5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Battle of El Alamein, Gold Proof

El Alamein was fought in two phases across 1942, with Montgomery's Second Battle in October–November proving decisive in halting Rommel's Afrika Korps and marking the first major British land victory of the war. Churchill famously remarked it was "not the end, not even the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning." Gibraltar's stake in commemorating this battle is not incidental — the Rock served as a critical Allied command and logistics hub throughout the North African campaign, with Eisenhower himself headquartered there during Operation Torch just days after El Alamein concluded.

KM#1176a distinguishes the gold proof from the companion cupro-nickel issue struck the same year.