What were the accomplishments of the Desert Rats that made it reowned?

Answer 1

The two answers you already have to this question tell part of the reason for the Desert Rats’ reputation. Certainly, their 18 month struggle against the Afrika Korps before the Battle of El Alamein; their part in that crushing victory; and then their continued campaigning in Italy, France and Germany; are the main part of their contribution to WW2. And their resilience in the face of frequent defeat at the hands of Rommel is in itself an epic of stubborn endurance, leading eventually to triumph.

But, the role of 7th Armoured in those campaigns alone would not have been enough to earn them the special esteem in which they are held. The Desert Rats really established their “elite” reputation over the 6 months BEFORE Rommel arrived in North Africa.

In June, 1940, Italy declared war against Britain and France. Britain’s forces garrisoning Egypt were pathetically inadequate. A total of 37,000 men. One full Infantry Division (4th Indian), plus a couple of Infantry Brigades; and an mechanized group, not yet even a full armored division, that would shortly be designated as 7th Armoured Division.

Against this puny force, the Italians had over 400,000 men, in two armies, just across the border in Libya. It is true that the Italian equipment and leadership were sadly inadequate for modern war. But the Italian armaments were only marginally worse than those of the British. In terms of tanks, etc. we’re talking about L3 tankettes and M11/39 medium tanks for the Italians; versus Vickers Mark VI light tanks and a few A9 and A10 Cruisers for the British; ALL of the tanks were horribly inadequate by WW2 standards. And the British tanks were grossly outnumbered.

But the British had one enormous advantage: Richard O’Connor. O’Connor was probably the best British general of WW2. We will never know, because he was captured early in 1941, and then spent most of the war trying to escape from POW camps. But O’Connor was put in charge of those hopelessly inadequate British forces in Egypt; and he turned them into legendary heroes.

The Italians duly invaded Egypt in September 1941. O’Connor fell back slowly before the Italian advance, constantly harassing them with rearguard actions, and sending small penetration groups through the desert to attack Italian rear area supply dumps and airfields. 60 miles inside Egypt, the overly cautious Italians stopped and dug in.

O’Connor planned, trained and waited for a small shipment of Matilda tanks to reinforce 7th Armoured. The Matilda’s were slow and carried a modest 2-pounder gun: but they were exceptionally heavily armoured; so much so that they were invulnerable to the Italians tank and AT guns except at point-blank range. When he had his Matildas, O’Connor struck, using 7th Armoured to move through the desert around the open southern flank of the Italians, and then swooping in to attack from the rear.

It was a spectacular victory against unbelievable odds. In the space of only 2 months, the British corps-sized force (never even 40,000 strong) advanced 800 miles; destroyed an Italian army of 10 divisions; captured 130,000 prisoners, 400 tanks and 1300 guns; and all for the loss of less than 2,000 casualties, including wounded.

7th Armoured, the Desert Rats, was O’Connor’s spearpoint throughout this brilliant campaign. THAT is what won them an immortal reputation in British military history. Their subsequent ups-and-downs in the struggle against the Afrika Korps, and eventual part in the victory over Rommel, and then on into the heart of Germany, simply confirmed their place in history.

Answer 2

The Desert Rats, nickname for the British 7th Armored Division a group of British soldiers who helped defeat the Germans in North Africa during World War II. The Desert Rats, led by General Allen Francis Harding, were especially noted for a hard-fought, three-month campaign against the more experienced German Afrika Korps, led by General Erwin Rommel (“The Desert Fox”).

The site below is a good description of the origin, history and the military accomplishments of the Dessert Rats.

Answer 3

They gave the western allies their first major victory against the German Army when they defeated Rommel at the Battle of El Alamein and eventually drove the Germans and Italians out of North Africa