Opening credits prologue: MARSA MARTRUH JUNE 21ST 1942 Under the command of General Erwin Rommel the armoured columns of the German Afrika Corps are racing towards Alexandria after breaking through the British lines at Tobruk. The British Eighth Army has been literally cut to pieces. Individually and in groups, these pieces are desperately trying to reunite into some sort of cohesive force able to rejoin the main body of troops in their pell mell retreat into Egypt.