Improvements to fortifications along the Normandy coast had been undertaken under the leadership of `` Generalfeldmarschall '' Erwin Rommel beginning Process_start in October 1943 .

The fighting at Outpost Snipe led Rommel to write Writing that an armoured attack , on ground which the defenders had been able to prepare GetReady , was unlikely to succeed .

While Allied divisions were being diverted Removing from North Africa , the Italians reinforced Cause_change_of_strength their positions and were supported Supporting by the arrival Arriving of the German `` Afrika Korps '' under `` Generalleutnant '' Erwin Rommel .

Rapidly taking the offensive against his distracted and over-stretched opponent , by April 1941 Rommel had driven Self_motion the British and Commonwealth forces in Cyrenaica back across the Egyptian border .

With limited battle-ready units to draw on in the wake of Rommel 's recent successes , on 15 May Brigadier William Gott attacked Attack in three columns with a mixed infantry and armoured force .

The importance of the Halfaya Pass as a safe supply route was highlighted Expressing_publicly to Rommel , and 11 days later it was recaptured Conquering during Operation Skorpion , a German counter-attack .

While improvements to fortifications had been undertaken Action under the leadership of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel beginning Process_start in October 1943 , the troops assigned Choosing to defend Defending the area were mostly poorly equipped Supply non-German conscripts .

The Sirte , Tmed Hassan and Buerat strongholds were reinforced Cause_change_of_strength from Italy , which brought Bringing the 10th and 5th armies up to about German reinforcements were sent Sending to Libya to form Coming_to_be a blocking detachment ( ) under Directive 22 ( 11 January ) , these being the first units of the `` Afrika Korps '' ( `` Generalleutnant '' Erwin Rommel ) .

Führer Adolf Hitler placed Placing German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in charge of developing Cause_to_make_progress fortifications all along Hitler 's proclaimed Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an invasion .

Operation Crusader ( 18 November – 30 December 1941 ) was a military operation Military_operation during the Second World War by the British Eighth Army with Allied contingents , against the Axis forces in North Africa commanded by `` Generalleutnant '' Erwin Rommel .

The battle continued into December , when supply shortages forced Motion Rommel to narrow Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale his front and shorten his lines of communication .

On 7 December , Rommel withdrew Escaping the Axis forces to the Gazala position and on 15 December ordered Request a withdrawal to El Agheila .

On 21 January , Rommel launched Process_start a surprise counter-attack Attack and drove Motion the Eighth Army back to Gazala , where both sides regrouped .

During the night of the remainder of the Highland Division and the French divisions of IX Corps , prepared GetReady to continue the retreat but found Know that the 7th `` Panzer '' Division ( `` Generalmajor '' Erwin Rommel ) had advanced Cause_to_make_progress from Rouen through Yvetot to Cany and Veulettes-sur-Mer on the Durdent river .