Operation Battleaxe, also known as the Battle of Sollum, was a British Army operation during the Second World War in June, 1941 with the goal of clearing Eastern Cyrenaica of German and Italian forces. One of the main benefits of this would be the lifting of the Siege of Tobruk. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Western Desert Campaign was the primary early theatre of the North African Campaign of World War II. It is sometimes referred to as the Egypt-Libya Campaign. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Mountain passes of Afghanistan The Khyber Pass (also called the Khaiber Pass or Khaybar Pass) (Urdu: درہ خیبر) (el. ... June 15 is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... The Roman Empire ca. ... As the number of German armed forces committed to the North Africa Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps the Germans developed a more elaborate command structure and placed the now larger Afrika Korps, with Italian units under this new German command structure... The Western Desert Force, during World War II, was a British Commonwealth Army unit stationed in Egypt. ... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname “The Desert Fox” (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell (May 5, 1883 - May 24, 1950) was a British Field Marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during World War II. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army. ... Noel Monson de la Poer Beresford-Pierce, KBE CB DSO (Born 22nd December 1887 - Died 14th January 1953 ) was a British Army officer. ... The Western Desert Campaign was the primary early theatre of the North African Campaign of World War II. It is sometimes referred to as the Egypt-Libya Campaign. ... Combatants Western Desert Force Italian Tenth Army Commanders Richard OConnor Rodolfo Graziani Pietro Maletti † Strength 50,000 soldiers 120 guns 275 tanks 100,000 soldiers 1,600 guns 600 light tanks Casualties 494 dead 1,225 wounded 3,000 dead 115,000 captured 400 tanks 1,292 guns Operation... During World War II. Operation Sonnenblume (German for sunflower) was the deployment of German troops (the “Afrika Korps”) to the North African Campaign in February, 1941. ... Combatants Australia United Kingdom South Africa Poland Czechoslovakia Germany Italy Commanders Leslie Morshead Erwin Rommel Strength 14,000 35,000? Casualties Britain: 9009 killed 941 captured estimated 12,000 total 8,000 The Siege of Tobruk was a lengthy confrontation between Axis and Allied forces, mostly Australian, in the North... Combatants Germany Italy United Kingdom Commanders Erwin Rommel Archibald Wavell Noel Beresford-Peirse Strength Afrika Korps: German 5th Light Division German 15th Panzer Division Italian 132nd Armored Division Ariete Italian 27 Infantry Division Brescia Italian 102 Motorised Division Trento XIII Corps: British 7th Armoured Division Indian 4th Infantry Division 20... Combatants United Kingdom Australia New Zealand Poland Germany Italy Commanders Claude Auchinleck Alan Gordon Cunningham Neil Ritchie Erwin Rommel Ludwig Crüwell Strength 8th Army comprising XIII Corps, XXX Corps and 70th Division. ... Combatants Panzer Army Afrika Italian Army Eighth Army Commanders Erwin Rommel Claude Auchinleck Neil Ritchie Strength 80,000 390 tanks 175,000 949 tanks Casualties 32,000 dead, wounded, or captured 114 tanks destroyed 98,000 dead, wounded, or captured 540 tanks destroyed The Battle of Gazala was an important... Combatants Free French Forces Afrika Korps Commanders Marie Pierre Koenig Erwin Rommel Strength 3703  ? Casualties 140 Dead, 229 Wounded, 814 Captured 3300 Dead and Wounded, 277 Captured The Battle of Bir Hakeim (May 26, 1942 - June 11, 1942) is a World War II battle following the Afrika Korps 1942 campaign. ... The First Battle of El Alamein 1–July 27, 1942 was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of World War II, fought between the German–Italian Afrika Korps commanded by Erwin Rommel and the British Eighth Army, commanded by Claude Auchinleck. ... Battle of Alam Halfa Conflict World War II Date August 30–September 6, 1942 Place El Alamein, Egypt Result Allied strategic victory Axis tactical victory The Battle of Alam el Halfa took place between August 30 and September 6, 1942 during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II... During World War II, Operation Agreement consisted of ground and amphibious attacks by British, Rhodesian and New Zealand forces on German- and Italian-held Tobruk (Operation Daffodil), Benghazi (Operation Snowdrop), Jalo oasis (Operation Tulip) and Barce (Operation Hyacinth) launched on 13 September 1942. ... For the Battle of Alam Halfa, which is also often termed the Second Battle of El Alamein, see Battle of Alam Halfa Combatants British Eighth Army Panzer Army Africa Commanders Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Strength 220,000 men 1,100 tanks[1] 116,000 men[1] 559 tanks(220 panzers... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Roman Empire ca. ... Combatants Australia United Kingdom South Africa Poland Czechoslovakia Germany Italy Commanders Leslie Morshead Erwin Rommel Strength 14,000 35,000? Casualties Britain: 9009 killed 941 captured estimated 12,000 total 8,000 The Siege of Tobruk was a lengthy confrontation between Axis and Allied forces, mostly Australian, in the North...

