In his letters home, Serra relays that the war isn’t what he expected. In fact, there are some quieter moments – much as there were during real-life in the desert.

This prompts some of the soldiers to get captured by the British on purpose, as they would rather languish in prison than die in the desert. However, they quickly drive off and leave their men to the barren wasteland. We see the Italian Generals towards the end, who instruct the bedraggled soldiers to keep fighting. Serra must contend with the punishing elements and the sheer forces of the Allied powers, armed with only a slim chance of survival.Īfter suffering a barrage of attacks by the British, the Italians are ordered to fall back into the desert on foot. It isn’t long before the troops fall victim to hunger, thirst, boredom and the ubiquitous heat. We’re quickly exposed to the horrifying conditions in which Serra’s units are forced to live, deep in the desert trenches. Moments after his arrival, Serra’s corporal and assigned guide takes a direct hit from a British artillery shell, leaving only a severed ear behind. El Alamein – The Line of Fire follows Private Serra, a university student from Sicily, who volunteers to fight for the Axis after being persuaded by fascist propaganda.Īs his first assignment, he joins the Pavia infantry division on the southern end of the battle line in Egypt.

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