The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle in the Second World War. It took place in El Alamein, Egypt. It was fought between the Allied forces, and Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. The battle took place from 1 July to 27 July 1942. It was part of the Western Desert Campaign. The Field Marshal Commander Erwin Rommel led the Afrika Korps. British Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck led the Eighth Army, defending El Alamein from Rommel's attacking army.