La Châtre in Indre, Centre-Val de Loire, France — Western Europe
La Bataille de Bir Hakeim / The Battle of Bir Hakeim
Photographed By Eric Fonce, February 23, 2018
1. Plaque commémorative de la Bataille de Bir Hakeim Marker
General KOENIG's men put up resistance from May 26 to June 11, 1942, facing the German and Italian forces, and then managed to join the English lines. It was a decisive episode in the Second World War.
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is May 26, 1942.
Location. 46° 35.004′ N, 1° 59.313′ E. Marker is in La Châtre, Centre-Val de Loire, in Indre. Memorial is on Passage de la Bataille de Bir-Hakeim. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Passage de la Bataille de Bir-Hakeim, La Châtre, Centre-Val de Loire 36400, France. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. La maison du Chevalier d'Ars (about 180 meters away, measured in a direct line); Pont des Cabignats (about 180 meters away); Fontaine Sainte-Radegonde (about 210 meters away); Maison rue des Pavillons
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Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . . Battle of Bir Hakeim (Wikipedia). "The Battle of Bir Hakeim took place at Bir Hakeim, an oasis in the Libyan desert south and west of Tobruk, during the Battle of Gazala (26 May – 21 June 1942). The 1st Free French Brigade (Général de brigade Marie Pierre Kœnig) defended the position from 26 May – 11 June against much larger Axis forces of Panzerarmee Afrika (Generaloberst Erwin Rommel). The Panzerarmee captured Tobruk ten days later but the delay imposed on the Axis offensive by the defence of the fortress influenced the cancellation of Operation Herkules, the plan for an Axis invasion of Malta. Rommel continued to advance and invaded Egypt, slowed by British delaying actions until the First Battle of El Alamein in July, where the Axis advance was stopped. Both sides used the battle for propaganda, Winston Churchill renamed the Free French as the Fighting French and Hitler called the French the second best fighters after the Germans." (Submitted on February 27, 2018.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 24, 2018, by Corentin Buisson of Saint-Août, France. This page has been viewed 277 times since then and 14 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on February 24, 2018, by Corentin Buisson of Saint-Août, France. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
