Raid on Sidi Haneish Airfield

Raid on Sidi Haneish Airfield
Part of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War
Colonel David Stirling with Lt Edward McDonald and other SAS soldiers in North Africa.
Date 26–27 July 1942 Location Sidi Haneish Airfield, north-western Egypt 31°09′45″N 27°37′38″E / 31.16250°N 27.62722°E / 31.16250; 27.62722 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Free France	Germany
Commanders and leaders
David Stirling Carol Mather Paddy Mayne	Unknown
Strength
Long Range Desert Group 18 armed jeeps Special Air Service	Unknown
Casualties and losses
2 killed in action 3 jeeps lost	37 aircraft destroyed Numerous casualties

The Raid on Sidi Haneish Airfield was a military operation carried out the night of 26 July 1942. A British Special Air Service unit commanded by Major David Stirling attacked a German-held airfield in Egypt during the Western Desert Campaign of Second World War. Several Luftwaffe aircraft used to ferry supplies to the Axis forces were destroyed or damaged with machine-gun fire and explosives. Axis front line units were diverted to reinforce the garrisons in the rear vulnerable to attack.^[1]