The operation did not succeed though, as the initial armoured assault was repulsed by well placed static defenses and the Germans mounted an effective counter-attack which pushed the British forces back to their initial positions. The failure of this operation led to the replacement of General Archibald Wavell, British Commander-in-Chief of the Middle East. UK insignia for a full General General is a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. ... Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (May 5, 1883 – May 24, 1950) was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during World War II. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only... Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Prelude

Rommel's offensive and the siege of Tobruk

Soon after the arrival of German forces (Afrika Korps) in Tripoli, Libya, German General Erwin Rommel, though ordered to remain on the defensive, quickly captured the British front line position at El Agheila and then went on an offensive which, in less than two months, had reached as far as Sollum, Egypt. The sole remaining Allied position in Libya was the heavily fortified port of Tobruk, which Rommel had surrounded and begun to siege. During World War II. Operation Sonnenblume (German for sunflower) was the deployment of German troops (the “Afrika Korps”) to the North African Campaign in February, 1941. ... The seal of Afrikakorps The German Afrika Korps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK  ) was the corps-level headquarters controlling the German Panzer divisions in Libya and Egypt during the North African Campaign of World War II. Since there was little turnover in the units attached to the corps, the term is... Tripoli (Arabic: طرابلس Tarābulus) is the capital city of Libya. ... -1... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was one of the most distinguished German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname “The Desert Fox” (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... A front line is a line of confrontation in an armed conflict, most often a war. ... Operation Crusader November 18, 1941 - December 31, 1941 El Agheila is on the lower left (Click to enlarge) El Agheila is a coastal city on the Gulf of Sidra in far southwestern Cyrenaica, Libya. ... The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. ... Tobruk or Tubruq (Arabic: طبرق; also transliterated as Tóbruch, Tobruch, Å¢ubruq, Tobruck ) is a town, seaport, municipality, and peninsula in eastern Libya in Northern Africa. ...

On April 20th, as a response to Rommel's rapid gains and siege on Tobruk, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered that a British sea convoy (codenamed Tiger) carrying tanks and fighter aircraft was to take a more direct, and dangerous, route to supply Wavell faster. These forces were then to be used in a major counter-offensive. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can) (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was an English statesman, soldier and author. ...

The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (German Army High Command), concerned by Rommel's audacity, had sent down General Friedrich Paulus to investigate the situation. Paulus, after witnessing one of Rommel's costly failed attempts to assault Tobruk, sent off a report to OKW describing Rommel's position as weak, with critical shortages of both fuel and ammunition. In response to this, and with the imminent invasion of the Soviet Union, Field Marshall Walther von Brauchitsch, Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht, ordered Rommel not to advance further or attack Tobruk again; he was to hold his position and conserve his forces. The command flag for the Chief of the High Command of the German Armed Forces (1938 - 1941) The command flag for a Generalfeldmarschall as the Chief of the High Command of the German Armed Forces (1941 - 1945) The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (Wehrmacht High Command, Armed Forces High Command... Friedrich Paulus. ... Combatants Germany, Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler, Ion Antonescu, C.G.E. Mannerheim, Benito Mussolini, Miklós Horthy, Jozef Tiso Joseph Stalin Strength ~3. ... Shoulder boards of a Generalfeldmarschall Generalfeldmarschall ( â–¶(?)) (General Field Marshal, usually translated simply as Field Marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall) was a rank in the armies of several German states, the Holy Roman Empire, and Austrian Empire. ... Walther von Brauchitsch in 1939. ... Wehrmacht   (armed forces, literally defence force(s)) was the name of the armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. ...

