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o PRE .

E - T- RMS ERI
ommels 'Desert
rJIrmy
Te t by
RTI I DR
olour plate by
MI H EL R FF
E -AT-ARMS ERIE
DITOR: ARTI WI DR W
ommels 'Desert
~ r m y
Text by MARTIN WINDROW
CoLour pLates b] MI HAEL ROFFE
o PREY PUBLI HI G LIlTED
)lublished in 1976 by
Osprey Publishing Ltd
12-14 Long Acre, London WC2E gLP
Member Company of the George Philip Group
Copyright 1976 Osprey Publishing Lid
Thill book is copyrighted under the Berm:
Convention. All rights r(:5Cr"cd. Apart from any
fair dealing for the purpose: of private study,
research, criticism or review, as permitted under the
Copyright Act, 1956, 110 pan of this publication
may Ix: reproduced, 510red in a rctriC\"al system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, photo-
copying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the copyright owner. E n q u i r i ~ should
be addres5l to the Publishers.
ISBN 0 85045 095 0
The author is particularly grateful for the assistance
of Brian Leigh Davis. Andrew IJiwandi, Daniel Rose,
Philip Katcher and Digby Smith during the
prcpar;lIion of lhe leXI and assembly of Ihe
illustrations. Thc literature on lhc desert war is vast,
but the main sourccs used during the preparation of
this book were: Uniforms, Organisafiofl and flis/oQ'
fif/lte Afrika Korps by R.J. Bender and R. D. Law,
Uniformie Mi/ilaria llalirlfle by Elio and Viuorio Del
Giudicc, A COl/cue Encyclo/Jtdia fif lIlt Suolld World Wtlr
by Alan Reid, The Foxes fif tltt Destrl by )l;1U1 Carell,
A/omtil/ by C. E. Lucas Phillips, Grrmafl Am!)'
Uniforms and In.rignia '933-45 by Brian Leigh Davis,
Army Uniforms of World War II by Andrcw ~ ..Iollo and
Malcolm McGrcgor, Army Badges alld In.rignia oj
World War II by Guido Rosignoli, Armies & Weapons
magazine, various issues, IVorld Iilar II, various issut:S,
Armour in Profile and AFI' Profiles, various issues.
FilmSCI by BAS Printcrs Limited, Wallop, Hampshire
Prinled in Hong Kong
-
l,ztroductioll
ar
r
a
an
rtdr77!JJI
Italian infantry in the desert; MarJDanca, late 1941. The
liI:ht machine-gun i th badly d igned Breda 6!)Dl.ID
Model 30. (Imperial War Museum)
3
Italian medical officer - Dote single ar on houlder and
cap, incUCIlting 2nd Lieutenant - esam.in.ing wounded ser-
gente maggiore. From the visible detail ofbi collar (Sam '
the NCOi a Ber agliere, although th usual cock' -tail plume
i Dot worn OD the tapi. Note that both wear olive-green
European unUorDls - Dot UDCOmDlOD in the desert., where
temperatures vary harply. (lJnperial War Mus UDl)
ornm n
b tll -lin
mutual r
th
lhi
MALTA
Med,terranelln
ALGERIA
L , 8 Y A
4
Sea
du e int lh
adJ
quil
er
In rum the
am-
thaI
XI
Brescia and Savona Divisions. On 30 January
'9.P the command was redesignated Panzerarmec
Afrika, or altcrnatively dculSChe-italienische Pan-
zerarmee. Within this command DAK retained
its identity. On 23 February 1943 the PallZerarmee
was redesif{nated 1 Italienisehe Armce undcr the
command of the Italian General Messe; again,
OAK retained its identity within this command,
now comprising 15 and 21 Panzer-Division and
go and ,64leichlc AfrikaOivisioll. Rommel was
on the same day promoted to command Heeres-
gruppe Afrika. consisting of I Italicnische Armee
and von Arnim's Panzer-Armceoberkommando 5
in nonhern Tunisia. On 9 March 1943 von
Arnim succeeded Rommel in command of the
Heeresgruppe.
Throughout the book the author has tried to
limit the use of the title 'Afrika-Korps' or the
abbreviation OAK to references LO that actual
formation of tWO. three or four divisions - the
mobile spearhead of Rommel's army. and the
veteran heart of the Axis forces in Africa.
The Alrlll.. Ko...,. provided rnucb-ftHded "I"memot of
powerful tDtKoriHd uail.S f o r t h , , ~ . r-.. Here memben
of .. armoured car UlLil (Sd.Kb. 263 wirtln. co d
..."nicmru...,nloed) (n'eruiHwi!Jo h ..l.... BenaSliui _010....
cyclUu.. Note the topi ptUIDt'S or !Joe Lauer, ..d the .hu,s
rolcliD!:.lNI)'o'h:t ca.rbi.ae.llrnperiaJ War Mu.""o:n)
Space has forbidden the inclusion of a com-
prehensive set of orders-ol:'ballle, which an:
largely available from standard works; Ihis book
is, aflcr all, designed mainly for Ihe swdcnl of
military cOstume and the hobby enthusiast. II is
hoped that the August 1942 order-of-battle. the
Panzer-Armecoberkommando 5 order-ofbattle
for March 1943. and the brief notes on the main
German divisions engaged in Africa will suffice.
Details or the service of individual rlalian divi-
sions have provro 100 elusive for the author to
present a similar set of notes, but il is hoped that
the many specific references in the chronology will
allow readers to place individual units in their
proper perspective in the overall picture.
For thirt)' years the average British and
American student of the Second World War has
5
Et-wia Ro_et, ill his simpte d_rt -nOnD; lOOCe K.ftibt's
Cross with OaIc.Ieavn al tlt...-t sbow! Powr" Mirite, which
dal"thepIC't'llrebdw__Marcb IMlsad.January Ig.p,
wbal be was s_rdeet tbe Swords. (ImJH'riaI War MUHRm)
along the single, incomplete. practical motor
road along the coas!. His attack was finally
launched on '3 September. Ceneral Bcrgonzoli's
XXIII Corps, willi four divisions and an in
adcqualelycquipped armoured group, made slow
progress under punishing conditions, but after a
series or skirmishes with clemellls of the British
7th Armoured Division the '23rd of March'
Blackshirt division took Sidi Barrani on the
evening of the 16th.
Both Mussolini, and, ror very different motives,
Wavell, hoped that Graziani would immediately
push on another se\'enty-five miles to the im-
portant base of Mersa Matruh. Graziani refused
to overreach himselr, however. He insisted on re
maining at Sidi Barrani while he improved his
supply lines and awaited reinforcements. He
constructed several fortified camps east of Sidi
Barrani, stretching some forty miles from Maktila
on the coast to a point named Sofafi South-West
far into Ihe desert; and here he stared, awaiting
Ghroll%gyofihe
Vesert "War
$,ptanbu 1940
In the summer of 1940 Italy had some 236.000
men; 1,811 guns; 339 tanks and 15t combat
aircraft in her Nonh African possessions. The fall
of France in June removed any threat from
French North Africa to the west, and Marshal
Balbo's forces thus faced only Ceneral Wavcll's
small British and Empire garrison in Egypt.
