First battle of El Alamein

Unfolding

The June 20th, Afrika Korps reached Tobrouk which capitulates the following day. Rommel made on this occasion 35 000 prisoners belonging to the following units:

the 2nd division of South-African infantry
29e Hindu brigade
201e brigade of the guard
32e armor-plated brigade

As well as the catch of:

70 tanks
2.000 vehicles
2.000 tons of gasoline (taken of an incalculable value for Afrika Korps constantly in lack of fuel)
5.000 tons of vivres (taken it also essential in the desert)
a great quantity of ammunition

The attack of Tobrouk was conducted by the Italian general Général Navarrini to the German-Italian head of divisions:

Littorio (coldly unloaded in Africa)
Ariete
Trieste
15 {{E}} Panzerdivision

That is to say a total of 30 000 men of which 20 000 Italians.

The attack is launched at dawn and as of 9:40, the Klopper general, ordering the place, goes with his garrison.

Rommel tells:

“Around 5 a.m., the June 21st, I entered the town of Tobrouk. It offered a lugubrious spectacle. Almost all the dwellings were shaven or formed nothing any more but one heap of rubble. The majority of the destruction went back to the seat of the previous year. By the Via Balbia, I moved to the west. All the 32e armor-plated brigade deposited the weapons, and 30 tanks in operating condition were given to us. On the two sides of via Balbia, of many vehicles continued to be consumed and, everywhere, they were only scene of destruction. To 6 km in the west of Tobrouk, I met then the Klopper general who announced to me the capitulation of the fortress of Tobrouk. It had not been able to stop the defeat. ”

the day order of victory of Rommel is written as for him in the following way:

“Soldiers! The great battle of Marmarique had as a crowning your conquest of the fortress of Tobrouk. We made more 45 000 prisoners and destroyed or captured 1 000 armored vehicles and approximately 400 guns since the beginning of our offensive of May 26th. During the rough fight of the last weeks, your valiancy and your endurance have allowed us then to carry terrible blows to the allied forces. Thanks to you, the adversary lost the core of its army, which was on the point of passing to the offensive, and, especially, its armor-plated forces were destroyed. During next days, I will ask you for the main final effort. ”

The evening even of the victory Hitler telephone in Rommel to inform it of its promotion as a généralfeldmarshal of Wehrmacht. Rommel declared following this telephone call with its officers congratulating it: “would be well better to send an armor-plated division to me” .

After this combat, the Italian general Cavallero and the German marshal Kesselring, supported by Mussolini, request from Hitler green light to launch the Opération C3 aiming to the catch of Malta. The body of Italian unloading, based in Sicily, awaits the starting order, but Rommel requires of Hitler to take precedence and to be able to go as of now with reinforcements over Alexandria. It would seem that Rommel did not perceive the importance which could have Malta with respect to the supply as well allied as German. Rommel to convince Hitler promises a fast walk to him on the Suez Canal like its catch. Hitler slices in favor of sound all new marshal and request with Mussolini to push back the C3 operation. Mussolini will do better by placing the body of unloading at the disposal of Rommel, which admittedly needs well reinforcement. This reinforcement it is the division of elite Folgore (which is a unit of parachutists). The Italian general headquarter is him dismayed by this decision.

Voici the letter that Hitler addressed to Duce to convince it:

“the destiny, Duce, offers a unique opportunity to us which will not be represented any more within the framework of this war. The 8th British army is so to speak destroyed, but the harbor installations of Egypt are, they, presques intact. If we immediately do not continue without slackening the remainders of the 8th army, it is likely to arrive to us what arrived to the English when they stopped for the doors of Tripoli to send reinforcements in Greece, in February 1941. We finally can, under certain conditions, to tear off Egypt in England. My council is the following: order the continuation of the operations until the total destruction of the British troops. The chance with the combat smiles only once to the condottieri: that which does not seize it loses it for always. ” The June 25th, the Ritchie general is thanked by the British army. With the Cairo, the British authorities already start to burn the files.