Via Ultra intercepts, the British also received Paulus' report and Churchill, believing that one strong push would dislodge German forces, began to increase the pressure on General Wavell, to go on the offensive immediately. Wavell soon prepared Operation Brevity, a limited operation with the intention of seizing the Sollum and Halfaya passes along with Fort Capuzzo, advancing on to Sidi Aziez, then possibly driving on to relieve Tobruk. This operation would also secure a foothold for the larger Operation Battleaxe to launch from once equipment from the Tiger convoy arrived and was made available. Brevity began on May 15th, and looked initially successful, with Fort Capuzzo and Halfaya Pass captured. Soon after though, Rommel counterattacked and by the 27th had recaptured all the territory that Brevity had won. Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ... Combatants Germany Italy United Kingdom Commanders Erwin Rommel Archibald Wavell Noel Beresford-Peirse Strength Afrika Korps: German 5th Light Division German 15th Panzer Division Italian 132nd Armored Division Ariete Italian 27 Infantry Division Brescia Italian 102 Motorised Division Trento XIII Corps: British 7th Armoured Division Indian 4th Infantry Division 20... Halfaya Pass (Hellfire Pass) is located in North Africa. ... Fort Capuzzo, at the beginning of World War II, was an Italian fort in Libya, Africa. ...

On May 12, three days prior to the launch of Brevity, the Tiger convoy arrived in Alexandria carrying 238 tanks (21 Mark VIC light tanks, 82 cruiser tanks (including 50 of the new Crusaders) and 135 Matilda infantry tanks) and 43 Hawker Hurricane fighters^[9]. These tanks arrived with many mechanical faults (including a lack of sand filters for the engines) on arrival and required extensive servicing.^[10] They were used to rebuild the 7th Armoured Division (the Desert Rats), which had been previously dissolved, with the light and cruiser tanks going to the 7th Armoured Brigade and the infantry tanks going to the 4th Armoured Brigade. Alexandria (Greek: , Coptic: , Arabic: , Egyptian Arabic: Iskindireyya), (population of 3. ... The Tank, Light, Mk VI was a British light tank built by Vickers and used by the British Army during World War II. // The Vickers design was ready for production when the United Kingdom began its large rearmament program. ... The cruiser tank (also called cavalry tank or fast tank) was a British tank design concept of the inter-war period. ... One of the primary cruiser tanks of the United Kingdom during World War II, the Cruiser Tank VI Crusader was perhaps the most important British tank of the North African Campaign. ... The Tank, Infantry, Mk II, Matilda II (A12) (sometimes referred to as Senior Matilda) was a British tank of World War II. In a somewhat unorthodox move, it shared the same name as the Tank, Infantry, Mk I (A11). ... The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. ... The 7th Armoured Division (known as the Desert Rats) of the British Army was the most famous unit of its type in British service during World War II. It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the Armoured Division (Egypt) in September... The cruiser tank (also called cavalry tank or fast tank) was a British tank design concept of the inter-war period. ... The 7th Armoured Brigade is a unit of the British Army. ... The infantry tank was a concept developed by the British in the years leading up to World War II. They were generally more heavily armoured compared to the lighter cruiser tanks, which would allow them to operate in close concert with infantry to help them break through heavily defended areas... The 4th Mechanised Brigade is a British Army brigade formed during the Second World War, it is currently based in Osnabrück, Germany. ...

Preparations for Battleaxe

British

Wavell had many reasons to be pessimistic about the outcome of a large assault against the German and Italian forces. A dispatch sent from him to Chief of the Imperial General Staff John Dill on May 28th was as follows: Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill CMG DSO GCB (25 December 1881 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship. ...

All available strength, which will be deciding factor, is being put into "Battleaxe". Various difficulties are delaying reconstitution 7th Armoured Division. Earliest date for beginning of forward move from Matruh will be June 7th, and may be later.

