Bir Hakeim

Bir Hakeim
	Arabic: بئر حكيم, romanized: biʾr ḥakīm
Location	Libya
Coordinates	31°35′38″N 23°28′48″E / 31.59389°N 23.48000°E

Bir Hakeim (

Sollum on the Libyan coast and 80 km (50 mi) south-east of Gazala. Bir Hakeim is best known for the battle of Bir Hakeim, which took place there during World War II

.

The battle occurred during the

Maréchal de France Marie-Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May – 11 June against much larger German and Italian forces, commanded by Generaloberst Erwin Rommel

.

Capitaine

Fusiliers Marins

in association with the troop D of the 43rd Battery of the 11th City of London Yeomanry Regiment, and the 22nd North-African French Armored Company.

Pierre Messmer was the first French Foreign Legion soldier to be elected to the

Prime Minister of the French Republic under President Georges Pompidou

.

During these 14 days, 3700 French soldiers immobilized 40 000 Axis soldiers. Out of these 3700, 800 died or went missing. This half-brigade had already fought the German Army at Narvik on 27 May 1940.

Although the

Gustav Line

.

This battle would serve as the namesake for

Bir-Hakeim (Paris Métro), a station on the Paris Métro, and Pont de Bir-Hakeim

, a bridge.

Bir Hakeim was also the site of

Senussi

, who were allied with the Germans.

As a result of the Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912), Italy captured the Ottoman Tripolitania Vilayet (province), which became known as Italian Libya. The Italian army stationed a unit of its Zaptié Meharista at Bir Hakeim.

See also