Organised into two combat divisions, the 7th
Armoured and 4th Indian, this had an effective
combat strength of only 3',000 men. In western
Libya Balbo had Ceneral Gariboldi's 5th Army
(X, XX, and XXIII Corps, with six infantry and
twO blackshirt divisions). In the eastern zone was
General Berti's loth Army (XXI and XXJ I
Corps, with three infantry, one blackshirt and two
native infantry divisions). rvlussolini pressed
Balbo - and, after the latter's death at the hands
of his own anti-aircraft guns, his successor
Graziani - to invade Egypt without delay; the
It'alian dictator wished his offensive to coincide
with Hitler's proposed invasion of England.
Graziani r istc:d this pressure, however, cor-
rectly judging that his transport and supply
situation did not allow an immediate advance
been encouraged to see the contribution of
Italian troops in North Africa as negligible; this
is a shameful libel on thousands of very gallant
soldiers who on many occasions fought with great
courage in spite ofinadcquate weapons, minimal
transport, and unspeakable leadership. The popu-
lar image of the enormous migrations of 'talian
prisoners of '940, trekking cheerfully towards the
'cage' under the careless guns of a handful of
Tommies, should nOt be allowed to obscure lhe
tragic heroism of, say, the Ariete Dh,;sion in '942.
Well awart: that their obsolete tanks were death-
traps, they still attacked without flinching, and
stOCK! their ground to the last when the battle
tumed against them. It is unworthy ofan)one who II
has not faced the same dangers to deny at least
some of the 'talian units the respect so readily and
justly given to the OAK and the 8th Army.
6

Aa ObendelO._' .. rd U"Opic:al .-i/o...... aDd l U s " ' ~


dft.n1: t.oot. of6da'".' dte- marriace by p...-y or_ .. of.
m..... NOlI! AFJUKAKORPS aa.lfrit.le, epllalen" or raak. aDd
piped officer'. IMlrtl!nl field _po (r...periU War M--.)
reinforcements which never arrived due to the
demands of the Balkan campaign. The camps
were badly sited, far tOO widely dispersed for
effective mutual support given the low level of
motorisation of the Italian forces. Simultaneously
Churchill took the courageous decision to strip
Home Forces of three tank battalions and strong
artillery units - despite the danger of German
invasion - and send them to Wavcll.
Dtcnnb" 1940
Moving secretly at night. the British 4th Indian
and 7th Armoured Di\isions concentrated in the
desert opposite the southern sector of the Italian
defensive line. At dawn on the gth, while a brigade
under Brigadier Selby struck west along the coast
road at Maktila, 7th Armoured Division pene-
trated the southern tip of the enemy line and
turned north to cut off lhe bulk of the Italian
forces. ravaging their rear areas as they went. 4th
Indian Division, with the single battalion of
heavily-armoured Matilda II tanks, struck be-
tween the positions of the Cirene Division at
Rabia and the Maleui motoristtl group at
Nibciwa, turning north to attack the latter. The
.-
--

obsolctc M.ll tanks of the Malcui Group were
no match for the Matildas of 7th Royal Tank
Regimenl, and within a short time 4lh Indian
Division was on its way northwards to overrun the
Tummar complex, held by General Pcscatori's
2nd Libyan Division. The 7th Armoured Division
reached lhe sea before night on the 9th, and lhe
cut-off Libyans were finally beaten into sub-
mission the following day. Naval gunfire helped
'Selbyforce' to drive Sibille's stubborn lSI Libyan
Division out of Maktila. and the following day the
Italians were ordered to retreat to the Halfaya.
Sollum-Capuzzo line. Cirene fell back success-
fully, but the Catanzara Division was caught
between Buqbuq and Sollum and very roughly
handled. In all, loth Army had losl 38,000
prisoners, 237 guns and 73 tanks, as against total
British casualties of624- At the moment of victory
Lieutenant Ceneral O'Connor's forces (soon to be
designaled 13 Corps) were weakened by the rc-
moval of 4th Indian Division. earmarked for
Eritrea, but O'Connor did not allow the enemy to
n=gain the initiative. He surged westwards in
pursuit and crossed the Libyan frontier on the
14th. On the 18th he invested Bardia, shutting up
Bcrgonzoli's XXII1 Corps (Marmarica and 2srd
of March djvisions) and the survivors of Cirene
and Catanzara in the perimeter. That day
O'Connor received as replacements for 4th
Indian the 6th Australian Division.
January '94-'
On the morning of thc 3rd O'Connor assaulted
Bardia from the west; the Australians cut the
perimeler, allowing lhe twenty-three remaining
Matildas of 7th Royal Tank Regiment (the re-
mainder were largely immobilised by lack of
spares) to surge into the fortress and cut the de-
fendcrs in two. On the 5th the Italians sur-
rendered, and another 45,000 men, 460 guns and
131 tanks went 'into the bag'. 7th Armoured
Division meanwhile advanced westwards to cut
off the important port of Tobruk, held by the
Sirte Division. After the fall of Bardia the
Australians folJowed, and the attack on Tobruk
began on 21 January, supported by the dozen
remaining serviceable Matildas and some en-
thusiastic Australians in captured M.ls/40 tanks.
By nightfall the vital supply harbour was in
British hands, as were another 25,000 prisoners,
7
208 guns and 23 tanks. TOlal losses sufTered by
6th Auslralian Division in the attacks on Bardia
and Tobruk were 179 dead and 638 wounded.
Graziani now decided to hold the line of the
Jebel Akhdar, the high rocky outcrop of hills be
tween Oema on the coast and Mcchili in the deep
desert. He placed an infantry division at the
former posilion and General Babini's armoured
brigade OIl Mechili, confident thai he could
prevent any further advance lowards Benghazi,
and apparently ignOring Ihe fact thai the terrain
would prevent thest: IwO formations from acting
in concert. On the 24th the Australians ap-
proached Derna, while 7th Armoured Division
struck southwest into the dcsefl and savaged
Babini's tanks OIl Mcchili; the I talians retreated
north into theJebelrleaving a clear run across the
'blue' for the Gulf of Sine, cUlting off the whole
bulge of Cyrenaica.
On the 9th, at a Berghof confercncc, Hitler
decided that a small German force must be sent
A ~ -os- bowh:.er ia .etiOlL. TIte ~ ~
mQ()ey n.alt'" or aaifOnDII, iDdlld.iar; lopi., field alpa, side
capa, .boru, 1oa& "'--n.. .1l.ir1. IUId jadeb. ( l m ~
War Ma_1
to Libya without delay - within about three
weeks. I IS task would be limited; it would consiSI
of a small but modern tank unit, antitank and
ami-aircraft troops, and engineers wilh large
slocks of mines. This SptrrlJn"bond or blocking force
would simply prevent further British advances in
Libya, thus shoring up the shaken morale of the
Italian ally, and preventing British forces now
committed in Africa from being released to serve
in other theatres. The news of the fall ofTobruk
accelerated these plans, and on 31 January the
first elements of the 5th Light Division left
Germany for Naples.
