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Desert War: The North African Campaign 1940-43
The seminal account of the battle between Montgomery’s Eighth Army and Rommel’s Afrika Corps, amidst the endless harsh wastes of the Western Desert.
In 1940, Alan Moorehead was sent to cover the North Africa campaign by the Daily Express, and he followed its dramatic course all the way to 1943. The three books he subsequently wrote about the Desert War – later collected as his ‘African Trilogy’ – were swiftly acclaimed as a classic account of the tussle between Montgomery’s Eighth Army and Rommel’s Afrika Corps, under the beating sun of the Egyptian Sahara's Western Desert.
Moorehead was responsible for the celebrated insight that tank battles in the desert are like battles at sea, the lumbering tanks like ships lost in a vast ocean of sand. The New Statesman could not have put it better when it described his achievement with this riveting book:
‘There is something of genius in the breadth and penetration of his vision , which encompasses the whole panorama of war and then narrows it down to the particular: the soldier stubbing out his cigarette before going into action, the expression on a tank commander’s face as he is hit… The story of the African campaigns will go down in history as one of the great epics of mankind, largely thanks to Mr Moorehead’s account.’
In 1940, Alan Moorehead was sent to cover the North Africa campaign by the Daily Express, and he followed its dramatic course all the way to 1943. The three books he subsequently wrote about the Desert War – later collected as his ‘African Trilogy’ – were swiftly acclaimed as a classic account of the tussle between Montgomery’s Eighth Army and Rommel’s Afrika Corps, under the beating sun of the Egyptian Sahara's Western Desert.
Moorehead was responsible for the celebrated insight that tank battles in the desert are like battles at sea, the lumbering tanks like ships lost in a vast ocean of sand. The New Statesman could not have put it better when it described his achievement with this riveting book:
‘There is something of genius in the breadth and penetration of his vision , which encompasses the whole panorama of war and then narrows it down to the particular: the soldier stubbing out his cigarette before going into action, the expression on a tank commander’s face as he is hit… The story of the African campaigns will go down in history as one of the great epics of mankind, largely thanks to Mr Moorehead’s account.’
656 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
464 people are currently reading
806 people want to read
About the author
Alan Moorehead
98 books91 followersAlan Moorehead was lionised as the literary man of action: the most celebrated war correspondent of World War II; author of award winning books; star travel writer of The New Yorker; pioneer publicist of wildlife conservation. At the height of his success, his writing suddenly stopped and when, 17 years later, his death was announced, he seemed a heroic figure from the past. His fame as a writer gave him the friendship of Ernest Hemingway, George Bernard Shaw and Field Marshall Montgomery and the courtship and marriage of his beautiful wife Lucy Milner.
After 1945, he turned to writing books, including Eclipse, Gallipoli (for which he won the Duff Cooper Prize), The White Nile, The Blue Nile, and finally, A Late Education. He was awarded an OBE in 1946, and died in 1983.
After 1945, he turned to writing books, including Eclipse, Gallipoli (for which he won the Duff Cooper Prize), The White Nile, The Blue Nile, and finally, A Late Education. He was awarded an OBE in 1946, and died in 1983.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 19, 2021
This book is actually three books in one. The author was a well-known British newspaper journalist and he wrote three books covering his adventures in North Africa and parts beyond during World War II. Each book covers a span of about a year, and coincides with the changing of command of the British Army in the desert. The first book covers the command of Wavell, then it's on to Auchinleck, and finally, Montgomery. There are some interesting stories and insights about the first two commanders, but not as much about Montgomery as they didn't have the same amount of contact.
I will admit to being disappointed in this book as it's more of a diary of the author's travels and less about the war itself. He does end up meeting some interesting leaders such as Haile Selassie, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi and if such a thing as travel miles existed back then he would have made out like a bandit as he went to places like Kenya, the Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, India, Ceylon, the United States, Malta, Crete, Greece, Tunisia and Egypt.
I definitely would not recommend this book if you're looking for any sort of military history of the fighting in North Africa during World War II>
I will admit to being disappointed in this book as it's more of a diary of the author's travels and less about the war itself. He does end up meeting some interesting leaders such as Haile Selassie, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi and if such a thing as travel miles existed back then he would have made out like a bandit as he went to places like Kenya, the Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, India, Ceylon, the United States, Malta, Crete, Greece, Tunisia and Egypt.
