El Alamein, on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast west of Alexandria, is where the Allies stopped Rommel’s advance on Egypt in 1942. A visit covers the Commonwealth War Cemetery, the German and Italian memorials and the town’s war museum. The cemetery holds 7,240 Commonwealth burials and is open every day from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Key Takeaways
- There were two battles: the First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) under General Auchinleck, and the Second (23 October–11 November 1942), when Montgomery defeated Rommel.
- The El Alamein War Cemetery holds 7,240 Commonwealth Second World War burials, 815 of them unidentified, plus graves of 102 men of other nationalities.
- The Alamein Memorial at the cemetery names more than 8,500 soldiers and more than 3,000 airmen who have no known grave.
- The German War Memorial holds 4,313 dead and was inaugurated on 28 October 1959.
- The cemetery is open every day, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The battles in brief
In the summer of 1942, the German-Italian Panzer Army Africa under Erwin Rommel pushed east across Libya towards Alexandria and the Suez Canal. At El Alamein the coastal plain narrows between the sea and the Qattara Depression, a vast low-lying basin of salt marsh that tanks could not cross, which made it one of the few places where a defensive line could not be outflanked.
The First Battle of El Alamein, fought from 1 to 27 July 1942 under General Claude Auchinleck, halted the advance. The Second Battle, from 23 October to 11 November 1942, was fought by the Eighth Army under General Bernard Montgomery and ended with Rommel’s forces in retreat. It was the turning point of the war in North Africa.
What you see on a visit
| Site | What it is | Key figures |
|---|---|---|
| El Alamein War Cemetery (Commonwealth) | Rows of headstones in a walled garden, cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission | 7,240 Commonwealth burials (815 unidentified) and 102 of other nationalities; open daily 7:00 am–5:00 pm |
| Alamein Memorial | Cloister at the cemetery entrance listing those with no known grave | More than 8,500 soldiers and more than 3,000 airmen |
| Alamein Cremation Memorial | Commemorates servicemen who were cremated in line with their faith | More than 600 names |
| German War Memorial | An octagonal fortress-like ossuary on a hill above the sea | 4,313 dead; inaugurated 28 October 1959 |
| Italian War Memorial | A tall white memorial and chapel, built 1954–1958 | Sources disagree on the number of dead, so we do not quote one |
| El Alamein Military Museum | Uniforms, weapons, maps and vehicles from the desert campaign | Check hours locally before you go |
The Commonwealth War Cemetery
The cemetery is the main reason most people come. Soldiers from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Canada and other Commonwealth nations lie side by side, many of them very young. Walk through the Alamein Memorial at the entrance first: its walls carry the names of the missing, which explains the scale of the losses better than any number on a page. The site is quiet and well kept; behave as you would in any cemetery.
The German and Italian memorials
West of the town, on the coast, are the memorials of the other side. The German memorial is a stone ossuary (a building holding the remains of the dead) shaped like a desert fort, with an inner courtyard. The Italian memorial, a little further on, combines a chapel, a museum room and a long hall of names. Together with the Commonwealth cemetery they make El Alamein one of the few places where both sides of a battle are remembered within a short drive of each other.
Getting there from Cairo
El Alamein is a long day trip from Cairo by road along the desert highway, so most visitors go with a driver and leave early. Published distances to El Alamein from Alexandria vary between sources depending on which point is measured, so plan with a driver rather than a single figure. If you are already in Alexandria, the trip is shorter.
Our El Alamein day tour from Cairo covers the cemetery, the memorials and the museum with private transport and a guide. For shorter trips from the capital, see all our Cairo day tours.
Practical tips
- Timing: the cemetery opens at 7:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm. Leaving Cairo early gives you time at all the memorials.
- Weather: the coast is windy, and there is little shade at the memorials. Bring a hat, water and sunscreen.
- Finding a grave: if you are looking for a relative, search the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s online database before you travel and note the plot reference.
- Respect: dress modestly and keep voices low; these are working cemeteries and memorials.
FAQ
When was the Battle of El Alamein?
There were two. The First Battle ran from 1 to 27 July 1942, and the Second from 23 October to 11 November 1942, when Montgomery’s Eighth Army defeated Rommel.
How many soldiers are buried at El Alamein?
The Commonwealth War Cemetery holds 7,240 Second World War burials, 815 of them unidentified, and 102 graves of other nationalities. The German War Memorial holds 4,313 dead.
Is El Alamein worth a day trip from Cairo?
For anyone interested in the Second World War, or looking for the grave of a relative, yes. It is a long drive, so it suits travelers with a full day free rather than a short stay.