Ftlmwry /94 I
On the 1st, Graziani decided thai he had no
allernative but to abandon westcrn Cyrenaica.
Orden were given for the organisation of the
defencc of Tripolitania and the retre31 of forces
along the coast of Cyrenaica. The distance from
Derna to a point opposite Bcda fomm on the
Gulf of Sine was 225 miles by the only major
road, the Via Balbia. The distance from Mechili,
in the Cyrenaican desert, straight across the
'bulge' to Bcda fomm, was 140 miles. 7th
8
rm ur d i isi n und r
r agh tra lIing flat out
I rrain' n th ra b
the 5th tb J I th Hu
Italian arm ,whil
w r
3
rd
,
v n
b
d urn
iogl
w r to be
FUhrer in
rWIn
Dnor
Italian Ir p
The ',alway vulnerable at the dp of long lines of upply
over a Mediterranean haunted by British SllbIDarin and
aircraft, IDade use ofany captured vehicles they could: h re-
a Sri . h 'Dingo' coul car, photo raphed iD April '942'
Below the cro 5 au the ide appear the Dame 'Wurzel', (US
National Archive )
mao
th
In
o
many of
m th r
Z aland
rna t of 2nd
hi ph si al
9
means. The available Italian units - Bologna,
Brescia. Pavia, Sabratha and Savona - were
shaken and demoralised. The Ariete Armoured
Division was just arriving in Africa, but had not
yet 'shaken down' in the new surroundings and
was equipped with obsolescent vehicles. Trieste, a
motorised division, would follow, but not for
several months. Thc 15th Panzcr Division would
arrive piecemeal during April, but could not bc
counted upon yet. With only 5th Lighl Division,
Rommel was forbidden 10 undertake major
operations. When 15th Panzer arrived he was to
probe towards Agedabia and, ifsucccssful, Beng.
hazi, at the end of May. He believed, however,
that even if he took Benghazi il was indefensible
unless the whole of Cyrenaica was controlled as
well. He also bcJieved in exploiting local success
to the hill, and was unscrupulous when it ap-
peared advantageous to ignore his nominal
superior, the Italian Gencral Gariboldi. Rommel
wanted the vital port of Tobrllk, and on 24
March he began his wild gamble for it. With only
5th Light Division, he <Hlacked the Bntish scrccn-
ing units at EI Agheila, and drove them rapidly
back to Mania Brcga.
Without further ado Rommel pressed 011, turn-
ing lhe desert nank of the position and splitting
his command into three columns which raced up
the coast road and fanned out across the desert
towards Mechili. By 2 April he had occupied
Agedabia, and brought Ariete and Brescia up in
support. On the night of 3/4 April he elllered
Benghazi, while General Garibaldi tried vainly to
A I ~ ... conunon .;,101 - It h a t l ~ r y of caplured a5-pdu. ill.
Afrika Korp....rviee. Thi. weapon was sreal.1y rft:pled by
Itte Gennaa foree.. (US National Arcmve.)
find him and call him to accounl for unaUlhorised
opera I ions. Most of 5lh Light Division sped
north-eastwards to Mechili, followed by Ariete;
lhat town fell on 7 April, and by a lucky chance
Generals O'Connor and Ncame were captured by
a OAK patrol. Most of 3rd Armoured and 3rd
Indian brigades went 'into the bag' shoru)' after-.
wards, and Rommel presscd on towards Derna
while Brescia moved up the coast road. The
Australian brigade from Benghazi managed to
avoid the trap and reached Tobruk, with the now
unified Axis army on their heels.
Wavell was instructed to hold Tobruk at all
costs, as it could be supplied by sea and had strong
defences captured intact from the Italians in
January. The garrison of36,000 men included 9th
Australian and part of 7th Australian Division, an
armoured car regiment and an anti-aircraft
brigade. Commanded by 9th Australian's General
MOnihead, an iron-willed officer knowll to his
mcn as 'The Pitiless Thing', this static target was
not vulnerable to one of Rommcl's favouritc
sllrprise flanking attacks. Rommel's series of
assaults began on 10 April, and lasted until 4
May; they cost him heavy casualties, and were
uniformly unSllccessful, although he was reinforced
during the attacks by arriving clements of 15th
Panzer Division. He was forced to detach some
of his units 10 push on to the Egyptian fronlier,
where lhey fought a series of savage actions to
secure the vital frontier positions of Fort Capuzzo,
Sollum, and Halfaya Pass. This necessary division
of his forces betwecn twO fronts robbed Rommel
of decisi\'e succcss.
10
April 1942, omt! 45 kilometres we t of Gazda - baud80me
study of PzKpIw m i.n use as connnand ta.ff vehicle,
laagered up and camou.flaged with ClUnel thorn. It bears the
ntUDe'B tie'. IlluuediatJy behiud the tank a leDt made
a from carnou8aged shelter-quarter . (US National rc,hjv )
II

Rqim.all. 21. P...... (US N.doaaJ ArdU__)
sent to the bottom in increasing proportion.
(Twenty per cent of Axis supplies loaded in Italy
in October were sunk en route, and in November
this figure rose (0 an appalling sixty-two per cent.)
Nevertheless Rommel planned a renewed assault
on Tohruk for the period 2oNovcmbcr-4 Decem-
beT; and to avoid orders from above 10 remain on
the defensive he played down intelligence hints
that a British offensive on the frontier was immi-
nent. This offensive - Operation 'Crusader' -
began on 18 November.
Auchinlcck's forces, now designated 8th Army,
were as follows: The Tobruk garrison, which was
to strike at the Cerman rear in concert with the
frolllier attack, comprised 70th Division, the
Polish lSI Carpathian Brigade, and 32nd Army
Tank Brigade. On the right flank of the offensive
was 13 Corps, comprising the New Zealand and
4th I ndian Divisions and 1st Army Tank Brigade.
On the lefl flank was 30 Corps, comprising 7th
Armoured and 1st South African Divisions, and
4th ArMoured and 22nd Guards Brigades. I n all
the army had 724 tanks plus reserves of 200, and
was supponcd by twenty-four combat squadrons
in tht: air.
12
Axis forces, under purely nominal command of
the lIalian General Bastico, were as follows:
Cambara's Italian XX Mobile Corps com-
prised Ariete Armoured and Trieste Motorised
Divisions, around Bir el Cubi and Bir Hakeim.
Rommel's Panzergruppe Afrika comprised the
OAK, and the lIalian XXI Corps. The former,
commanded by Cruewell, included 15th and 21st
Panzer Divisions (the latter redesignated from 5th
Lighl Dh'ision), the goth Light Afrika Division
(the number dates from slightly later, bUI will be
used here for clarily), and the Savona Division.