I definitely would not recommend this book if you're looking for any sort of military history of the fighting in North Africa during World War II>
August 7, 2011
This review is actually for the "African Trilogy", the three volumes written by Moorehead that relate his experiences as a war correspondent during the North African campaign.
Just a terrific read. Moorehead writes extremely well and this is one hell of an adventure. The battle against Rommel and the Germans takes centre stage, of course, but there's also excursions to England, the United States, England and India. His account of India is fascinating, particularly his interviews with Nehru, Gandhi and Jinnah.
But it's North Africa that's the big story here, and Moorehead brings home every aspect of the war; the brutality, the courage, and the elation at the final victory. What's really impressive is his ability to decipher not only individual character but the character of particular nations as well. I would love to find his account of the European theatre, entitled "Eclipse", but I think it's out of print.
Just a terrific read. Moorehead writes extremely well and this is one hell of an adventure. The battle against Rommel and the Germans takes centre stage, of course, but there's also excursions to England, the United States, England and India. His account of India is fascinating, particularly his interviews with Nehru, Gandhi and Jinnah.
But it's North Africa that's the big story here, and Moorehead brings home every aspect of the war; the brutality, the courage, and the elation at the final victory. What's really impressive is his ability to decipher not only individual character but the character of particular nations as well. I would love to find his account of the European theatre, entitled "Eclipse", but I think it's out of print.
January 29, 2019
I have mixed thoughts about this book. It gives some fascinating insights to the North African part of the war, including in Sudan and Kenya plus reflections on elsewhere like India/Burma, the convoys in the North Atlantic, Vichy France, how life was in Britain including aspirations for after the war...
But... I often cringed due to the patronising and essentially nationalistic, racist and sexist views of the author at times. I guess it reflects that it is written by a male in the 1940s, though I hope that he does not represent too many men of that era!!!
But... I often cringed due to the patronising and essentially nationalistic, racist and sexist views of the author at times. I guess it reflects that it is written by a male in the 1940s, though I hope that he does not represent too many men of that era!!!
February 3, 2025
This book (actually three books) has been published under many names and shows up on Goodreads as all of them. The original names of the three books are "The Mediterranean Front," published in 1941 and covering 1940-41; "A Year of Battle," published in 1943 and covering 1941-42; and "The End in Africa," published in 1943 and covering 1942-43. The trilogy previously has been published under the names "African Trilogy" (in the UK in 1944) and "March to Tunis" in the USA in 1965. This edition is from 2001.
Put this on the "Abandoned" shelf, but didn't really abandon -- Just purchased and reviewed the American edition with the title "The March to Tunis" -- see review there.
****
4/15/17 Well, onward. After four pages, the word is "delightful!" Will plunge into this presently and review in full.
Switching from edition "Desert War" to "The March to Tunis" edition -- purchased it because I liked the book so much and the "March to Tunis" edition was available at a good price. Excellent condition, plus has many photos (the other had none) and the maps are listed in the table of contents (not so in "Desert War"). Also, the "March to Tunis" edition has forewords by Wavell and Montgomery and an additional preface by the author.
Actually, still reading the "Desert War" edition . . . why not put the wear and tear on the library's book? But have read the additional information that's only in "The March to Tunis."
****
For full review, see "The March to Tunis" -- same book with differences cited above.
Put this on the "Abandoned" shelf, but didn't really abandon -- Just purchased and reviewed the American edition with the title "The March to Tunis" -- see review there.
****
4/15/17 Well, onward. After four pages, the word is "delightful!" Will plunge into this presently and review in full.
Switching from edition "Desert War" to "The March to Tunis" edition -- purchased it because I liked the book so much and the "March to Tunis" edition was available at a good price. Excellent condition, plus has many photos (the other had none) and the maps are listed in the table of contents (not so in "Desert War"). Also, the "March to Tunis" edition has forewords by Wavell and Montgomery and an additional preface by the author.
Actually, still reading the "Desert War" edition . . . why not put the wear and tear on the library's book? But have read the additional information that's only in "The March to Tunis."
****
For full review, see "The March to Tunis" -- same book with differences cited above.
March 1, 2015
Wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading it. Was this going to be another dry book about military tactics? Boy, was I wrong! This might be the gold standard for embedded journalism. All of the anecdotes relayed are priceless; it really gives a feel for what life was like in that environment. And the name dropping in this book is unreal; it makes you wonder how anybody could do all that in one lifetime, let alone 6 years. The only caveat: it is long, and sometimes repetitive. But that tends to mirror how that skirmish played out.
