 The British misjudged the speed of Axis reinforcement and expected to attack well before the Axis but forestalled the Eighth Army by beginning an offensive on 21 January 1942.By 6 February, the British had been defeated, forced to retreat east of the Jebel Akhdar back to the Gazala line just west of Tobruk, where had begun its retirement seven weeks earlier.At the Battle of Gazala (26 May – 21 June), attacked first again but appeared close to defeat until 11 June.