Battle of Bir Hakeim

The Battle of Bir Hakeim, named after a disused watering hole in the middle of the Libyan desert, south of Tobruk, is a World War II battle that took place from May 26 to June 11, 1942, during the Desert War. During these sixteen days, General Kœnig's 1st Free French Brigade (later 1st Free French Division) withstood the attacks of the Italian and German motorized armies (the Afrika Korps) commanded by General Rommel. The respite gained by the Free French enabled the British, then in a bad position, to withdraw and triumph at El Alamein. Bir Hakeim was the Free French Forces' first major military contribution. It played a major role in the political recognition given by the Allies to the National Committee of Fighting France. Wikipedia source

The Battle of Bir Hakeim, named after a disused watering hole in the middle of the Libyan desert, south of Tobruk, is a World War II battle that took place from May 26 to June 11, 1942, during the Desert War. During these sixteen days, General Kœnig's 1st Free French Brigade (later 1st Free French Division) withstood the attacks of the Italian and German motorized armies (the Afrika Korps) commanded by General Rommel. The respite gained by the Free French enabled the British, then in a bad position, to withdraw and triumph at El Alamein. Bir Hakeim was the Free French Forces' first major military contribution. It played a major role in the political recognition given by the Allies to the National Committee of Fighting France. Wikipedia source