September 8, 2012
This is a compilation of a three volume memoir of the Second World War in North Africa and the Middle East by Australian journalist Alan Moorehead. The first-hand accounts are worth reading!
August 19, 2023
I bought this book in 2023 because I still remembered reading and liking it long ago in the 1960s, at the age of 12 or 13. I didn’t know what I’d make of it now, especially as the war in North Africa is not a subject that I find intrinsically fascinating; I think I’ve read no other books about it.
However, I still find this one both impressive and remarkably readable. Alan Moorehead (1910–1983) was a war correspondent during the war, his job being to follow the action as closely as possible and report on it. In the book, he summarizes the military strategy and tactics of the conflict in a comprehensible way, but the peculiar strength of the book is the constant narrative of his personal experiences as he follows the soldiers around, getting a taste of some of their hardships and dangers.
He’s very observant, and has the knack of writing down his observations clearly, completely, in detail, in a way that’s somehow never boring. He often finds something bizarre to comment on.
His prose doesn’t seem old-fashioned in general, but I’m occasionally reminded that he was writing in a different age, as when he now and then uses the word ‘gay’ in its original sense, without any premonition that it might come to mean something else. Or when he uses the word ‘natives’ to refer to the local people of the area in which he finds himself. This is of course literally correct, they are the natives, the people who were born there (just as Moorehead was a native of Australia and I’m a native of England); but these days it’s become a word that people are more reluctant to use.
As he’s a thoughtful man, it seems a little odd that he never mentions how lucky he is to be a war correspondent rather than a soldier. He experiences real hardships and dangers, and could easily have been killed or wounded on many occasions; and yet of course he always avoided enemy fire as best he could, whereas the soldiers had to advance into it. Sometimes he lived in conditions similar to theirs, but on average he lived in greater comfort and security than they did, and was able to see his wife and infant son occasionally. He was surely better informed than they were about what was going on in general; he talked to the generals as well as to the ordinary soldiers, and it was his business to be informed.
My standard rating here would be three stars, because I liked the book but don’t expect to reread it often. However, for the time being I’ll give it four stars because it impressed me as a fine piece of non-fiction writing. I won’t give it five stars because that’s only for top favourites, which in most cases I reread often.
However, I still find this one both impressive and remarkably readable. Alan Moorehead (1910–1983) was a war correspondent during the war, his job being to follow the action as closely as possible and report on it. In the book, he summarizes the military strategy and tactics of the conflict in a comprehensible way, but the peculiar strength of the book is the constant narrative of his personal experiences as he follows the soldiers around, getting a taste of some of their hardships and dangers.
He’s very observant, and has the knack of writing down his observations clearly, completely, in detail, in a way that’s somehow never boring. He often finds something bizarre to comment on.
His prose doesn’t seem old-fashioned in general, but I’m occasionally reminded that he was writing in a different age, as when he now and then uses the word ‘gay’ in its original sense, without any premonition that it might come to mean something else. Or when he uses the word ‘natives’ to refer to the local people of the area in which he finds himself. This is of course literally correct, they are the natives, the people who were born there (just as Moorehead was a native of Australia and I’m a native of England); but these days it’s become a word that people are more reluctant to use.
As he’s a thoughtful man, it seems a little odd that he never mentions how lucky he is to be a war correspondent rather than a soldier. He experiences real hardships and dangers, and could easily have been killed or wounded on many occasions; and yet of course he always avoided enemy fire as best he could, whereas the soldiers had to advance into it. Sometimes he lived in conditions similar to theirs, but on average he lived in greater comfort and security than they did, and was able to see his wife and infant son occasionally. He was surely better informed than they were about what was going on in general; he talked to the generals as well as to the ordinary soldiers, and it was his business to be informed.
My standard rating here would be three stars, because I liked the book but don’t expect to reread it often. However, for the time being I’ll give it four stars because it impressed me as a fine piece of non-fiction writing. I won’t give it five stars because that’s only for top favourites, which in most cases I reread often.
January 31, 2025
Alan Moorehead was a war correspondent who covered most of the 3-year desert campaign in North Africa in World War II. Therefore, he saw the war at first hand, sometimes coming under fire himself (usually from aircraft), sometimes getting lost in the vast desert, sometimes missing key events because his reporter's intuition led him astray. Although he was not usually on the front line, he did manage to get into towns within hours of their liberation. He interviewed members of the general staff of the (British and U.S.) armies and had a good grasp on the overall strategic vision of the campaign, from the Allies' point of view.
