Alan’s TTIM Stories #63

In the summer of 1942, Rommel’s Afrika Corps pushed across Libya and entered Egypt with the objective of capturing Alexandria, Mediterranean ports, the Suez Canal, and Middle East oil fields. The British 8^th Army stood in the way led by Generals Auchinleck and Montgomery – a line literally drawn in the sand.

German and Italian forces met troops from Britain, Australia, India, and New Zealand at a railway near El Alamein. The German line of supply stretched thin from Tunis. Rommel had difficulty resupplying from the distance while being harassed by allied air bombardment. Besides these difficulties, the outcome of the battle was influenced by an entity from centuries before.

A young man in Egypt followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the Roman army. During this time, Menas became a Christian. As his faith grew, he could no longer justify being a soldier. Around 304 AD, he left the army and disappeared into the dessert for 5 years of contemplation.

The experience provided a series of visions of heaven and angels to strengthen his faith. Menas returned to civilization to proclaim his faith, an unwanted message at the time. Menas was tortured and beheaded. His burial site became a location for pilgrimages for healing waters and miracle cures. Menas become St. Mina.

The North African battles of 1942 left the church of Abu Mena in ruins. The image of St. Mina with two camels lying at his feet remained on a wall left standing. The destruction of the church awakened a spirit from a nearby gravesite.

At midnight before the battle of El Alamein, in the light of the moon, a large dust cloud stretching across the horizon moved toward the troops. They heard the thundering hooves of the onslaught, shaking  the ground. Out of the ground-level cloud appeared a herd of camels approaching. As the herd came closer, soldiers recognized the rider on the lead camel. The rider resembled the painting on the wall of church at Abu Mena. St. Mina urged the camels toward the bewildered and frightened troops. Rifles leveled at the sight. Before shots were fired the apparition vanished into the night.

This strange event rattled the troops with a negative effect on morale. Not sure what they saw, an explanation from locals proved to be more unnerving. Some credit the event as a reason for the British success at El Alamein. After a series of battles the Afrika Corps retreated from the region with eventual abandonment of North Africa. The Battle of El Alamein ended on November 11, the designated Feast Day for St. Mina.

Winston Churchill said, “Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat.”

“Then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’”
1 Corinthians 15: 54-55

Sources:
Wikipedia
The Story of St. Mina of Egypt, Michael Gibrael, St. John Miami.com
Bible
Wikimedia Commons
Photo credit: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Fresco of St. Mina on camel-back chasing away the German army at the First Battle of El Alamein from the Holy Cell of Saint Menas, Great Lavra Monastery, Mount Athos.