Mechili

Geography

World War II

• In January 1941, the British force named “Western Desert Force” under command of General Richard O’Connor executed a daring outflanking movement and took Mechili from Italian forces on 27 January.
• On 7 April the same year, the Italian armoured division Ariete captured the British garrison at Mechili as a part of German Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel’s first offensive through Cyrenaica with the goal of encircling the British forces, and this helped in capturing O’Connor near Derna the same month.
• On 18 December 1941, British forces re-took Mechili as a part of Operation Crusader.
• In early February 1942, Rommel’s forces again took Mechili as a part of his second offensive through Cyrenaica.
• In November 1942, the British forces occupied Mechili for the last time.

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