42.12 El Agheila, Libya The Battle of El Agheila was a minor engagement in North Africa during the Second World War. It took place in December 1942 between Allied forces (British 8th Army) led by Bernard Law Montgomery and Axis forces (German-Italian Panzer Army) led by Erwin Rommel, during the Axis' long withdrawal from El Alamein to Tunis. It ended with a full Axis retreat into Tunisia. The British assault on the Axis positions on Brega, and El Agheila began on the night of 11/12 December. The Axis forces engaged, after a few time, with a British reconnaissance force at Merduma (60 mi (97 km) west of El Agheila) behind the Axis lines, so Rommel decided to withdraw. By the evening of 12 December, the Axis withdrawal began, except for some units covering the withdrawal. On 13 December, Axis reconnaissance aircraft discovered some 300 vehicles north of Marada oasis (75 mi (121 km) south of El Agheila), which meant for the Axis forces the danger of being outflanked, so the withdrawal continued. Meanwhile, in the north, a British attack was held back by the Italians. On 1516 December, isolated engagements occurred between the two combatants. On 17 December, the bulk of the German forces withdrew from El Agheila. On 18 December, short-lived but fierce fighting took place at Nofaliya (100 mi (160 km) west of El Agheila), which brought the battle of El Agheila to an end.