Operation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941 during the Second World War. The operation relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk. The Eighth Army's initial plan to destroy the Axis armoured force before advancing its infantry came apart when, after a number of inconclusive engagements, the British 7th Armoured Division were heavily defeated by the Afrika Korps at Sidi Rezegh.
Operation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941 during the Second World War. The operation relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk. The Eighth Army's initial plan to destroy the Axis armoured force before advancing its infantry came apart when, after a number of inconclusive engagements, the British 7th Armoured Division were heavily defeated by the Afrika Korps at Sidi Rezegh.
~800 tanks destroyed, damaged, or broken downref|Liddell Hart states that while British tank losses during the operation were heavy, large numbers of tanks were able to be recovered and repaired as a result of Rommel's retreat leaving only 278 tanks permanently lost.|group=nb
17,700 casualtiesref|2,900 killed, 7,300 wounded and 7,500 missing. Casualties have been rounded by source due to underlying flaws with primary source data but cover all the serious fighting of November, December and the first half of January.|group=nb
738 tanksref|XXX Corps had 477 tanks available, XIII Corps 135 tanks available and the Tobruk garrison a further 126. 339 of their tanks were various cruiser models, with 210 of them being the latest A15 Crusader. 201 of the total number of tanks were Infantry tanks, the vast majority being Matilda II's. 173 of the total were M3 Stuarts and the remaining 25 were other various light tanks.|group=nb
536 aircraft (342 serviceable)ref|There was a potential axis servicable reserve of 750 aircraft based within Tripolitania, Sicily, Sardinia, Greece and Crete but excluding transport aircraft, aircraft based within mainland Italy or part of the Italian Navy.|group=nb
118,000 men
119,000 menref|65,000 German soldiers and 54,000 Italian.|group=nb
390ref|70x Panzer II, 139x Panzer III, 35x Panzer IV L/24 and 146 Fiat M13/40.|group=nb–414 tanksref|260 German (15x Panzer I, 40x Panzer II, 150 Panzer III, 55x Panzer IV L/24) and 154 Italian tanks.|group=nb
724 aircraft (616 serviceable)ref|650 planes (550 serviceable) were based within Egypt and the remaining 74 (66 serviceable) were based in Malta.|group=nb
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
