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The Battle of Mersa Matruh was fought from 26 June to 29 June 1942. It was Generalfeldmarschall [[Erwin Rommel]]'s last significant victory obtained in Libya, following the capture of Tobruk. The battle developed as the German [[90th Light Division]] pursued the Eighth Army as it retreated into Egypt. Rommel intended to engage and completely destroy Lieutenant-General William Holmes’ 10th Corps defending Mersa Matruh, but many of the British units were able to escape in confused night fighting. On 29 June, Mersa Matruh was stormed and 6,500 British Commonwealth soldiers were captured, along with another 3,000 Indian, Gurkha and New Zealand troops that fell into Axis hands in the advance to Mersa Matruh and Fuka.

The Battle of Mersa Matruh was fought from 26 June to 29 June 1942. It would be Generalfeldmarschall [[Erwin Rommel]]'s last significant victory obtained in Libya, following the capture of Tobruk. The battle developed as the German [[90th Light Division]] pursued the Eighth Army as it retreated into Egypt. Rommel intended to engage and completely destroy Lieutenant-General William Holmes’ 10th Corps defending Mersa Matruh, but many of the British units were able to escape in confused night fighting. On 29 June, the Mersa Matruh defences were breached and 6,500 British Commonwealth (including those captured in the ''Durham Light Infantry'') soldiers were captured, along with 1,600 Indian soldiers fleeing along the coastline to Fuka. In the advance and ensuing mop-up operations, some 2,000 Gurkha and New Zealand troops fell into Axis hands, including 1,000 New Zealand troops near Minqar Qaim. <ref>"It took an entire Italian corps and several weeks to round the Gurkhas up, some having got as far as Sollum on the frontier." The Second World War: A Military History, Gordon Corrigan, p. 214, Atlantic Books Ltd, 2010</ref><ref>"Among them were the entire 2/7th Gurkhas who had fought nonstop for two days until, isolated from the rest, their ammunition simply ran out ... It was a sorry tale, too, for 2/3rd and 2/8th, who had an almighty dash to reinforce positions in the western desert as Rommel advanced from Tobruk along the coast towards Egypt, heading for Alexandria ... There were many casualties and prisoners taken, although around 280 managed to escape and find their way to El Alamein, 100 miles (160 kilometres) away... " The Gurkhas, John Parker, p. ?, Hachette, 2013</ref>

==Battle strength==

==Battle strength==

==Axis advance==

==Axis advance==

On 26 June, the Brescia and Trento Divisions reached the outskirts of Mersa Matruh. The next morning, the 90th Light Division attacked the 9th Battalion ''Durham Light Infantry '' dug in about 27 kilometers (seventeen miles) south of Mersa Matruh and captured, after some tough fighting,the British strongpoint along with 300 troops.  

On 26 June, the Brescia and Trento Divisions reached the outskirts of Mersa Matruh. The next morning, the 90th Light Division attacked the 9th Battalion ''Durham Light Infantry'' dug in about 27 kilometers (seventeen miles) south of Mersa Matruh and captured, after some tough fighting,the British strongpoint along with 300 troops.  

The 2nd New Zealand Divison was in process of taking up positions at Minqar Qaim, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Mersa Matruh, when a report was received that a large enemy armored force was approaching. The Italians undoubtedly played an important part in the advance with the Brescia and Trento Divisions shelling Mersa Matruh and the Bersaglieri Corps capturing the Gurkha forces that had escaped the Tobruk fighting. A British soldier, Les Davies recalled the Italian bombardment, ''"You will have read about the boxes formed in the desert, the loss of Tobruk and the fast moving battles we have had. Well the last one of all, Mersa Matruh, was the worst, I will never forget it. We were in a box and Jerry shelled from all sides and continued day and night and we had to break out at the finish or be taken prisoner.”''<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/mersa.html Shelled From All Sides The Battle of Mersa Matruh]</ref>

The 2nd New Zealand Divison was in process of taking up positions at Minqar Qaim, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Mersa Matruh, when a report was received that a large enemy armored force was approaching. The Italians undoubtedly played an important part in the advance with the Brescia and Trento Divisions shelling Mersa Matruh and the Bersaglieri Corps capturing the Gurkha forces that had escaped the Tobruk fighting. A British soldier, Les Davies recalled the Italian bombardment, ''"You will have read about the boxes formed in the desert, the loss of Tobruk and the fast moving battles we have had. Well the last one of all, Mersa Matruh, was the worst, I will never forget it. We were in a box and Jerry shelled from all sides and continued day and night and we had to break out at the finish or be taken prisoner.”''<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/mersa.html Shelled From All Sides The Battle of Mersa Matruh]</ref>