2. I think it right to inform you that the measure of success which will attend this operation is in my opinion doubtful. I hope that it will succeed in driving the enemy west of Tobruk and re-establishing land communications with Tobruk. If possible we will exploit success further. But recent operations have disclosed some disquietening features. Our armoured cars are too lightly-armoured to resist the fire of enemy fighter aircraft, and, having no gun, are powerless against the German eight-wheeled armoured cars, which have guns and are faster. This makes reconnaissance difficult. Our infantry tanks are really too slow for a battle in the desert, and have been suffering considerable casualties from the fire of the powerful enemy anti-tank guns. Our cruisers have little advantage in power or speed over German medium tanks. Technical breakdowns are still too numerous. We shall not be able to accept battle with perfect confidence in spite of numerical inferiority, as we could against the Italians. Above factors may limit our success. They also make it imperative that adequate flow of armoured reinforcements and reserves should be maintained.^[11]

To make matters worse, neither of Wavell's two divisions involved were at full strength as each was missing a brigade. The 4th Indian Infantry Division only had one of its own brigades, the 11th Indian Infantry Brigade, while its other two, the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade and the 7th Indian Infantry Brigade, were respectively in Syria and East Africa; this was somewhat alleviated by the attachment of the 22nd Guards Brigade.^[12] In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... September 28, 1941. ... The British 22nd Guards Brigade was a British Army unit during the Second World War . ...

Regardless, considerable pressure was again being put on Wavell to launch the assault as soon as possible. With Crete having fallen to the Germans on June 1st, the Luftwaffe now had new airfields available to threaten Allied shipping in the area and protect supply convoys to their troops in Cyrenaica; delaying the attack could therefore mean facing a stronger German opposition.^[13] The attack was scheduled originally to start on June 7th,^[14] but this date was pushed back at the instance of General Michael O'Moore Creagh, commander of the 7th Armored Division whose squadrons hadn't received their tanks until June 9th; the new date was June 15th, giving him just five days for additional training for his crews.^[15] For the famous World War II battle, see: Battle of Crete For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ... Combatants Greece United Kingdom New Zealand Australia Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Freyberg Kurt Student Strength United Kingdom: 15,000 Greece: 11,000 Australia: 7,100 New Zealand: 6,700 Total: 40,000 (10,000 without fighting capability. ... This or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Airport (disambiguation). ... Major General Sir Michael OMoore Creagh KBE MC (16 May 1892 - 1970) was a British soldier who served in both the First and Second World Wars. ...

The plan

In the initial stage, the British forces would advance in a three-prong assault to clear the frontier region. On the east, a force consisting of the 11th Indian Infantry Brigade along with C Squadron of the 4th Armoured Brigade's 4th Royal Tank Regiment and an artillery battery from the 31st Field Regiment would capture Halfaya Pass; of note was that C Squadron, commanded by Major C.G. Miles, had previously captured Halfaya Pass during Operation Brevity^[16]. In the centre, A Squadron and B Squadron of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment would assault "Point 206", a heavily defended area eight kilometers south of Fort Capuzzo. Capuzzo itself would be assaulted by the 4th Armoured Brigade's 7th Royal Tank Regiment and the 22nd Guards Brigade, who would bypass Point 206 to reach it; they would then move east to capture other areas, such as Sollum. On the west, the 7th Armoured Brigade, backed by artillery provided by the 7th Support Group, was tasked with engaging and destroying Rommel's panzers, which were thought to be located at Hafid Ridge.^[17] After capturing the frontier, the brigades of the 7th Armoured Division would reform and continue on north to relieve Tobruk. Once joined by the Tobruk garrison, the combined forces would then press the offense westwards, driving the Germans as far back as they could be pushed. A Squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, aircraft (including balloons), or naval vessels. ... The 4th Royal Tank Regiment (4 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1993. ... Remains of a battery of English cannon from Youghal, County Cork. ... The 7th Royal Tank Regiment (7 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1959. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 – 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ...

The ground forces would be accompanied by fourteen squadrons from the Royal Air Force (six fighter, eight bomber).^[18]. The fighter squadrons would protect the ground forces from the Luftwaffe while the bomber squadrons would fly beyond Tobruk to attack Rommel's supply lines and hinder any reinforcements that he might send to the area. The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognizable and famous bombers of World War II. A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ...