This formation was spread from Sidi Rezegh,
south-east ofTobruk, to the Gambut and Gasr eI
Arid sector behind the SoUum front. Navarrini's
XXI Corps comprised the Italian infantry bulk.
the divisions Pavia. Bresc-i... Trento and &logna.
It was stationed south and west ofTohruk for the
planned attack on that port which was pre-
empted by the opening of 'Crusader'. Total tank
strenglh was 438 - ISg Italian and 249 Gennan.
The Italian M-tanks were of doubtful quality.
however; and the German total included 6g
PzKpfw lis, which were little bener. There were
136 PzKpfw Ills, halfofthem filled wilh the new
50mm gun, and 3' PzKpfw IV!! with 75mm guns.
Under Auchinleck, the Commander-in-Chief
Middle East, was Ceneral Cunningham as com-
mander ofath }\rmy. His plan was for 30 Corps to
strike across the frontier 10 Cabr Saleh, in the
expectation of drawing the OAK's tanks into a
battle in thai sector, in which they would be des-
troyed. Meanwhile 13 Corps would allack the
coastal area and capture Sollum, Capuzzo and
Sidi Omar. On the command the Tobruk garrison
would break out and eventually rendezvous with
go Corps around Sidi Rczegh, while 13 Corps
pushed on up the coastal flank. The plan was
weakened, in advance, by the removal of 4th
Armoured Brigade from 7th Armoured Division-
the vital spearhead or the attack upon which all
dependt:d and its deployment as an intermediate
column 10 guard against a penetration between
the boundaries of the two Corps.
\...In 18 November, in one of the dcscrl's rare
torrential storms, the advance began. While 13
Corps made steady progress on the right flank in
heavy fighting, go Corps' mission failed. AJ-
though a stubborn ana successful defence of Bir
cI Gubi by Ariete COSt 7th Armoured Division
some fifty tanks, Rommel did not come south with
his Panzers, but remained in the Gambut area.
30 Corps reached and took Sidi Rezegh, but on
23 November was heavily attacked there and
driven back by the PanzcrsofDAK and the cntire
XXI Corps. 200 British tanks wcre lost, and the
South Africans wcre roughly handled. If Rommel
had continued his attacks he could have destroyed
30 Corps: but he chose this moment for an exhibi-
tion of dashing cavalry generalship mOI'e suitable
to a divisional commander than an army com-
mander - his besetting weakness. Leaving his
forces without orders for four days, he took 100
tanks from 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions and
made his 'dash to the wire'. He swooped south of
30 Corps and eastwards along the desert flank of
the engaged forces, hoping to swing north from
Sidi Dmar and ravage the British rear, perhaps
encircling them against the coast. In this he
failed; Auchinleck was not unduly impressed, and
continued with his planned operations, while the
4th Indian Division stubbornly resisted Rommel's
attacks. He returned to his HQon 27 November,
by which time the battle was turning against him.
Cunningham had been badly shaken by the
setbacks of the 23rd, and was replaced by Ritchiej
Auchinleck himself exerted maximum pressure,
and largely took over the conduct of the battle on
the ground. On 26th the Tobruk garrison and the
New Zealanders of 13 Corps linked up at EI Duda
after heitvy fighting. For the next nine days a
series of whirling, confused engagements took
place south of Gambut, with advantage swaying
first one way. then the other; but with no hope of
early reinforcement Rommel was the ultimate
loser in this battle of attrition. On 6 December he
ordered his depleted forces to retreat westwards,
leaving the unfortunate Savona to hold OUt as
long as possible in the Sollum-Halfaya-Bardia
area. They did not surrender until 17 January
1942 .
Dtumhtr /94'
The Italian command wished to pull back only
to prepared defences running through Gazala, but
Rommel correctly estimated that thc Axis forces
could only regroup with an)' sccurit)' if thcy rc-
treated as far 3.S EI Agheila. Hc used cvcry means
to press his argument, and by the end of the )'ear
had carried out a skilful withdrawal to that strong
line. Christmas Day saw 8th Army in Benghazi
once more. They had taken 9,000 German and
23,000 Italian prisoners, and dcstroyed 382 tanks.
during the two-month campaign; British long--
range patrols and raiding parties were particu-
larly active during the final pursuit.
Aprill!HlI- two pioneers 0(_ armooored III.Ilit u.l!ae rroat
lio.... Noc.. t.IlIe d i f l ' e ~ e f t l Htweal thm lUlifonns aacl
hdau!". The (;.,(rl1t",r em t.IlI", I"isllt IU. fidel aop ""eked
behiad lUI .lIolllduo-bn, d wn d-.-. ' .........."'...'. (US
N.rio-J ArdUva)
13
The importance of securing the Jines of com-
munication 10 Africa was recognised on 2 Dcccm-
/x."r by Hiller's appointment of Ficld-Marshal
Kesselring of lhe Luftwaffe as 'Supreme Com-
mander South', His mission, for which he was
gh'en command of all German and Italian forces
in the ("cntrotl .Mediterranean area and strong air
reinforcements, was to neutralise Malta as an
Allied base for offensive operations; to win air
superiority over the sea; to ensure Axis supply
lines: and to interdict Allied supply lines. (His
nominal aUlhority o\'er land forces in Africa was
not exercised very actively, but in facl he proved
!O have a bellcr strategic grasp than RommeL)
His air and sea forers in the Mediterranean soon
achieved a remarkablc turn-around in the for-
tunes of the supply convoys, which, coinciding as
it did with theoutbrea.k of war in the Far East and
the diversion ofAfrican reinforcements to Malaya,
placed Auchinlcck in an unenviable position. Not
only did he lose expected reinforcements, but
unils were aClually removed from his t h e a t ~ of
command: 70th and 6th and 7th Australian
Divisions, and four fighter squadrons. Yet he was
still under pressure to push the Axis armies back
to the Tunisian fronlier as soon as possible.
January 1942
The Axis naval successes in the Mediterranean,
and the air blitz on Malta allowed Rommel to
H.-ceive a hundred per cent of the cargoes loaded
in hOlly in this month; these included 54 PzKpfw
III and IV tanks, plus armoured cars and sclf-
propelled guns, and two units of Italian stm0/1tnli
self-propelled guns. Keeping his intentions secret
from his own superiors, as well as his enemies,
Rommel laullched a surprise altack from thc EI
Agheila line on 21 January. using his faithful t51h
and 2tst Panzer Divisions, plus Arietc, Trieste and
Sabratha of lhe Ilalian Mobile Corps. The
Italians followed the general line of the coast road
while the Germans swept through the descrt in-
land. Advancing fifly-six miles in forty-eight
hours, Rommel cut the Benghazi road; he arrived
outside that city on 27 January, and British 1st
Armoured and 4th Indian Divisions only escaped
complcte encirclemenl and destruction al heavy
cost in men and vehicles. In view of his success,
Rommel was forgiven for flouting orders, and
promoted Colonel-General on I February. The
14
loss of thc Cyrenaican 'bulge' 10 lhe Axis had
r... r-reaching consequences OIL sea: British aircraft
could 110 longer support convoys from Alexllndria
10 Malta. For a time an !talo-German joint in-
vasion of the island was a vcry real possibility.