The writing quality is top-notch, especially descriptions of the burnt out and fought-over towns and countryside. You get a good flavour for the conditions the troops fought in and for the bravery and resilience shown by the soldiers. There are a number of very interesting sidelights to the action, highlighting the difficulties encountered in trying to report the war. Unfortunately, there are a number of quibbles that detract from a 5-star rating. This book is not a "definitive" history of the war - it was written too soon and from a purely Allied point of view. It is undoubtedly biased - he constantly makes excuses for the Allied generals' failings to deliver a knock-out blow to the Axis, especially blaming the long supply line from England (neglecting the Axis' own supply difficulties - fully half of their material was sunk in the Mediterranean). He refuses to credit Rommell's generalling, blaming the British training and internal organisation instead, first claiming the generals could not change it (bureaucratic inertia), then applauding Montgomery for changing it quickly. There's distracting (and long) digressions from the front, especially a trip through India and a vacation to the U.S. While the politics of Indian independence are interesting in their own right, they are complex and require an historical context that just doesn't fit here. Finally, there is no background material - the author assumes at least a passing knowledge of the people and politics of the day, so it might be frustrating for a beginner or indeed any modern reader. The maps are generally quite good, however, so at least a geographical mastery of the area is not necessary.
Therefore, I recommend this book as a personal snapshot of the attitudes and actions of the Allied armies in the desert campaigns of WWII. As such, it is clearly biased, but the quality of the writing and the descriptions overcomes this difficulty.
The writing quality is top-notch, especially descriptions of the burnt out and fought-over towns and countryside. You get a good flavour for the conditions the troops fought in and for the bravery and resilience shown by the soldiers. There are a number of very interesting sidelights to the action, highlighting the difficulties encountered in trying to report the war. Unfortunately, there are a number of quibbles that detract from a 5-star rating. This book is not a "definitive" history of the war - it was written too soon and from a purely Allied point of view. It is undoubtedly biased - he constantly makes excuses for the Allied generals' failings to deliver a knock-out blow to the Axis, especially blaming the long supply line from England (neglecting the Axis' own supply difficulties - fully half of their material was sunk in the Mediterranean). He refuses to credit Rommell's generalling, blaming the British training and internal organisation instead, first claiming the generals could not change it (bureaucratic inertia), then applauding Montgomery for changing it quickly. There's distracting (and long) digressions from the front, especially a trip through India and a vacation to the U.S. While the politics of Indian independence are interesting in their own right, they are complex and require an historical context that just doesn't fit here. Finally, there is no background material - the author assumes at least a passing knowledge of the people and politics of the day, so it might be frustrating for a beginner or indeed any modern reader. The maps are generally quite good, however, so at least a geographical mastery of the area is not necessary.
Therefore, I recommend this book as a personal snapshot of the attitudes and actions of the Allied armies in the desert campaigns of WWII. As such, it is clearly biased, but the quality of the writing and the descriptions overcomes this difficulty.
August 16, 2025
I ended reading the book with a lot of sadness and a big disappointment with life. There was nothing wrong with the book, in fact it was a brilliant book. The war described was utterly devastating, horrible and disgusting. Almost a million young lives lost and 250,000 German prisoners. What had happened to mankind to stoop down to this level. All because of the nuttiest man this world had seen and will see-Hitler. The war was utter butchery from both sides and fought in one of the hottest regions in the world and the hazards of sand- storms, which played hell with the soldiers. Looking back at history it was the Germans fault that helped Hitler to be elected democratically. Knowing his background as he was proven to be a violent man with his brown shirts who were on a killing spree in the heart of Germany-why did they elect a madman.
And now we have another mad man in power Trump. I do not think the Americans know the meaning of CHARACTER and that is why they elected a convicted criminal as a President. It looks like something terrible is happening to the United States. Even the august Supreme Court had a hand in getting Trump elected-what a shame.
I even wrote a book called CHARACTER because of Trump just to show the stupid Americans the true meaning of character and it for sale in Amazon. We are not sure how Trump will behave during his 4 years. His madness has already started with all this tariffs business. The world will see more fun because of these stupid Americans.
And now we have another mad man in power Trump. I do not think the Americans know the meaning of CHARACTER and that is why they elected a convicted criminal as a President. It looks like something terrible is happening to the United States. Even the august Supreme Court had a hand in getting Trump elected-what a shame.
