Sahara

During the Allied retreat after the fall of Tobruk, an American tank sergeant gathers stragglers of various nationalities and makes a desperate stand at an isolated desert well against a superior German force. The multinational group holds off the Germans by rationing a scarce water supply.

The film is set during the chaotic Allied retreat across Libya and Egypt following the fall of Tobruk in June 1942, a low point for British and Commonwealth forces before the turning point at El Alamein.

The story and central action are fictional, though the desperate retreat conditions of mid-1942 North Africa are accurately evoked.

Montgomery's Eighth Army broke the Axis line west of Alexandria and began the pursuit that ended in Tunisia.

A massive artillery barrage opened Operation Lightfoot, followed by a grinding infantry and armoured battle through minefields. Operation Supercharge broke through in early November and Rommel withdrew.

Directed by Zoltan Korda

Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish, Lloyd Bridges

Positioned at June 1942 within the North African campaign phase of the war, as part of the Gazala retreat. This is entry 68 of 150 in the chronological archive.

• North Africa
• tank crew
• desert
• multinational unit
• Bogart

• 

  The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel

  1942–October 1944

• 

  Tobruk

  September 1942

• 

  The Big Red One

  1942–1945

• 

  Five Graves to Cairo

  Summer 1942

• 

  El Alamein: The Line of Fire

  October 23 – November 4, 1942

• 

  The Battle of El Alamein

  October 23 – November 11, 1942