Ritchie's 8th Army now fell back to the 'Gazala
line', a seriN of defensive positions (artificially
created - there was no geographical reason for
this line) west ofTobruk. There his supreme com-
mander, Auehinlcck, continued 10 build up his
forces for thrcc months, wisely ignoring heated
inslructions from London to go back on the
offensive. Rommel brought his infantry up (he
now commanded thc Italian X and XXI Corps
dircctly, ,",s well as the mobile XX Corps) and
prepared, in his turn, for anothcr great push.
Mar]unt 1942
On the evening of 26 May Rommel attacked the
Cazala line. His orders were to destroy British
mobile forces west ofTobnlk: to capture the vital
port; and then to halt. A further advance was
to be dependent on the successful invasion of
Malta. (Rommel pad reservations about this
Hmitation, and probably intended from the start
to exploit a vietory to the hilt. He was all too aware
of the steadily improving British supply position,
bUI in the event he was loo\'erreach himsclfwith
fatal consequences.)
British forces holding thc Cazala line comprised ;
COlt'S 13 Corps. with 1st South African Division
on the coast and 50th Division some twenty miles
inland, supponed by 1st and 32nd Army Tank
Brigades. As garrison of Tobruk, 13 Corps also
commanded 2nd South African Division and 9th
Indian Brigade.
NOI'ric's 30 Corps, with 1St Free French Brigade
at Bir Hakeim and 3rd Indian Motorised Brigade
extending southcastwards from this 'hinge'. lSI
and 71h ArmoUT(..d Divisions were positioned each
side of 'Knightsbridge', an important track junc-
tion, and 29th Indian Brigade were at Birel Cubi.
The defensive line Gazala-Bir Hakeim was
fronted by a wide belt of minefields, which turned
north ag'''in behind the latter position.
Rommel had under command OAK (15th and
21st Panzcr, and goth Light Divisions), and
Ariete and Trieste of Italian XX Corps. His lank
strength was 560, including 38 PzKpfw IV and
232 PzKpfw III. While Ritchie had about 994

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tanks, only 160 of these were the new M3 Grant-
the remainder were Matildas, Valentines, and
Crusaders, all of which had their strengths but all
ofwhich were outclassed by the German mediums.
Rommel's penetration on either side of Bir
Hakeim led to confused fighting. 3rd Indian
Motorised Brigade was overrun and 7th Armoured
Division badly beaten by 15th and 21St Panzer.
Ariete was then thrown vainly but very
ously against Bir Hakeim, where it was badly
mauled by Koenig's ligiOlmairts and colonial
troops - who were also to pul up a good showing
against Tricste and goth Light. By nightfall on the
27th Rommel was being 6ercely
by 30 Corps, and his mobile units were becoming
isolated and tangled in the mine6elds. Frontal
attacks by the Italian infantr)'ofX and XXI Corps
were not attracting as much attention as he had
hoped. On 28 May he managed to restore his line
of communication - dangerously broken while
the Pan7;,ers charged around the minefields - and
drove at GOt eJ Ualeb with his armour while
April 19f2 a mortar utW
1150 15- PDlUef'-Divisi_, i.D the a.pt.red British posiooa_.t
Ses-1i South. 80 kilolftdres wes1 or Bir Ralr.dm. n.e
..tdier OD th., risht wea... the ShOM webbi.Ds saite... occasion-
..oy WOni with .....le boob by euu.... troops i.D Mrica. (US
N.u_.l ..uchi...,sj
covering himself against 30 Corps attacks around
Knightsbridgc with clements of Trieste and
Pavia. Success at Got cl Ualcb opencd a lcnmilc
rift in thc Allied front; Rommel rcunitcd his
scattered forces and e10sed the jaws of the trap on
Bir Hakeim. By 2 June he had cost Ritc.hie 400
tanks, mostly the precious Granls, and thousands
of dead and wounded. He had very nearly come
to gricf while isolaled on the wrong sidc of thc
minefields, but as always his rcactions had been
faster and morc imaginati\'e than those of his
dispersed enemy. Bir Hakeim held out valiantly
until 10 June, when the survivors broke out
successfully. On the night of the 14th the last
elements of '3 Corps also diseng-.tged and pulled
back; Ritchie intended to stand before Tobruk,
but with only 100 tanks left he was hustled to-
wards the frontier.
IS
Rommel attacked the port on 20June with 15th
and 21St Panzer Divisions and XX Italian Corps,
while goth Lighl and the newly arrived Linorio
Armoured Division covered the remains of 8th
Army. The antj-tank defences were in a poor stale,
the minefields were incompletc, and in four hours
the tanks of 15th Panzer were raging inside the
perimctcr. Fiercc fighting continued until the
following morning, when General Klopper of 2nd
South African Division surrendered the garrison:
33,000 men of his own formation, 11th Indian
Brigade, 32nd Army Tank Brigade and 20lst
Guards Brigade, together with massive fuel and
olher stores. Since 27 May Rommcl had takcn
45,000 prisoners.
Rommel's appeal to hi:, victorious divisions for
'one more great effort' signalled his intention of
pushing ahead bcyond the agreed stop-line of
Halfaya Pass, despite the planned detaehmcnt of
some of his units for the invasion of Malta in
August. Events would show thai the Italian High
Command's pIcas for the eradication of Malta,
for the sake of the Axis supply lines to Africa,
before any further advance in the desert, were
entirely sensible; but Hiller, too, had become en
chanted by the vision of driving Britain right out
of Egypt and seizing the vital Suez Canal, and he
now allowed the impctuous Rommel his head.
With German tanks approaching Mcrsa Matruh
and 8th Army in full retreat, the prize secmed
worth the risk ofoverreaching.
July 1942
Auchinleck took ovcr direct control from Ritchie,
and began to build his dcfcnsive linc from the sca
to the Quauara Depression, just west of EI
Alamein. He received two divisions of reinforce-
ments, and was in a position to repulse an auack
in early July. as Rommel arrived and threw
himself straight at the Allied line, hoping to burst
it open before it could become established. So fast
had he advanced from 'Hellfire Pass' that he had
only 6,500 mcn and fony-odd tanks up with him.
goth Light was repulsed on I July, being reduced
to some 1,500 infantry and fony guns. By mid-
July Rommel had some thin)' battalions of in-
fantry available, but their average strength WflS
only 165 men each; 15th and 2tst Panzer and
Ariete and Littorio only mustered fifty-eight
serviceablc tanks bctween them! Behind the Axis
16
posluons stretched 250 miles of empty desert
before the first useful depot, and Allied fighter.
bombers ranged over the Via Balbia like hawks.
British strength continued LO increase, and Auch-
inleck carried out a series of fierce local allacks,
usually on Italian unit'S, taking some 7,000
prisoners in the three weeks up to 2'2 July.
Rommel's eagerness had betrayed him, and for a
few days his letters had a hopeless ring about
them.
