Halfaya Pass

Coordinates: 31°30′N 25°11′E / 31.500°N 25.183°E / 31.500; 25.183
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

31°30′N 25°11′E / 31.500°N 25.183°E / 31.500; 25.183 Halfaya Pass (

Arabic: ممر حلفيا, romanized: Mamarr Ḥalfayā Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ma.marr ħal.fæyaː] ⓘ) is in northwest Egypt, 11.5 kilometres east of the border with Libya and 7.5 kilometres south of the other, more major pass in the ridge today. A 600 feet (180 m) high, narrow escarpment extends south then southeastwards for a total of 55 kilometres (34 mi) from a short distance east of the border. It hems in east-facing small harbour town of as-Salum, continuing as an east-facing sea
cliff further north. Land to the east is lower than that to the west and the east side has steep slopes.

The pass is centred 1.6 miles (2.6 km) inland from the closest part of the shore. It makes for a subtle

Mediterranean civilizations until the pass at as-Salum was enlarged after World War II
.

Among veterans of Allied forces from 15 June 1941 and thereafter it was nicknamed Hellfire Pass.

The escarpment is known as Akabah el-Kebir "great ascent". To

Hellenistic geography.[citation needed
]

World War II

Main articles: Operation Brevity, Operation Battleaxe, and Operation Crusader

In World War II, the engineered route up the escarpment had been destroyed and the pass had great strategic importance. The only ways westwards into Libya were to assault the pass or to out-flank it to the south.

After the defeat of the

Italian Tenth Army on 7 February 1941 during Operation Compass, the Italians were reinforced by German units (Afrika Korps under Erwin Rommel) and the British forces were forced out of Libya, leaving besieged garrison at Tobruk
. On 14 April 1941, Rommel's main force reached Sollum and occupied the Halfaya Pass. Allied attempts to recapture the pass and relieve Tobruk followed.

The first attempt, on 15 May, was

Allied
forces during the next allied attack.

This was

55th Infantry Division Savona, was awarded the highest German decoration, the Knight's Cross for the defense he conducted.[3]
A British tank commander was last heard on the radio reporting, "They are tearing my tanks apart."

The third attempt,

South African 2nd Infantry Division on 17 January 1942.[5]

The pass was scene of the accidental death of Major-General 'Jock' Campbell (VC), then commander of the British 7th Armoured Division. On 26 February 1942, a month after assuming command, his staff car overturned on the newly laid clay surface, killing him outright.[6]

In Popular Culture

The pass and its according battles play a role in the Sniper Elite III game plot.

The pass inspires a Battlefield V map, Hamada.[7]

References

  1. S2CID 62722460
    .
  2. ^ "Würdigung für Steinsfurts "Pastor des Fegefeuers"" [Recognition of Steinfurt's "Pastor of Hellfire"]. Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung (in German). 7 Nov 2016. Retrieved 18 Nov 2021.
  3. ^ "The End of the Halfaya Garrison". 17 June 2011.
  4. ^ Playfair, p. 95.
  5. ^ "The End of the Halfaya Garrison". 17 June 2011.
  6. ^ Mead (2007), p. 90
  7. ^ "THE MAPS OF BATTLEFIELD V: HAMADA". ea.com. Electronic Arts. November 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.

Bibliography

  • Mead, Richard (2007). Churchill's Lions: A biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II. Stroud (UK): Spellmount. p. 544 pages.
    ISBN 978-1-86227-431-0
    .
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