May 1940 — Army of Africa (France) — 14 regiments of zouaves, 42 regiments of Algerian, Tunisian and Moroccan tirailleurs, 12 regiments and demi-brigades of the Foreign Legion and 13 battalions of African Light Infantry were serving on all fronts.[1]
10 June: The Kingdom of Italy declares war upon France and the United Kingdom[2]
14 June: British forces cross from Egypt into Libya and capture Fort Capuzzo[3]
24 March: Allied forces at El Agheila defeated; Erwin Rommel starts his advance.
4 April: Australian & British forces withdraw from Benghazi; Benghazi and Msus captured by Axis.
6 April: British 3rd Armored Brigade is captured in Derna
8 April: British, Indian and Australian forces captured at Mechili
10 April: Siege of Tobruk begins with Australian, British and Indian forces defending
15 April: British forces are pushed back to Sollum on Egyptian border with Libya
30 April: Australian forces lose a small part of their positions in Tobruk during the Battle of Salient, roughly a 6th of Tobruk is now held by Germans
18 September: German air raid on Cairo in which 39 Egyptian civilians are killed and nearly 100 injured, bringing condemnation against the Axis from the Arab and Muslim press. Radio Berlin later apologizes to its Arab listeners.
1 October: 5th Light Division renamed 21st Panzer Division
18 November: Auchinleck'sOperation Crusader begins (Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) with British, Indian, South African and New Zealander forces
21 November: British armoured division defeated at Sidi Rezegh and withdraws
22 November:
New Zealand forces attack Bir Ghirba but fail
Indian forces capture Sidi Omar
23 November:
New Zealand forces capitalize on Indian advances to wreck Afrika Korps HQ at Bir el Chleta
Rommel launches Panzer attacks on the British XXX Corps but faces resistance from SA, NZ and British forces
British and NZ forces withdraw towards Bir el Gubi
25 November:
Panzer attack on Indian forces at Sidi Omar is repulsed
In the second attack in the evening, Indian forces destroy the 5th Panzer Regiment of the 21st Panzer Division
27 November: New Zealand troops at Sidi Azeiz defeated by overwhelming advance of Panzers and German infantry
28 November: 15th Panzer despite being outnumbered 2:1 forces British tanks to retreat, exposing the New Zealand forces at Ed Duda on the Tobruk by-pass
1 December: New Zealand troops in Sidi Rezegh suffer heavy casualties from Panzers
3 December:
German infantry suffers big defeat at the hand of New Zealand forces on the Bardia road near Menastir
German forces suffer losses against Indian forces and withdraw at Capuzzo (Trigh Capuzzo)
4 December:
NZ forces repulse German attack on Ed Duda
Indian forces face attrition in an uphill attempt to capture Point 174 against entrenched Italian forces without artillery support
9 December: Tobruk siege relieved by Eighth Army consisting of British, Indian, New Zealand and South African forces; White Knoll captured by the Polish Carpathian Brigade from the elements of the Italian Brescia Division
23 March: U.S. II Corps emerge from Kasserine to match the Axis at Battle of El Guettar. Battle of Mareth ends.[9]
26 March: Eighth Army launch Operation Supercharge II outflanking and making the Axis position at Mareth untenable. Battle of Tebaga Gap takes place.[10]
4 April: The 9-man crew of the US Air Force B-24 Liberator Lady Be Good fails to return from a bombing raid; the crew parachute from the aircraft but become lost and perish in the Libyan desert
6 April: Right wing of First Army links with Eighth Army. Battle of Wadi Akarit takes place.
15 August – Operation Dragoon, Allied landing in Provence: Capture ports of Toulon and Marseille; AFL make up the majority of troops landing on French soil
1945
8 May: Sétif massacre of Algerian demonstrators for independence on the day of German surrender
Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; with Stitt RN, Commander G.M.S.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C. & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1954]. Butler, J.R.M (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume I The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN1-84574-065-3.
Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; with Flynn R.N., Captain F.C.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C. & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1956]. Butler, J.R.M (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume II The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN1-84574-066-1.
Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; and Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; with Flynn R.N., Captain F.C. & Gleave, Group Captain T.P. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1966]. Butler, J.R.M (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume IV: The Destruction of the Axis Forces in Africa. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN1-84574-068-8.