August 1942
Churchill replaced Auchinleck as Commander-in-
Chief Middle East with General Sir Harold
Alexander; despite his fine qualities and many
successes, 'the Auk' had shown consistently poor
judgement in his appointment of subordinates,
whom he had later had to step in and rescue.
Alexander, patient, brilliant, and enormously
popular, was given the simple instruction of
destroying Rommel's army. His field commander
was to be Lieutenant-Gencral Bernard Mont-
gomery, who was appointed on the death of the
ori.g:inal choicc, General Cott, in a plane crash.
Motllgomery flew OUI immediately, and began
to study Auchinleck's dispositions before EI
Alamein and to pursue his very personal policy
for improving 8th Army morale. Reinforcements
continued to arrive, and he had been promised
goo brand new American Sherman tanks and tOO
I osmm. self-propelled guns - an unparalleled act
of American generosity promptcd by the fall of
Tobruk.
Septnuber-October 1942
Rommel, still dogged by supply problems and
knowing his enemy was gClling stronger daily,
all'acked the British line on go August. The
British positions were held by 30 Corps (gth
Australian, 1st South African, and 5th Indian
Divisions) and 13 Corps (New Zealand and 7th
Armoured Divisions). reading from the coast
southwards. Unknown to Rommel, Montgomery
had strongly reinforced Alam cl HaIfa ridge, a
feature running cast-west behind the southcrn end
of the British line, to block any typical 'Desert
Fox' hooks around the left wing and up tOwards
Alexandria; this sector was held by 44th Division
and two brigades from loth Armoured Division.
Rommel's plan called for diversionary attacks
against go Corps by the Italian XXI Corps and
Peaked cap oC an cngioeer captain;
ItalianAnnyEurop anpattem.Mousc
grey with black peak and trap and
gold buttons, it ba rank strip
thr - in gold, and the hraDch badge
in gold on grey with black lozenge.
(Daniel Roe Collectio.o)
Tropica.1 forage cap of tenente colo.o-
eIIo, Laneieri. Bra.nch badge' old
bullion on black; rank patch i open
gold wire 'box' with two ~ o l d stars on
black backing in centre. (Daniel Ro e
Collection)
Italian generaJ peaked c p: mou e
grey crown and band, black peak and
trap. Generals' silver braiding scwn
direcdy to band; 0.0 ilver tripc
abo e it indicat bri dicr-genual,
two trip a divisional general, ~ 0
with a gold c:ap-badgc a gc.acraJ oC
anny corp and three a Cull gc.aeraJ.
The -.gle badge b re is ilver with a
red backin the central ilv r ero on
a red lozenge. Buttons are silver.
(Daniel Ros Collection)
ltalia.n g eraJ' Corage cap in mo c
grey pbcrdine; tropical pattern was
idc.aticaJ but in sand-coloured twill.
Flap fastened with pres tud front
badge black on red backing with white
era on red lozenge; ide rank patch
(full eneraJ) is of silver patterned
braid with red edging, bearing three
gold with red edging. (Daniel
Rose Collection)
Infantry major' white-Govered trop-
ical peaked cap. Rank is indicated by
ODe thio gold band above one thick;
th" branch badge i in gold on grey
with a black lozrng", th" p"ak and
trap ar" black and th" buttoWj gold.
(Daniel Rose Collection)
Other Rank 'Europ..an model Corag"
cap in coar e olive-gr...... cloth with
Oap fastened by wooden button. ArtiJ-
I"ry badg" in black on olive-gree.n
r..pmental DlUDber 131 in whit" metal
on oliv-..-green. (Danid Ro e Collec-
tion)
17
Ita.I.ian teel hehnet, paiDted sand yeUow 0 er
olive-green. Brauch badge were ometime
stencilled on the front in black paiDt. (Daniel
Ro e CoUection)
tra-
rg
of a
for
t riorating (not fi r the
B. da n
Ii
panzergren.adiere waiting the word to attack. Note hes ioul
helmet coverw, high laced boots. MP'40 and pouch gren- n
ade and webbing equipment. The UnteroJ6%ier Us th fore-
s.round has duU ochre tre e round th collar of hi jacket.
(Imp rial War Mu eUUl)
18
the obviously ineviwble British riposte. Mont-
gomel)' was now disembarking his new Shermans,
and twO more divisions of men, including the
famous 51st Highland. Stumme's line consisted of
from north to south) Trelllo and 164th Light
Di\isions, Bologna, the Ramcke Fallschirm-
Brigade, Brescia, the Folgore Parachute Division,
and Pavia. In rcsCr\'(' behind the northern sector
were 15th Panzcr and Littorio; on the coast road
well behind them was the army rcserve. goth
Light and Tricste. Thc southern sector of the
front line was supported b) 21st Panzer and
Aricte. The entirc front wa.. protccted by massi\'e
mincfields some haifa million mincs in all. plus
thousands of - and covered by
of the deadly 88mm. anti-tank guns,
and ninetyfhc of the almost as cffcctive Russian
j62cm. weapons. some thirty of them self.
propelled on Czech tank chassis. Thc Panzerarmce
had j71 field guns, of whkh 371 werc !Ialian:
j2:2 anti-tank guns of all calibrcs, of which 150
\\'ere Italian; 497 tanks, of ..... hich 'lj9 were
Italian: and 70 infantry battalions of which 42
were Italian. The infantry werc dug in, not in a
continuous front but in a systcm of mutually
supporting positions built for all-round defence.
This formidable army was. however, deathly
short of fuel and ammunition, and of air support;
and in October 44 per cent of Axis supplies
loaded in Ital)' wcre sent to the bottom of the
Mediterranean.
Montgomery's supply position was much morc
secure; he could lllUster 939 field and 1,56 anti-
tank guns, 1,348 tanks and 500 armoured cars,
and 86 strong battalions of inrantry. Note, how-
ever, that or his apparently cnormous superiority
in armour only some 300 tanks - the Shermans-
wcrc truly a match for the Panzcr JlIs and IVs.
The Crusadcrs and Valcntines were as vulnerable
to the Panzers as the Italian M-tanks were to
them; while the Grant. although more formidable,
had many disadvantages which prevented its
meeting the Germans on equal terms, as had been
proved at Knightsbridge in May and June.
