Breakout Minqar Qaim, North Africa, 1942 By Colin Cameron, Tristan Brehaut.

Publisher: Willson Scott Publishing (2006), Christchurch. First Edition.

Good softback, some creasing to covers and page corners, no inscriptions, pages very good, minor marks. 243 pages, illustrated.

Why revisit Minqar Qaim? Some writers ignore it; some regard the action as merely part of a broader canvas. Others, using it as an example of unrestrained brutality, seek to place it in a context from which to make a political argument. The artillery battle at Minqar Qaim on 27 June and subsequent break out during the very early morning of 28 June 1942, is regarded as one of the New Zealand Division's best actions in World War II. Minqar Qaim Day, 27 June, is now also the defining moment, the anniversary date for 2 Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast Regiment. Currently (1994) the official Australian position is that the atrocities which reportedly occurred have been caused by the New Zealand troops. It is doubtful now if any of these claims can be fully substantiated, except perhaps in the case of Minqar Qaim. As the authors point out, During the night breakout of Minqar Qaim, at the time of Mersa Matruh, the frenzied New Zealand troops bayoneted wounded and surrendering Germans when they burst into their laager. Frenzied and burst are emotive words. They need a full and proper context. A similar accusation has been echoed in 2004 by Sir Max Hastings in his Introduction to Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-45. There is a growing assertiveness in Germany about the war crimes of Allies.

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