Leading the ground operation was Lieutenant General Noel Beresford-Peirse, commander of the British XIII Corps (Western Desert Force), and air command was handled by Air Marshall Arthur Tedder. Both Beresford-Peirse and Tedder would be headquartered well in the rear of the attack, at Sidi Barrani and Maaten Baggush respectively.^[19] Noel Monson de la Poer Beresford-Pierce, KBE CB DSO (Born 22nd December 1887 - Died 14th January 1953 ) was a British Army officer. ... The Western Desert Force, during World War II, was a British Commonwealth Army unit stationed in Egypt. ... Marshal of the RAF sleeve/shoulder insignia Marshal of the Royal Air Force was the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. ... Arthur William Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder (July 11, 1890–June 3, 1967) was a significant British Marshal of the Royal Air Force. ... Sidi Barrani is a village in Egypt, ~95km from the border with Libya, and ~240km from Tobruk. ...

This plan was based on Wavell's intelligence information (which was poor due to shortages of proper equipment and trained pilots needed for photographic reconnaissance), which incorrectly indicated that 2/3 of the German's tank strength was situated around Tobruk; this would have placed him at a decisive material advantage on the frontier region.^[20] Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ...

German

Though Brevity had failed to yield any territory to the British, it showed Rommel that his front line defenses were quite easily capable of being breached. Anticipating further British assaults from Egypt, Rommel used the lessons he had learned from his ineffective attacks on Tobruk and proceeded to create a line of fortified positions from Halfaya to Sidi Azeiz,^[21] placing a number of anti-tank guns and anti-tank mines on the Halfaya Pass, Point 206 (south of Forth Capuzzo) and on Point 208 (west of Fort Capuzzo on the Hafid Ridge). The primary responsibility of the frontier defense was charged to the 15th Panzer Division, in command of Axis forces at Halfaya Pass, Rommel assigned the 15th Panzer Division's Hauptmann Wilhelm Bach, leader of the infantry regiment which had taken part in the operation to recapture it. Anti-tank, or simply AT, refers to any method of combating military armored fighting vehicles, notably tanks. ... An Anti-tank mine, or AT mine is similar to a Landmine except generally designed with a less sensitive trigger and more explosive power so as to be able to take out an armored vehicle, and not go off until such a vehicle comes along. ... 33rd Infantry Division 15th Panzer Division 15th Panzergrenadier Division History This unit was created as the 33rd Infantry Division in 1936, and mobilized in 1939, but it did not take part in the invasion of Poland. ... Hauptmann (German: ) is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officers rank in the German Army. ...

A considerable boost for Rommel's preparation came from weaknesses in the 7th Armoured Division's signals security, giving Rommel nine hours advanced knowledge of the operation, including dispositions, concerns and intentions.^[22] With this information, he placed the 5th Light Division to the south of Tobruk, ready to use it against either the Sollum area or on Tobruk itself depending on the situation; Rommel also ordered a large artillery bombardment of Tobruk the night before the operation was to begin in order to prevent the Tobruk garrison from breaking out.^[23] a german infantry devision ...

For Rommel, his primary concern were now more of a logistical nature:

Unfortunately, our petrol stocks were badly depleted, and it was with some anxiety that we contemplated the coming British attack, for we knew that our moves would be decided more by the petrol gauge then by tactical requirements.^[24]