1 A/amtin
At 2140 hours on 23 October, Montgomef")
opened his attack with a fierce artillery barrage
whith silenced the enemy's batteries and dis-
rupted his communications. After firtcen minutes
the barrage lifted and sappers and
tanks moved fonvard into the 'Devil's Gardens'
which proleclcd the Axis front line. Behind them
came the infantry. The attack reI! on the whole
length of the Axis line, but the weight of it was ill
the northern sector, north ofRuweisat Ridge; the
southern attacks by 13 Corps were important but
basically diversionary. The attack caught the
Panzerarmce by surprise: Rommel and the com-
manders of the Italian X and XXI Corps were all
absent in Europe. It was also entirely different
in nature from anything yel seen in the desen.
had decided that rather than follow
the classic pattern of a southern hook, with its
predictable a!tempt to force the enemy against
the coast, he would attack in the nonh, using the
empty wastes to the south as the 'sea' into which
the enemy would try 10 avoid being pushed. He
also abandoned the desert philosophy that de-
manded an early clash or armour, in the belief
that once the enemy's mobile forces were des-
troyed his infantry were helpless; recognizing the
significance ofprevious encounters with the belter-
trained and technically uperior Axis armour, he
held his tanks back and attacked in a set-piece
manner with carefully co-ordinatcd infantry and
artillery forces. Using his superiority in numbers,
he inlendt"(1 to crumble the Axis infantry line
division by division, accepting casualties but
forcing Rommel to commit his armour - his only
reserves under circumstances which robbed them
of freedom of movement. Once forced to move
into a congested battlefield among the minefields
and to r.'lce artillery ancllimilcd defensively-sitcd
armour, the Panzers could be dcstroyed steadily
without ever mccting the bulk of the British
armour. In the event this is exactly what hap-
pened.
The initial attack of 13 Corps in the south led to
costly fighting and prevented Rommel's southern
reservc, Ariete and 21st Panzer, from moving
north. Meanwhile 30 Corps, led by tlle 9th
Australian, 51st Highland and New Zealand
Divisions, blasted their way along twO corridors in
the minefields and engaged Trento and 164th
Light, causing heavy losscs. 1st and loth
oured Divisions were committed to close support
of the advance, but undcr tight control. When
19
goth Light, 15th Panzer and Littorio were com-
mincd to counler-attacks lhe tank losses on both
sides were heavy, but the Panzerarmcc's were
relatively the more grievous in vicw of their
supply position. When Rommel gOt back to his
headquarters late on 26 October he found that
only 39 German and 6g Italian tanks remained
serviceable in his northern armoured reserve. He
was forced to bring 21st Panzer up north of
Ruweisat, and fortyeight hours later it was down
to 48 tanks. IIS transfer also left Montgomery free
to bring 7th Armoured Division north as well. By
29th October the 1st South African and 4th
Indian Divisions, forming the left (southern
flank of 30 Corps immediately north of Ru-
weisat, had made a deep penetration into
&Iogna Division's sector. Montgomery was able
to regroup some brigdes in preparation for
the major breakthrough attcmpt, while still
hammering Rommel's line and forcing the re-
deployment of Ariete and Trieste, Rommel's
final reserves. Resisting pressure from Whitehall,
Montgomery cominued to fight his planned
bailie calmly and without deviation.
On 2 November the breakthrough stage of the
allack, 'Operation Supercharge', was unleashed.
The previous night 9th Armoured Brigade of
Freyberg's New Zealand Division made a very
gallant attack on part of the Axis gun-line, and
was virtually wiped out. 2nd and 8th Armoured
Brigades movcd illlo the gap hacked al such cost
by the 9th, and invited attack by 21St Panzer.
Ncar Tel cl Aqqaqir a tank and anillcry ballie of
unprecedented savager)' W:15 fought Out, and on
2 November some 77 German and Ilalian
tanks were destroyed, LOgeliler with many guns.
'''''hi Ie relative slalcl1l<llc apparenlly persisted 'on
the map', Montgomery's plan was working all
tOO wcll. Rommel's reserves, and thus his options,
were being whittled away; hc h:ld only about 187
tanks left, of which only about 32 were German.
Rommel orden.. '" immediate preparations for a
withdrawal to the Fuka line sixty miles westwards,
covered by Ariete. The ncxt day he received
Hitler's 'fight 10 the last man' directive; suicidal
though it was, he dutifully c.'1.ncellcd his order and
prepared a compromise plan by which goth Light
and the Italian infantry remained in their posi-
tions while the survivors of Afrika Korps and
20
llalian XX Corps pulled back a few miles. On
the night of the 3rd/4th, 51st Highland Divisjon
smashed through Ihe Axis line in lhe area ofTci
1.'1 Aqqaqir, and the New Zealand and 7th
Armoured Divisions poured through the gap on
the 4th. Arietc and the rest of XX Corps were
destroyed where they stood, after gallant resist
ance which belies - as do SO many of the desert
battles - the AIHed 'propaganda image' of the
Italian soldier. On that day OAK commander
General Ritter von Thoma was captured, as he
leapt from his burning tank, by 1St Armoured
Division. The battle was over; parts ofTrieste and
Lillono and the four OAK divisions were puIJed
back successfully, but were only skeletons of their
former strength. Trento, Bologna, Brescia and
Pavia were strandt."d without transport and 'went
into the bag'; Ramcke's paratroopers made their
epic escape, but the Folgore was not so fortunate.
Axis losses wcrc 25,000 dead and wounded and
30,000 prisoners; 1,000 guns and 320 tanks
destroyed orcapturcd; and nine generals. (Gcner-
al Stumme had died of a heart auack in the earl)
stages. his place being taken by von Thoma.
Allied )osso were dead and missing and
8,950 wounded. Some 500 tanks had been knocked
out, but as the Allit:s were len in command of the
battlefield many were salvaged and onl) 1.50
werc totally dcstroyed. About 110 gUlls. mostly
anti-tank: guns, had been lost.
Dumbtr '942
Rommel, whose belief in any eventual victory in
Africa had 1I0W completely c"aponlled, led a
skilful but desperate retreat westwards, pursued
by 8111 Army and overshado">'t."d by news of Ihe
Anglo-American 'Torch' landings in Morocco
and Algeria. Covcring 700 milcs in five weeks,
Montgomery rcached Marsa Brcga by 13 Decem
ber. Now 8th Army began to suffer from the
problems of over-extended supply lines; but
Rommel had no heart for delaying manoeuvres.
He wanted to get the remnants of his army back
to Tunis, which was being reinforced from Sicily
as a bridgehead, and e\'entuall)' to take them
safely home to Europe. The Anglo-American
eastwards advance from Algeria on Tunis was
held up by the weather and by logistic problems.
as well as by political quarrels. By 31 December
the Axis build-up had brought total strength in
Tunisia to 47,000 German and 18,000 Italian
troops of 5 Panzcrarmee, led by Gcneral von
Arnim. uniLS werc the excellent loth Panzer
Division, 334th Infantry Division, the Italian
Supc.rga Division, and various miscellaneous uniLS
of both nationalities, including German para-
troopers and a battalion (So1St) of the new Tiger
super-heavy tanks. A temporary Axis air superior-
ity had also been achieved over the bridgehead.
'943
By 26 January Rommel was on the Mareth line
in Tunisia, with the remnants of OAK 15th and
21St Panzer and goth and l64-th Light Divlsions I;
reinforced elements of Pistoia and Trieste; and
weak new Italian forces designated the Young
Fascist, Spczia and Centauro Divisions, of which
the latter was nominally armoured and contained
some surviving units of Ariele. On 23 February
this whole force was redesignated 1st Italian Army
and put under the command of the I1alian
General Messc; simultaneoush' Rommel took
command of all Axis forces in the theatre - i.e.
