Episode 388-The Battle of Bir Hakeem: The Redemption of French Honor

The History of WWII Podcast

Ray Harris Jr

Education, History, Society & Culture

4.5 • 4.5K Ratings

🗓️ 12 October 2022

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Now that the Battle of the Cauldron was over, Rommel could come for the Free French at Bir Hakeem, to his SW. With this outpost removed, Africa Corps would be free to drive to the NE and take Tobruk. But the Desert Air Force would strive mightily to save the French, now dubbed, The Fighting French. And those men, a mixed bag of nationalities would show the Nazis and the world, the heart of a warrior. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, and thank you for listening to the History of World War II podcast, Episode 388,
0:15.7	the Battle of Beer Hockey, the Redemption of French Honor.
0:20.6	Last time, as Rommel correctly anticipated General Regis eastern attack on the Cauldron,
0:26.6	the contest was over rather quickly, which allowed the Axis forces to swing south of the Allied
0:32.3	thrust and hit various Allied positions, including two divisional headquarters, two Brigadier
0:38.4	headquarters, and several battalions. To be sure General Norrie had ordered up the second Armored
0:44.0	Brigade to turn Rommel back, but because of a mistaken order, they went to an area not under threat,
0:51.6	nor were the Panzers were heading. The destruction of the 150th Brigade Group had only been the start.
0:58.3	By now at least another 175 tanks had been lost, and the desert fox was not yet done.
1:07.2	It may be remembered that Rommel's goal for the immediate future was the capture of Tobruk.
1:13.0	With that in Axis hands, supplies could be brought some 600 miles or 965 km closer to the front
1:21.6	by sea, a game changer in today's parlance. Now hindsight allows us to know that Rommel had no
1:29.2	intention of stopping at Tobruk per his orders, but who punishes a winner. The German General was
1:36.4	not too worried about repercussions. The here and now was all. The free French at Beir Hachim,
1:44.0	or Beir Hachim, as it was also known, had his complete attention. To give the free French their due,
1:51.9	considering what they are about to accomplish, which affected the wider war in the Mediterranean,
1:57.5	certainly that of Malta, it's necessary to back up a bit. As General Richie of 8th Army command was
2:05.2	still gearing up for his offensive, it was decided to fight a defensive battle against Rommel.
2:11.2	After all, no one could stop him from trying to drive east, thus it was decided to let him come
2:17.4	all this way, wasting time and fuel, and then take out his armor. General Claude Aachenleck,
2:24.8	C and C Middle East believed that Rommel would hit the center of the Gaza line with a faint to the
2:30.7	south, whereas Richie believed it would be the opposite. Rommel, for his part, thought that the
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