The June 29th, the 7th regiment of bersaglieri captures 6 000 British and takes the town of Marsa-Matruh, which is located at 150 km of Tobrouk. Mussolini, by learning that, flies away for Africa. The Italian command, and in particular Batico, inform Rommel not to too quickly advance, the supply which cannot be assured on if long distances without being reorganized, but Rommel does not hold account and continues the offensive of it. That is relatively bold being given the state of the division of Afrikakorps. The Italian units are then in the following state:

Ariete Division: it counts nothing any more but one about fifteen tanks, about fifteen pieces of artillery and 600 bersaglieri.
Trieste Division: It counts nothing any more but 1 500 men and 4 tanks
Littorio Division: 1 000 bersaglieri and about thirty tanks
Brescia Division: It counts nothing any more but two battalions
Division Pavia: It does not count any more that only one battalion
the remainder of the troops, joined together within the group of Navarrini support, is hardly in better state.

The German units (15 and 21e panzerdivision and 90e motorized) count nothing any more but one about sixty tanks. However between on May 26th and on July 3rd, 1942 the German-Italian ones captured 60 000 British as destroyed or taken more 2 000 armoured tanks.

Churchill, by knowing the state of the German troops is literally dismayed British failures:

“Our forces were higher than those of the Axis. We had more 100 000 men, them less 90 000. Our artillery was stronger in a proportion of three against one, just as for the tanks, and us airliners of new howitzers. In spite of that, Tobrouk fell at the end of a small day from combat. It is a disaster. We then folded up ourselves until Marsa-Matruh, putting 190 km of desert between our 8th army and the enemy forces. Hardly five days later, the German-Italian ones arrived in front of our new position, and it is necessary for us to take down, to penetrate always more in Egypt, to still move back. El-Alamein will have to be held until death. ”

The 8th army British receives to hold El-Alamein of serious reinforcements and in particular the 9th Australian division, the 2nd New Zealand division (withdrawn of the Middle East where they were in garrison), as well as the 51e metropolitan division and the 8th armor-plated division which left the United Kingdom towards the end of May. Moreover the 4th Hindu division has just been sent of Cyprus.

As for German-Italian, their only reinforcement is the Folgore division which arrives only mid-July.

the Frattini general who ordered Folgore tells in his memories:

“In July 1942, Folgore was ready. In North Africa, one needed reinforcements urgently; at this point in time managed to me the unexpected order to transport us immediately by air on the Egyptian face. The news was accommodated in my battalions with a delirious enthusiasm. These parachutists all had been voluntary, all soldiers in this weapon for more than two years. They had already fought on several faces; they were fascinated by their new responsibilities, by the marvellous fact to be distinguished, by the exceptional part which they had to play. It should be added that the tests to which they had been subjected had been hard, alarming.

Thus on 1 000 volunteers made at the school parachutist of Tarquina, 500 in general renonçaient at the end of fifteen days and gave up the course of drive to the jump. Those which remained were exceptional men, really chosen, men who did not fear any risk and which later with the combat, were obsessed only by only one thought: to behave way such that the comrade in arms who is at your sides cannot never think that you are afraid. All, in the division which flew towards Africa, thought that in Egypt, they were going to jump on the backs of the English. They were very disappointed! Hardly unloaded, they accepted the order to deposit the parachutes, and were enlisted in the normal units of Infantry, cut off in sand, behind minefields. Disappointment was large, but it was quickly surmounted. ”

the Frattini general in another writing:

