BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN SPEECH

On the evening of  October 23, l942, an artillery barrage of almost 1000 guns, above , marked the opening of the Eighth Army’s El Alamein offensive , a turning point in the North Africa war. From Little Darwin’s ephemera collection comes an account of the rousing briefing Lieutenant – Colonel C. G .Weir, 2/24th Battalion gave Australian troops two days before that momentous battle : " In 48 hours this battalion will take part in the greatest battle that has yet been fought in the war, a battle which indeed is expected to be the turning point of the war. It is possible that this battle , the Battle of El Alamein ,will be known in history as one of the decisive battles of the world , such as Saratoga (American Revolutionary War), the defeat of the Spanish Armada and Waterloo."

The attack, he said , would  be along the entire 10 mile German front . The British Army Commander , General Montgomery, had chosen the 9th Australian Division for the vital task of securing and holding the right flank on which the army would pivot. Australians had been chosen because they were battle –seasoned and experienced in desert fighting and , because he knew they would never yield one yard of ground to the enemy. A diversionary " Chinese attack " was to be launched on a heavily reinforced enemy sector ,using dummies operated with wires . Hundreds of  Italian 81mm mortar bombs "borrowed " from time to time , would be "returned with suitable expressions of goodwill."

General Montgomery had sent a personal message asking that every man fight until he could no longer fire a shot ... "This will be a great and bloody battle . Let each of us ask God to give us strength and courage to play our part in what will certainly be the decisive and perhaps final battle of the Middle East , in the knowledge that our success will open the road to victory in this war. Finally, I say this. If there is a man among you who hasn’t the guts to fight shoulder to shoulder with us, and who hopes in some way to dodge his share of the job , let him go and let no one stop him. We will take no one into this fight who is not dedicated to the task. God bless you all-may He give us stout hearts for the battle that lies ahead and the knowledge that what we do is done in the cause of Freedom and the downfall of tyranny."