This movie's opening prologue states: "Marsa Martruh [aka Mersa Matruh, a place in Egypt] 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 Toburk. 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 in Egypt."
The Marsa Matruh of the film's title is a city in Egypt which is aka Mersa Matruh and was formerly known as Amunia. It is part of the Matruh Governorate and is situated along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.