I even wrote a book called CHARACTER because of Trump just to show the stupid Americans the true meaning of character and it for sale in Amazon. We are not sure how Trump will behave during his 4 years. His madness has already started with all this tariffs business. The world will see more fun because of these stupid Americans.
January 20, 2019
The book intertwined the events of the conflict with the history that was being lived by the people being affected by the war. Although mainly focused on the African conflict, it was an all encompassing stroll through the events the British Army was struggling with throughout Africa and South Asia during the early days of the war.
If you are looking for a detailed blow by blow of the campaign, this is not the book for you. It is the story of a correspondent who covered the war and his travels through the battles and his experiences doing that. It is a delightful read. If you are a student of the Desert War, this is a must read as part of your understanding of that campaign and what was going on in that theatre of the war and its effects.
If you are looking for a detailed blow by blow of the campaign, this is not the book for you. It is the story of a correspondent who covered the war and his travels through the battles and his experiences doing that. It is a delightful read. If you are a student of the Desert War, this is a must read as part of your understanding of that campaign and what was going on in that theatre of the war and its effects.
November 25, 2020
This is an excellent read. Whilst it is a sort of history, it is not as thorough as other histories. This is mainly because it is an account of the authors experiences as a war correspondent. So it helps reading this if you are aware of the broad history of the Desert war. However, it is an interesting insight to the life of a war correspondent, and as the author is a professional writer, it should be no surprise that this is extremely readable. He narrates incidents relating to the events he witnessed, and gives a very good picture of the battle scenes, and other events through the campaign. If your interested in this theatre and period of World war II, i is definetley worth reading.
July 2, 2024
Lyrically written for a war journalist, mixing high level strategy with what it felt like to be advancing across a minefield under shell fire and the lives of local inhabitants as armies blasted their land to smithereens. There are some errors that a non scholar like myself noticed, especially around the LRDG. Not sure if these were due to the secrecy surrounding the LRDG/SAS at the time, or because he was relying too heavily on individual soldier's accounts. I suspect the latter. Probably not the definitive history of the campaigns but an excellent "I was there" account of events from the Allied perspective.
June 12, 2025
This book was NOT what I expected. While interested enough in the war in Northern Africa at the beginning of WW2, I saw this on Kindle Unlimited and decided to go for it. The first-hand account of the campaigns from 1940 - 1943 was a very compelling POV I had not encountered in quite this way before. The narrative was a lot more personal and reflected more of what the "on the ground" person would experience, rather than the "generals, battles and dates" that many times are the content of this kind of history. Published before the war was over, it also contains that "not knowing how the whole thing will end" flavor.
I recommend this book.
I recommend this book.
September 2, 2025
Comprehensive view of North Africa War 1940-43
My only complaint is it is 800+ pages. But not sure what could be cut.
Moorhead seems to have had the knack to get everywhere at the right time and meet everyone between 1940-43. All my other readings in this theater have been more focused. His descriptions vary from detailed to general and back. This book (or three books) was not only engaging but managed to cover areas I'd not even considered such as Somalia and Ethiopia. His descriptions of the Italian colonies were eye-opening. I knew they existed just never had the details. No regrets investing my time in this book(s).
My only complaint is it is 800+ pages. But not sure what could be cut.
Moorhead seems to have had the knack to get everywhere at the right time and meet everyone between 1940-43. All my other readings in this theater have been more focused. His descriptions vary from detailed to general and back. This book (or three books) was not only engaging but managed to cover areas I'd not even considered such as Somalia and Ethiopia. His descriptions of the Italian colonies were eye-opening. I knew they existed just never had the details. No regrets investing my time in this book(s).
May 25, 2023
One of the best books on WWII I've read. Yes it's racist, sexist, nationalistic and imperialistic, but it is a product of its time.
Getting over the cultural problems, the author has a gift of words as he describes his experiences reporting on the North African campaign across three years, the various battles, Generals and tactics. There was even a short interlude into India and the US.
Since this was an eye witness account by an intelligent man gifted in writing ability it makes for great reading.
Getting over the cultural problems, the author has a gift of words as he describes his experiences reporting on the North African campaign across three years, the various battles, Generals and tactics. There was even a short interlude into India and the US.
Since this was an eye witness account by an intelligent man gifted in writing ability it makes for great reading.