The battle

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Day 1

The British forces began to advance early on June 15th. On the eastern side, the forces charged with capturing Halfaya Pass split into two groups: on the top of the escarpment was the 2nd Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders regiment, thirteen Matilda tanks, and their artillery battery from the 31st Field Regiment; to their east and below the lip of the escarpment were the 1st/6th Rajputana Rifles and 2nd/5th Mahrattas regiments, six Matilda tanks, and a few 25-pounder guns. At 5:40, British artillery was scheduled to open fire on the German and Italian forces stationed in Halfaya to provide cover for the tanks and infantry, but the battery had become bogged down by soft sand. After waiting until 6:00 Major Miles ordered his tanks to attack the top of the pass, soon after though the anti-tank guns of the German and Italian defenders opened fire and within minutes all but one of the Matilda's, including Miles', had been destroyed. The Cameron's initially continued their advance but were soon driven back by a detachment of German armoured cars and motorised infantry. The British forces below the escarpment did not fare much better, as the infantry regiments became pinned by enemy fire from positions in front and above them and four of the Matilda's were knocked out by anti-tank mines, blocking the path of the other two. In geology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves an elevation differential, often involving high cliffs. ... The Rajputana Rifles are a regiment of the Indian Army, formerly the 6th Rajputana Rifles when part of the British Indian Army. ... The Marāthās (Marathi: , also Mahrattas) form an Indo Aryan group of Hindu warriors and peasants hailing mostly from the present-day state of Maharashtra, who created a the expansive Maratha Empire, covering a major part of India, in the late 17th and 18th centuries. ... The Ordnance QF 25 pounder (or just 25-pounder or 25-pdr) was the major British field gun/howitzer that was introduced into service just before World War II and was the British Armys primary artillery system into the 1950s. ... Anti-tank refers to any method of combating military armored fighting vehicles, notably tanks. ... Military armored cars A French VBL reconnaissance vehicle. ... Motorised infantry is infantry which is transported by trucks or other motor vehicles. ... An Anti-tank mine, or AT mine is similar to a Landmine except generally designed with a less sensitive trigger and more explosive power so as to be able to take out an armored vehicle, and not go off until such a vehicle comes along. ...

At the central thrust, the 7th Royal Tank Regiment had reached Fort Cappuzo by noon and scattered the defenders. Soon after though, they faced several counterattacks by a battalion from the 8th Panzer Regiment of the 15th Panzer Division. After being joined by the 22nd Guards Brigade, they faced the final and largest counterattack at 18:30, but managed to repulse it. Success was also eventually had at Point 206, where Squadron A of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment captured the area from the defenders, but lost it soon after in a counterattack. In the evening though, Squadron B joined in on the attack and the position was taken. In capturing these objectives, the British also took over 500 German and Italian prisoners.^[25] In response to the British capture of Capuzzo, and concerned with a possible attack on Sollum and Bardia, Rommel ordered the 5th Light Division to Sidi Azeiz in preparation for a possible counter-attack.^[26]

On the western side, the 7th Armoured Brigade had placed the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, equipped with older cruiser tanks, in front of the 6th Royal Tank Regiment so that the new Crusader tanks of the latter could be use as a surprise weapon. The force reached Hafid Ridge (which actually consisted of three separate ridges) by about 9:00 in the morning, but instead of facing German tanks as they expected, they were confronted by dug in anti-tank guns. This posed a serious problem for the brigade, as the cruiser tanks were armed with 2-pounder anti-tank guns which lacked the High Explosive (HE) rounds needed to effectively engage infantry and artillery. Soon, reports came in from the R.A.F. that German tanks were approaching and the order was given to clear the ridges in preparation for a tank battle that the British had been planning. At 17:30 reports came in from the forward observers that the defenses were withdrawing from Hafid Ridge^[27]. This seemed like the ideal time to strike, so the order was given for Squadron B of the 6th Royal Tank Regiment to attack^[28]. After clearing the first ridge though, it soon became apparent that the German's "retreat" was actually an ambush that the British tanks had driven directly into and within minutes, eleven of the Crusaders were destroyed and six more heavily damaged.^[29] At was at this time that over thirty German tanks from a battalion of the 5th Panzer Regiment, part of the 5th Light Division which had earlier been stationed North at Sidi Azeiz, were seen arriving from the west.^[30] As it was starting to grow dark, neither side closed with the other and the 7th Armoured Brigade slowly withdrew during long range fighting. A ridge is a geological feature that features a continuous elevational crest for some distance. ... Ordnance QF 2 pounder Type Anti-tank gun Nationality UK Era WW2 Target armoured vehicles History Date of design 1936 Production period 1936 - Number built Service duration 1936-1945 Operators War service WW2 Specifications Carriage Calibre 40 mm Barrel length 50 calibres Weight 130 kg Ammunition AP Shell weight 2...

By the end of the first day the British had only one of their three thrusts succeed and had not brought out Rommel's armour for a decisive confrontation. They had roughly half of their tank strength, with 7th Armoured Brigade only having forty-eight cruiser tanks remaining (twenty of which were Crusaders) and 4th Armoured Brigade down to thirty-seven Matildas (though eleven more would be repaired by the following morning).^[31]

German counter-attack

Following the disasters at Halfaya Pass and Hafid Ridge, Rommel decided to attack the already weakened British forces. He assigned his Panzer Division to attack Fort Capuzzo from the north, and he also ordered his Light Division to go east to surround Beresford-Peirse and his Armoured Division.

