Erwin Rommel

German troops, commanded by General Erwin Rommel , fought with British troops in Libya.

Britain's Eighth Army launched the Crusader campaign to relieve the garrison at Tobruk in Libya.

Rommel captured Tobruk from British forces after fierce house-to-house fighting.

The Second Battle of El Alamein ended in a British victory.

British troops (having landed, with other Allies in French North Africa, and and after the German invasion of so far unoccupied France had ended existing armistice arrangements) regained control of Tobruk.

Church bells (which quite recently had stood ready to signal invasion) were rung all over Britain, in the wake of the battle of El Alamein, to celebrate the defeat of Rommel .

High-ranking German officers made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hitler at his headquarters.