Bir Hakeim

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Bir Hakeim (Arabic: بئر حكيم, romanized: biʾr ḥakīm, lit. 'wise well', pronounced [biʔr ħaˈkiːm] , sometimes written Bir Hacheim) is the site of a former Ottoman fort in the Libyan desert. The fort was built around the site of an ancient Roman well, dating to the period when the oasis was part of Ottoman Tripolitania. It is about 160 km (99 mi) west of Sollum on the Libyan coast and 80 km (50 mi) south-east of Gazala. Bir Hakeim is best known for the battle of Bir Hakeim, which took place there during World War II. The battle occurred during the Battle of Gazala (26 May – 21 June 1942) when the 1st Free French Brigade of Général de brigade, future Maréchal de France Marie-Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May – 11 June against much larger German and Italian forces, commanded by Generaloberst Erwin Rommel. Capitaine Pierre Messmer was one of the French officers of the 13th half-brigade of the French Foreign Legion. Messmer had graduated from St Cyr Military School. He was commanding the 3rd battalion of the Legion. Many of his soldiers were from Spanish and German origin, and many of them Jews. The Kaddish was said most evenings at Bir-Hakeim. The other half-brigade of the 1st Free French Division included units that did not belong to the French Foreign Legion, such as the Bataillon de Marche n°2 de l'Afrique équatoriale française (BM2), the Bataillon du Pacifique (French Polynesia, New Caledonia and New Hebrides), the 1st Bataillon of Infanterie de Marine, the 1st Regiment of Artillerie, the 1st Bataillon of Fusiliers Marins in association with troop D of the 43rd Battery of the 11th City of London Yeomanry Regiment and the 22nd North-African French Armored Company. Pierre Messmer was the first French Foreign Legion soldier to...