General Wavell, Britain's Commander-in-Chief Middle East, saw defeat coming and ordered all units to retreat. Battleaxe had officially ended now as an extremely expensive failure.

References

1. ^ There is a considerable variance in the sources as to the number of tanks Rommel had available. Some sources go as high as 200.
2. ^ The Grand Alliance, pg. 305
3. ^ The North African Campaign 1940-43, pg. 122
4. ^ Rommel's North Africa Campaign PB: September 1940 - November 1942, pg. 73. There was also a substantial, but unrecorded, number of Italian casualties.
5. ^ 50 German tanks were knocked out, but since the Germans held the area they were able to recover and repair a great deal of them; doing the same with disabled British tanks (The North African Campaign 1940-43, pg. 130)
6. ^ Tobruk, the Story of a Siege, page 103
7. ^ The Second World War: A Complete History, pg. 192
8. ^ Churchill states the losses as "29 cruisers and 58 'I' [infantry] tanks" (The Grand Alliance, pg. 307); General GF Jackson states them at 27 cruisers and 64 'I' tanks (The North African Campaign 1940-43, pg. 130)
9. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 294
10. ^ The War in the Desert, pg. 70
11. ^ The Grand Alliance, pg. 304
12. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 295
13. ^ Tobruk 1941 - The Desert Siege, pg. 189
14. ^ The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean, pg. 135
15. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 295
16. ^ Spearhead General: The Epic Story of General Sir Frank Messervy and His Men in Eritrea, North Africa and Burma, pg. 119
17. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 296
18. ^ The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean, pg. 135
19. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 296
20. ^ The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean, pg. 135
21. ^ The North African Campaign 1940-43, pg. 121
22. ^ Intelligence and Strategy: Selected Essays, pg. 222
23. ^ Afrikakorps (Third Reich), pg. 52
24. ^ The Rommel Papers, pg. 141
25. ^ The North African Campaign 1940-43, pg. 127
26. ^ Afrikakorps (Third Reich), pg. 56
27. ^ The North African Campaign 1940-43, pg. 127
28. ^ http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/battles1941.htm, it should be noted that The North African Campaign 1940-43 states that two squadrons of Crusaders were sent in.
29. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 300
30. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 300
31. ^ The Crucible of War: Western Desert 1941, pg. 300-301

See also

• Operation Battleaxe order of battle

This is the order of battle for Operation Battleaxe, a World War II battle between the British Commonwealth and the European Axis Powers Germany and Italy in North Africa during June, 1941. ...

External links

• BBC - WW2 People's War - Fact File : Operation Battleaxe
• BBC - WW2 People's War - The Militia Boys
• Achtung Panzer! - Johannes Kümmel - Der Löwe von Capuzzo / The Lion of Capuzzo
• TheHistoryNet.Com - Battlefield North Africa: Rommel's Rise and Fall (article from World War II Magazine)
• Flames of War - A Brief History of the 7th Armoured Division “Desert Rats”
• Flames of War - Maggiore Leopoldo Pardi
• AFV News - OPERATION "BATTLEAXE" The Second British Repost
• AFV News - THE DEADLY "88" Rommel's Answer to the "Matilda II"
• Italian Tanks at War - North Africa (February 12, 1941 - May 13, 1943)
• The History of the British 7th Armoured Division "The Desert Rats" - Engagements - 1941#Battleaxe
• Panzer Abwer (blog) May 2005, June 2005, January 2006, February 2006, May 2006
• OnWar: June 15th, 1941
• Second World War Books Review - Bevis, Mark. British and Commonwealth Armies, 1939-43. Solihull, England: Helion & Company, 2002. (contains British TOE for Battleaxe)
• The history of the 4th Armoured Bridade, Chapter II
• The Relief of Tobruk, Chapter 2: Lull in the Desert (Part of The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945)
• Lone Sentry - The Development of German Defensive Tactics in Cyrenaica—1941 (Military Intelligence Service, Special Series No. 5, October 16, 1942)