Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Directs Desert Air Force support for Montgomery's offensive at El Alamein, helping secure the canal route.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1942 in Great Britain — Page 4
Explore 306 historical events and records for Great Britain in 1942.
Historical records for Great Britain in 1942
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 306 unique records.
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October
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Commands XIII Corps in the southern diversion during the opening of the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Leese's XXX Corps leads the infantry assault in the northern sector at the opening of the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Launches an attack at El Alamein to stop the Axis advance toward the Suez Canal.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Launches the El Alamein offensive that turns back the Axis threat to Egypt and the Suez Canal.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Montgomery launches a diversionary attack in the southern sector on the opening night of the battle.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Montgomery launches the Second Battle of El Alamein with coordinated attacks by XXX Corps and XIII Corps.
Lightfoot
Operation Lightfoot is launched to recapture north Africa
Northern Alamein Break-In Ordered
Orders the principal infantry assault in the north to open routes through Axis defensive belts.
Operation Lightfoot
Begins Operation Lightfoot, the infantry and artillery opening phase of the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Southern Alamein Diversion Maintained
Maintains pressure in the south to hold Axis formations away from the decisive northern sector.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Montgomery confirms that the breakout effort must continue despite stubborn Axis resistance.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Axis tankers Proserpina and Tergeste are sunk, worsening fuel shortages during the battle.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
The loss of Axis supply tankers deprives Panzer Army Africa of fuel during the battle.
Film
Birth of Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr
Alamein Attrition Phase Continued
Continues the battle despite slow progress, using artillery and infantry to wear down Axis reserves.
Supercharge
Decides to launch the break-out Supercharge as far north as possible
Supercharge Breakthrough Sector Chosen
Chooses a more northerly sector for the final breakout operation against the weakened Axis line.
Enigma Machine
Carries captured U-559 codebooks and Enigma material from the sinking submarine to the British boarding party.
Enigma Machine
Boards sinking U-559 and retrieves Enigma key material before drowning when the submarine founders.
Enigma Machine
Enters U-559 with Fasson and helps recover documents vital to renewed attacks on four-rotor Naval Enigma.
Battle of Britain
Germany bombs Canterbury in the biggest daylight raid since the Battle of Britain
Alamein Artillery Concentration Prepared
Masses artillery to support infantry corridors through the Axis minefields at the start of the offensive.
Broadcast
Churchill broadcasts to Italy appealing to them to oust their leaders
Commander in Chief
Appointed SOE Commander of the Independent French
Commander in Chief
Appointed SOE Commander of the Independent French
El Alamein Intelligence Planning
Contributes intelligence assessment and planning to British operations culminating in the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Enigma Machine
Travels to Washington and helps negotiate full collaboration with the U.S. Navy on communications intelligence.
Enigma Machine
Joins Birch in Washington negotiations that strengthen British-American cooperation against Naval Enigma.
Operation Bertram Deception Supported
Supports deception measures intended to disguise the timing and main direction of the coming Alamein offensive.
Suez Canal
Commands Mediterranean naval forces while the El Alamein campaign protects Alexandria and the Suez Canal.
November
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Coordinates air support and interdiction during the decisive armoured breakout at El Alamein.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Leads 7th Armoured Division during the breakout phase of the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Leese's XXX Corps supports the breakout during the closing phase of the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Commands X Corps armoured formations during Operation Supercharge at the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Montgomery's offensive forces Rommel's army into retreat during the Second Battle of El Alamein.
Operation Supercharge
Launches Operation Supercharge to break through the Axis position west of El Alamein.
Supercharge
151st & 152nd brigades launch Operation Supercharge & reach their objectives
Axis Armour Reduced before Breakout
Presses the offensive as Axis armoured strength falls to a fraction of its original level.
Battle of Alamein, 2nd
Montgomery's offensive reduces the Axis armoured reserve to a small number of serviceable tanks.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.