Product Description

Throughout the first three years of the Second World War, the North African desert was a strategically vital theatre of operations. This is the story of one of the most extraordinary of victories. Of how Wavell and his general, O'Connor despite being out-numbered, routed Graziani's forces, pushing the Italians back hundreds of miles and taking thousands of prisoners. However this brilliant and astonishing victory was short lived, for Rommel and his Africa Korps were dispatched in early 1941 to turn the tide agains the British. Pitt's excellent narrative style breathes new life into this exhilarating campaign.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #919396 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

About the Author
Barrie Pitt saw active service in both Europe and the Middle East. He edited the partwork History of the Second World War and was Editor-in-Chief of Ballantine's Illustrated History of World War II. Barrie Pitt now lives in Taunton in Somerset

Customer Reviews

Wavell's Command
I approached this with some trepidation, as it's really the first 'proper' military history book that I've ever tackled. But I found it surprisingly readable and engaging, as well as comprehensive. This is a serious military history, but Pitt deftly lightens the academic tone at regular intervals with anecdotes or stories of individual stupidity/bravery.

The book covers the period from the beginning of the Second World War until Wavell was relieved of his command and replaced by Auchinleck. It is focused on the desert war fought in Egypt and (mostly) Libya, but also refers to the wider strategic situation insofar as it affected the situation in the desert. Therefore, it includes discussions of the unsuccessful defence of Greece, the war in Abbyssinia and Somalia (British and Italian), and the coup in Iraq.

The story of the desert war under Wavell is an interesting one and peopled with an abundance of strong characters, gifted commanders and brave soldiers on all sides. Anyone who approaches this book will be aware of the general outline of the campaign - the initial Italian push, O'Connor's amazing counter-offensive that reached the borders of Tripolitania against a numerically superior Italian force, then Rommell's entry into the war and the Allied retreat back to the Egyptian borders. But what the book gave me was an appreciation of the extraordinary supply problems that Wavell (and Rommell for that matter) had to tackle, the degree of improvisation on the ground that was required, and the extent to which the obligation to fight on a number of fronts with limited resources stretched Wavell's forces to breaking point.

I suspect that somebody who didn't keep on having to refer to a crib sheet explaining the difference between a regiment, brigade and division would have probably drawn more from the book than I did. But nonethless, I learnt a lot and gained an even greater appreciation for Wavell, O'Connor, Rommell and the men that served under them. Recommended.