation Crusader from 29 November to 1 December 1941, during the Second World War. Point 175 is a small rise just south of the Trigh Capuzzo, a desert track east of Sidi Rezegh and south of Zaafran. The point was held by Division z.b.V. Afrika (later the 90th Light Afrika Division). The 2nd New Zealand Division and Infantry tanks of the 1st Army Tank Brigade captured Point 175 on 23 November, early in Operation Crusader.

The New Zealanders then attacked westwards and made contact with the Tobruk garrison, which had broken out to meet them. From 29 November to 1 December, the New Zealanders defended the point and the area to the west against Axis attempts to sever the link with the Tobruk garrison and regain control of the local roads. The new 132nd Armoured Division Ariete re-captured Point 175 late on 29 November.

The defenders mistook Italian tanks and armoured cars for South African reinforcements led by armoured cars; 167 men of the 21st New Zealand Battalion were captured, the Italians apparently being just as surprised. The 6th New Zealand Brigade suffered many casualties around Point 175 and eventually retreated to Zaafran.

The 2nd New Zealand Division returned to Egypt to refit, having suffered 4,620 casualties. When the division reassembled, it was sent to Syria to recuperate and was almost returned to Asia to participate in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater after the Japanese invasion of Malaya on 7/8 December 1941.