Outpost Snipe was the location of a famous
Second World WarWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
defensive action during the desert campaign in
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. The defense of Outpost Snipe took place during the
Second Battle of El AlameinThe Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. The battle lasted from 23 October to 5 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance...
. It is particularly noteworthy due to the tenacity of the troops involved and is an excellent example of a
last standLast stand is a loose military term used to describe a body of troops holding a defensive position in the face of overwhelming odds where the plurality of soldiers is killed...
.
On the 27th October 1942, the 2nd
BattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 1000-1500 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
of the Rifle Brigade with support troops including 19
6-pounder anti-tank gunThe Ordnance QF 6-pounder 7 cwt, or just 6 pounder, was a British 57 mm gun, their primary anti-tank gun during the middle of World War II, as well as the main armament for a number of armoured fighting vehicles...
s was ordered to take possession of a desert feature known as "Snipe" - a small depression in the otherwise featureless landscape suitable for setting up a defensible base.
Outpost Snipe was the location of a famous
Second World WarWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
defensive action during the desert campaign in
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. The defense of Outpost Snipe took place during the
Second Battle of El AlameinThe Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. The battle lasted from 23 October to 5 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance...
. It is particularly noteworthy due to the tenacity of the troops involved and is an excellent example of a
last standLast stand is a loose military term used to describe a body of troops holding a defensive position in the face of overwhelming odds where the plurality of soldiers is killed...
.
On the 27th October 1942, the 2nd
BattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 1000-1500 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
of the Rifle Brigade with support troops including 19
6-pounder anti-tank gunThe Ordnance QF 6-pounder 7 cwt, or just 6 pounder, was a British 57 mm gun, their primary anti-tank gun during the middle of World War II, as well as the main armament for a number of armoured fighting vehicles...
s was ordered to take possession of a desert feature known as "Snipe" - a small depression in the otherwise featureless landscape suitable for setting up a defensible base. Once completed this point would be used to launch a further advance by a larger body of troops: the 24th Armoured Brigade.
The initial advance took the battalion to what they thought was the feature "Snipe". It was, in fact, a similar depression some 900 yards south of the intended target. Having established a base, scouts were sent out who discovered that a large group of mixed
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
and
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
tanks and
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
had laagered nearby. In fact, the Battalion were in the middle of a number of enemy armoured formations. Isolated firefights and skirmishes continued through the night.
Early the next day two tank columns passed Outpost Snipe apparently unaware of the force that lay hidden there. The troops opened fire with their 6-pounder anti-tank guns, aiming at the thin side armour of the tanks, destroying 16 tanks with no loss. However, their position was now marked, and they started to receive
artilleryArtillery is a military combat Arm that employs weapons capable of discharging large projectiles in combat. They are generally capable of adding considerable fire power to the military capability of an armed force...
fire.
During the remainder of that day and the next, Outpost Snipe continued to receive fire and tank attacks, including a brief incident of
friendly fireFriendly fire is an expression meaning fire from one's own side or allied forces, as opposed to fire coming from enemy forces, and was a tactic originally adopted by the United States military....
, the mistake being realized when observers note that the "enemy" were actually firing on the Germans. 24th Armoured Brigade attempted to advance and relieve the battalion but were repulsed.
Between 13:00 and 17:00, the defenders of Snipe faced several attacks by enemy armour. By this time, the gunners were running short of ammunition and Lieutenant J. E. B. Toms made a mad jeep dash under fire to collect some more. He survived and brought in the ammunition but his vehicle was destroyed.
The order to withdraw was received at 23:00 that night. Only one working gun was brought back out of the outpost: the remainder were disabled before the troops withdrew.
The Battalion had suffered 72 casualties but had managed to destroy some 60 enemy vehicles.
Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Victor TurnerLt. Col. Victor Buller Turner VC CVO was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
was awarded the
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
for his part in the battle.
External links
- http://www.thewarillustrated.info/142/i-was-there-we-knocked-out-37-axis-tanks-in-egypt.asp
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40811FB3D581B7B93C0A9178AD95F468485F9