50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN
SECOND WORLD WAR - EGYPT 1942
GRADED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: PORTRAIT BUST OF ELIZABETH II RIGHT WEARING THE STATE DIADEM; DATE IN LEGEND BOTTOM RIGHT.
REV: 3/4 HALF FIGURE OF LT. GENERAL (LATER, FIELD MARSHAL) MONTGOMERY HOLDING SURVEY MAP AND POINTING ONWARD LEADING 8th ARMY INTO ATTACK, BRITISH TANK IN BACKGROUND ADVANCING; AN M3 GENERAL GRANT TANK BACKGROUND LEFT; ANNIVERSARY DATES IN LEGEND ABOVE AND DENOMINATION AT BOTTOM.
KM # 113
THE FIRST AND SECOND BATTLES OF EL-ALAMEIN WERE FOUGHT IN THE WESTERN DESERT OF EGYPT IN 1942 BETWEEN THE AXIS POWERS AND ALLIED FORCES. THE FIRST BATTLE, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN JULY, STARTED WITH THE AXIS (COMMANDED BY GERMAN FIELD MARSHAL ERWIN ROMMEL, "THE DESERT FOX") ADVANCING EAST TO TAKE ALEXANDRIA. THE ALLIES (COMMANDED BY BRITISH GENERAL, LATER FIELD MARSHAL, CLAUDE AUCHINLECK WHO WHO HAD BEEN COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE BRITISH INDIAN ARMY) TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE TERRAIN FOR DEFENSE, AND ALTHOUGH THE GERMAN PANZERS TRIED AN OUTFLANKING MANOUVER, THE WELL RESTED AND SUPPLIED BRITISH 8TH ARMY REPULSED THEIR EXHAUSTED GERMAN AND ITALIAN FOES, AND STALLED THEIR ADVANCE.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF EL-ALAMEIN PITTED ROMMEL AND HIS AFRIKA CORPS AGAINST LIEUTENANT GENERAL BERNARD MONTGOMERY (ALSO LATER FIELD MARSHAL) COMMANDING 8TH ARMY. ROMMEL INTENDED TO STRIKE BEFORE THE BRITISH HAD BUILT UP THEIR FORCES SUFFICIENTLY, BUT HAVING BEEN RESUPPLIED WITH NEW EQUIPMENT (INCLUDING AMERICAN SHERMAN TANKS) AND IN GREATER NUMBERS, THE ALLIES FOR THE FIRST TIME WERE IN AN ENVIABLE POSITION. THE BATTLE WAS A HUGE ALLIED VICTORY, THE FIRST BRITISH VICTORY IN THE WESTERN DESERT CAMPAIGN, AND SUCCEDED IN TURNING THE TIDE OF WAR BY PUSHING ROMMEL AND HIS PANZERARMEE ACROSS THE LIBYAN DESERT. THE AXIS WAS NO LONGER A THREAT TO EGYPT, THE SUEZ CANAL OR THE MIDDLE EASTERN OIL FIELDS.
"IT MAY BE SAID, 'BEFORE ALAMEIN WE NEVER HAD A VICTORY. AFTER ALAMEIN WE NEVER HAD A DEFEAT." - SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL
CONTAINS 31.21 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD (1 OZ AGW)
32 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 500 MINTED
ROYAL MINT
REVERSE SCULPTOR WILLEM VIS