August 15, 2024
Barely able to finish
I thought a war correspondent’s battlefield impressions would make for interesting reading regarding desert warfare in Africa. I was wrong.
This book was a slog to read. The author often missed the actual battles. He has a nasty tendency to go off on tangents that were of little interest to me, and portions of the book are devoted to his trips to non-battle areas.
I thought a war correspondent’s battlefield impressions would make for interesting reading regarding desert warfare in Africa. I was wrong.
This book was a slog to read. The author often missed the actual battles. He has a nasty tendency to go off on tangents that were of little interest to me, and portions of the book are devoted to his trips to non-battle areas.
February 16, 2019
Moorehead was there
This reads like a diary covering the years 1940 through 1943 and includes most of the North African campaign, along with the battles for Syria and Ethiopia. The book is filled with vignettes that will haunt reader and i came away with a pretty good understanding of this death match between two superb armies.
This reads like a diary covering the years 1940 through 1943 and includes most of the North African campaign, along with the battles for Syria and Ethiopia. The book is filled with vignettes that will haunt reader and i came away with a pretty good understanding of this death match between two superb armies.
October 7, 2024
This not a retrospective history but a trilogy from an embedded war correspondent, with first third published in 1944. The narrative follows that of the author with his account of 1943 told from the western end as he landed in Algeria with the UK and US forces, and his section on Montgomery’s success at El Alamein recounted secondhand and little or nothing of the successes through Libya. Top quality writing throughout the book.
October 12, 2017
Simply awesome - one of the best, most detailed depiction of the north African campaign I've read to-date. A pleasure to read and great info too.
Note: read with a map at hand - it's going to make much more sense
Note: read with a map at hand - it's going to make much more sense
February 9, 2020
Alan’s writing style covers the factual analysis described in such a wonderful way that puts you right in the picture. I have never read a book that is as much about the authors experience in the war as it is about this chapter of the war. A great and informative read.
July 19, 2024
Great history
A very well written book from a correspondent’s viewpoint. It shows how large the early war was in his travels. It shows the heady victories and sudden upsets and terrors of retreats across the desert.
A very well written book from a correspondent’s viewpoint. It shows how large the early war was in his travels. It shows the heady victories and sudden upsets and terrors of retreats across the desert.
January 6, 2025
Great read. Very much a book of its time, published in 1943, before WWII was over yet, so he writes things that would not have been written after the war because his perspective would have changed. He is also biased in that he is part of European imperialism and that mindset.
January 26, 2025
Well written historical of WWII Africa
Interestly written of African front giving details that sheds light on on actions for those interested in WWII history! Captivating narrative style!
Interestly written of African front giving details that sheds light on on actions for those interested in WWII history! Captivating narrative style!
July 25, 2025
Awesome history, African war story!
Personal frontline reporting of desert war, fascinating descriptions of troops, officers, politics of World War 2.
Detailed chronology of development of new and better weapons and strategy of battles.
Personal frontline reporting of desert war, fascinating descriptions of troops, officers, politics of World War 2.
Detailed chronology of development of new and better weapons and strategy of battles.
April 8, 2021
Best "Live" account
This style of historical writing has sadly rare today. I've never read a more memorable WW2 account of this campaign theatre.
This style of historical writing has sadly rare today. I've never read a more memorable WW2 account of this campaign theatre.
November 7, 2024
Exceptional Book
This is by far best book concerning the World War11 North African Campaign I have ever had the pleasure to read!
This is by far best book concerning the World War11 North African Campaign I have ever had the pleasure to read!
June 4, 2025
First Hand Account
The author provides a first hand account from a non combatant's perspective. He takes the time to detail the various battles during that time period.
The author provides a first hand account from a non combatant's perspective. He takes the time to detail the various battles during that time period.
September 7, 2025
An excellent account of the fighting in North Africa. Too often books simply tell us that a division moved here, a company moved there with the focus on the senior officers- thankfully this account tells us much about the ordinary soldiers and what they went through. It contains a ton of observations regarding social circumstances, politics and the reality of life on the ground for both civilians and military personnel across numerous nationalities.
This is the best account of the war in North Africa that I have read to date.
This is the best account of the war in North Africa that I have read to date.