“the British soldiers were surely courageous combatants, well trained. But our parachutists had acquired in the daily combat the certainty of their own warlike superiority, they knew that their combativeness, their audacity, their strategic intelligence had given birth to at the adversary a feeling from fear and prudence. Psychological superiority, morals thus, pushed until the conviction that, in this confrontation of human qualities, even the shielding of the tanks - instrument guided by the men - did not count much. All carried their fatherland and its flag in their heart, all were prepared perfectly with the combat and death. Each one was feverish in the test and the hearts beat in unison. All were same hardening, sure of the absolute solidarity of their comrades, consequently animated will been obstinated to resist the adversary, whatever was the price. They were constantly on the alert, rapid to answer the brutal attack, always ready with the counter-attack, approaching the enemy as much as possible, launching hand grenades. ” These 6 000 men of Folgore are placed at the south of the German-Italian position. Folgore with the load of a frontline of approximately 15 km whereas it has only 80 guns and that it has opposite it three division of infantry and an armor-plated division what represents approximately 60 000 British soldiers and especially 400 guns, 400 tanks and 150 armoured cars. Folgore makes use of the defense system which the British had established around the position before this one is not taken by the forces of the Axis. To the north of the device, the sure allies of their numerical and technological superiority following the different reinforcement arrived with modern material launch out to the attack, on July 10th, of the position held by division Sabratha, this one loses 1 500 men in this only day but the intervention of 15th Panzerdivision and Littorio division restored the balance of the forces and makes it possible to push back the attack. Rommel, which also received reinforcements in material to him meanwhile, tries also an offensive, on July 13rd, but encounters a solid defense and must give up. Despite everything the resistance of the Axis which fights with against three against the men of the Auchinleck general is one cooking failure for this one.
The Auchinleck general realizes finally that the weak point of the device of the axis is the Italian sector in north. He will concentrate his efforts on this sector and to put Italian diverts on July 17th of it. Rommel succeeds in clogging the face with its reserves.

At the end of July, professor Horster is worried by the health of the Rommel marshal:

“the Rommel marshal suffers from a catarrhe from the stomach and intestines, nasal diphteria and circulatory troubles. It is not in a position to exert its command during the next offensive. ”
This report of its personal doctor, will not convince Rommel which, the August 30th, lance an attack of scale but all the attacks is pushed back, Rommel does not manage to advance on El-Alamein. The Italians of the Ruspoli grouping (pertaining to Folgore division) took again on their account the method of the French of Bir-Hakeim, they dig individual holes which make the bombardments not very effective since a shooting with the goal, kills only one or two men. The August 31st, the 19th regiment of infantry Italian (pertaining to Brescia division) is sent in reinforcement to the Ruspoli grouping. The engagements are held under a blazing sun, the temperature reaches regularly the 55° C. In the evening, it is with the tower of the 3rd New Zealand brigade to try a new attack of the Italian positions, but those defended with tenacity break the attack. The Italians - with court of shell and other ammunition being exhausted - attacked the tanks while leaving their holes, then launching their hand grenades before turning over in their holes. This attack costs approximately forty tanks to the British.
The August 5th, a patrol of Folgore division, under the orders of lieutenant Stasi, succeeds in capturing two British armoured tanks as well as a score of soldiers. August 30th, colonel Ruspoli, with the head of its grouping, successful to seize coast 78 in the Kattara depression, it will make about thirty prisoners there.

a German officer suggesting to him completing them rather than to look after them Ruspoli answers him:

“Mister! You dishonor the uniform. Will know that these men are prisoners of the Italian Army. For this reason, they will receive all the care necessary. You can lay out! ”

the Frattini general describes the living conditions of division:

“As a unit parachutist, Folgore did not have vehicles. As we were massed in the zone furthest away from the supply bases, which all were on the coast, we were supplied by other divisions. Those made of their to better help us. But, often, they could bring more than one half-liter to us of water by nobody, for all the day. Rare and brackish water, preserve food, extreme sun, life in the holes dug in sand, interludes of bombardment the day and the night, patrols night: here which was our life in the trenches of the Egyptian desert. Three months of this life had inflicted with our men hard sufferings, had decreased their physical resistance, but had absolutely not started their moral. And, when the enemy attack broke out against the men of Folgore, they resisted. The enemy however arrived with new troops, quite higher than ours of number and in means. ”

See too

War of the desert

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