Gazala is perhaps best known for the memorable World War II battle that took place in the surrounding area from May to June 1942 between Axis forces (led by Erwin Rommel) and Allied forces (led by Neil Ritchie).
Gazala |
Badly mauled during the battles around Gazala and having lost almost an entire squadron (which was attached to the County of London Yeomanry) the regiment was temporarily amalgamated with one squadron from the (similarly depleted) 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars to form the 4th/8th Hussars.
Briggs's brigade took part in Eighth Army's advance to and through the Axis defensive line at Gazala, ending the year at Benghazi.
Rommel made a fighting withdrawal to defensive positions around El Agheila but a counterattack by him on 21 January 1942 led to the armies once more facing each other at the Gazala position by early February.