November 3, 2024
Quality writing but it is as if I am reading Mr. Moorehead’s diary, which it is. Great to know a review of hotels around the Middle East theater and what they had for dinner but I just finished the couple page description of Rommel’s victory and did not get a clear understanding of the strategy and tactics of the victory. Following this short description there were more pages on how Mr Moorehead struggled to reach Knightsbridge, post battle, than on the battle itself. Strengths are the portraits of Allied generals how equipment upgrades affected the action. Weaknesses are lack of detail of actions and clarity of any issue beyond Mr Moorehead’s personal observation. A good subtitle would have been “A Social History of the Middle East, North African Campaigns”
August 19, 2015
I’m doing research for my next novel, which may be partially set in North Africa in 1941/42. Alan Moorehead’s ‘classic trilogy’ gives a great balance of overall historical summary and gripping first person detail for this comparatively obscure but important World War 2 campaign.
Alan Moorehead was a correspondent in North Africa for most of the North African campaign, from its humble beginnings in 1940 to its explosive climax in 1943. He also traveled, during these years, to India, the United States and the United Kingdom. He has a keen eye for the big picture of a campaign, won or lost, and a genius for details that give the reader a gut feel for the moment of battle, the moment of victory or the moments of relaxation that come before and after.
To give just one example, Moorehead was caught in a crossfire near the front during the first British campaign against the Italians. He writes: then from the hill ahead a long whining scream of bullets came at us down the roadway. We were ambushed. . . . Clifford and I made for the wooded bank on the left, but it was hopeless—the enemy were firing almost at point-blank range, two or three hundred yards away. . . . One Breda-gun burst set the armoured car next to ours ablaze, killing the men inside. . . . The enemy's tracer-bullets made long crisscross sheaths of light down the road.
Our driver had been cruelly hit on the arm by an explosive bullet as he had leapt from the truck. . . . He was huddled crookedly in the shallow drainage gutter, quickly drenching in his blood. Clifford joined me, and together we tore off his greatcoat and cut away his sweater and shirt. But then the Italians creeping closer saw us—the last of the British left around the cars. They blew our truck to bits while we lay four yards away trying to stem the wounded man's flow of blood. . . . The fire was very close and very heavy and our cover not more than eighteen inches, so we had to stop and be still from time to time. Then a piece of shrapnel struck Keating in the forearm, while a bullet tore a ragged hole in his leg. He fell forward softly upon the driver in the shallow trench. Clifford was nicked neatly in the behind. Another bullet passed through the folds of the sleeve of my greatcoat, and, certain I was hit, I remember waiting frigidly for the pain to come.
If I have a criticism of the book at all, it’s that Moorehead rarely mentions the date. When I attempt to correlate the real events of the book to the fictional events of my story, I’m going to have to find other sources.
Alan Moorehead was a correspondent in North Africa for most of the North African campaign, from its humble beginnings in 1940 to its explosive climax in 1943. He also traveled, during these years, to India, the United States and the United Kingdom. He has a keen eye for the big picture of a campaign, won or lost, and a genius for details that give the reader a gut feel for the moment of battle, the moment of victory or the moments of relaxation that come before and after.
To give just one example, Moorehead was caught in a crossfire near the front during the first British campaign against the Italians. He writes: then from the hill ahead a long whining scream of bullets came at us down the roadway. We were ambushed. . . . Clifford and I made for the wooded bank on the left, but it was hopeless—the enemy were firing almost at point-blank range, two or three hundred yards away. . . . One Breda-gun burst set the armoured car next to ours ablaze, killing the men inside. . . . The enemy's tracer-bullets made long crisscross sheaths of light down the road.
Our driver had been cruelly hit on the arm by an explosive bullet as he had leapt from the truck. . . . He was huddled crookedly in the shallow drainage gutter, quickly drenching in his blood. Clifford joined me, and together we tore off his greatcoat and cut away his sweater and shirt. But then the Italians creeping closer saw us—the last of the British left around the cars. They blew our truck to bits while we lay four yards away trying to stem the wounded man's flow of blood. . . . The fire was very close and very heavy and our cover not more than eighteen inches, so we had to stop and be still from time to time. Then a piece of shrapnel struck Keating in the forearm, while a bullet tore a ragged hole in his leg. He fell forward softly upon the driver in the shallow trench. Clifford was nicked neatly in the behind. Another bullet passed through the folds of the sleeve of my greatcoat, and, certain I was hit, I remember waiting frigidly for the pain to come.
If I have a criticism of the book at all, it’s that Moorehead rarely mentions the date. When I attempt to correlate the real events of the book to the fictional events of my story, I’m going to have to find other sources.
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