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More than 13,000 allied and 25,000 axis soldiers lie at El Alamein. This is the British cemetery and this picture does not begin to convey the true scope and size of the aftermath of the battle that took place here. It's almost unfathomable to imagine the carnage. The battlefield conditions were worsened by the heat. Accounts show soldiers frying eggs on the hoods of trucks & jeeps. Unbearable heat inside tanks and armored vehicles added to the casualty lists.. 300 Sherman tanks helped turned the tide. |
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El Alamein Battlefield Memorial |
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German Memorial |
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Deutsche ehrenstatt...means German place of honor. This memorial was more like a mausoleum as can be seen by the structure. Led by Erwin Rommel the germans were soundly defeated in this battle. Although the "Dersert Fox" was considered their greatest General his part in the plot to kill Hitler led to a costly choice, suffer the embarrassment of a public trial and execution or a quick game of "russian roulette". He chose the latter to save his family the disgrace. The German people where not told of this and he died a hero in their eyes. |
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Although this memorial will probably not be at the top of your vacation list it does serve as a reminder of the horrific aspects of war. We always made a point of visiting these memorials in whatever country we were in. Even though only those that were there can understand the shear terror of battle it at least gives some perspective of the experience. Looking inside a destroyed tank and seeing the aftermath of a direct hit from artillery is eye opening. It scared the #$%& out of me and I'm career military. The soldiers that remain there for eternity deserve our attention and respect for their sacrifice. |
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