1St Italian Arm) and 5th Panzer Army - the
unified command being cntitled Heeresgruppe
Afrika.
On 14 February Rommel launched his last
offensivc, planning to exploit the inexperience of
the American forces to the west while Mont-
gomery probed cautiously at the J\hreth line in
the south. Striking the unsuspccting U.S. 1st
Annoured Division in the Faid von Arnim,
with loth and 21St Panzer, innicted vcry heavy
losses in the Sidi bou Zid area. He beat off a
countcr.aU3ck on the 15th, and the Americans
abandoned Gafsa. Rommclnow struck into their
right nank with minor units of DAK, and on 17
I'ebruary loth and 2I st Panzer were transferred to
his command for an attack towards Tebcssa. On
the 20th the Panzcrs took Kasscrinc Pass, and
next day loth Panzer was wheeled north to take
Thala, while 21st Panzer headed for Sbiba. This
line ofadvance was forced on a reluctant Rommel
by his superiors; he pressed for a d rive on TeOCssa
in the old Wagnerian Panzer manner, correctly
predicting that the Thala line would bring him
into contact with strong Allied reservcs. Ii did;
and the attack petered out for lack of resources.
On 22 February Rommel abandoned the attempt
and' dashed southwards again to face Mont.
" '-
, .. .
tWiaa oBieu'. tropical "nicedreft., wora ........ by......jor,
'$at;sari' Wa.try Dimioa lojDCIs:" by
IUs IlaIved collar patches. (Tb..l. onit did lIot
Hroe .. Africa - doe pboto lake-. ia Sicily.) (l.m.perial
War MUHum)
gomery, leaving von Arnim to launch 'Operation
Oxhead', an attack on 26 Februar)' designed to
cut Eisenhower's Bcja.Mcdjez cI Rab supply road
and win some elbow-room. The Faid-Sidi boll
Zid - Kasserine operalions had cost the American
II Corps about 3,000 dead and wounded. 4.000
captured, 235 tanks and 110 other armoured
vehicles. II had the beneficial result orlcading to
the immediate replacemellt of the corps com-
mander by General George S. Patton.
Mault '943
On 6 March Rommel opened an audaciolls but
predictable attack on 8th Army. While 1St
Italian Army (Young Fascist, Spezia, Trieste and
Pistoia Divisions, plus goth and 164th Light
Divisions) occupied the Mareth Line, they were
faced only by the advance forces of 8th Army -
the 51st Highland and 7th Armoured Divisions.
Rommel determined to hook his loth, 15th and
21st Panzer Divisions to Medcninc and then north
to the sea, supported by 164th Light.
gomery reacted instantly to thc threat, bringing
up heavy reinforcements and much artillery.
21
buill around the New Zealand Division, to the
shorl cast/west line Metameur.Mcdcnine. right
across Rommel's path. I n bloody figilling the
Axis attack was repulsed, wilh a loss of 52 of
Rommel's precious tanks and 640 men.
British losses were one Sherman lank and 'go
men; the anillery had plared a major pan in Ihe
defence.
On 9 March Ceneralfddmarschal Erwin Rom
mel left Africa. He Aew to Rome, and then on to
Germany 10 beg for an organisro evacuation of
German forces in Tunisia. Hider refused. and
ordered him to take his long.postponed sick leave.
He never returned 10 the desert.
Under the command of von Arnim the German
forces in Tunisia, strengthened only with various
'scratch' formations of variable quality and
starved of equipment, fought all against im
possible odds until 12 May. all that day von
Arnim surrendered; on the 13th the last unit to
lay dowll its arms, the 164th Light Division,
ceased fire.
PANZERARMEE AFRIKA ORDER
OF BATTLE 15 A C ST '942
Dtll.JscluJ IlJ,i}.a-Ko,ps GcnrrnllcUlnanl Walther :"\eh
ring).
15 Pa1l{"-D,nsioR GCllcrnllculllanl \"On
Vaer$I'
I}anzer-Rcgimcnt 8. Inr."lntcric-RcgimcIII 11101 I , 5.
Artillerie.Rcgiment mot 33. Panzerj;iger-Abldl-
ung (mOl) 33. AufklarulIgs.AhleilulIg mot 33. plus
divisional unilS.
21 (Gencralmajor Georg von Bis-
marck)
Panzer-Regiment 5, I nfamcric-Regiment (mot) 104.
ArtiJlcric-Regimcnt (mot) 155, Panzcrjligcr-Ableil-
ung (mot) 39, Aulldarungs.Abteilung (mal) 3, plus
divisional unilS.
90 {t;cllte Afn'ka-Dit-ision (Gcneralmajor Ulrich
man)
Infanlttic-Rcgirnenl (mot) 155, Infantcrie-Regi-
ment (11101) 200, Infanlcric-Rcgimcnl Afrika (mot
361, Panzcrgrenadier-Regimenl (mot) Afrika-, Ar-
liJIcric.Rcgiment Cmol 190, Panzerjager-Ableilung
(mOl) 19o, AufldarungsAbleilung (mot) .)80. plus
divisional units.
,6., fnchJt AfriAtl-Diuision (Oberst Carl-Hans Lunger-

Panzugrenadicr.Rcgiment (mol) 125, Panzergren-
22
adicr-Regiment (mol) 382, Pallzergrcnadier-Regi-
menl (mot) 433, Anillcric-Regiment (mol) 220,
flak-Ableilung (mOl) Gog, schwer$tc Infanteri;-
gcschOu-Kompanien 707 and 708. Auillarungs-
Abtcilung (mOl 220, plus divisional uniu.
Falucll",,,jig"-Brigadt Rome*' (Genernlmajor Bern-
hard Ramckeo)
FaJbchirmja.ger-Bataillon Krah, fall.schirmjiger-
Sataillon von der He)'dte, FaJhchirmjager-Bataillon
Hubner, Fallschirmjager-Lc:hrbataillon Burkhardl.
Falbchirm-.\rtillerie-Abteilung. Fall.sc:hirm-Panzer-
jilRer-Kompanie.
X Itoliall Corps Lieutenanl General Eduardo Nchbia
JllfallJry Divisio" Bltuio (Major Gent:ral Brunelli I
19th and 20th Infanlry Regimenl!i. lSt MOloriscd
Artillery Rl-gimenl.
Infantry Dilluion Pavia (Brigadier General Scattaglia)
27th and 28th Inf;mtry Regiments. 261h Artillery
Regimcl1t.
XX Italian Molo,i.ftd Corps (Lieutenant Gencral Giu-
seppe de Stefanis)
AmlO.m:J DiD;s-ion Aritle (BrigadierGcncml Arena)
Annourl-d Croup Anele (52nd Tank Battalion, plus
3rd Nizza Armoured Group comprising annoured
Bersaglieri battalion wilh AA and AT batterics.
13::md Tank Regiment (8Ih, 9th and loth Tank
Battalions, 81h Bcrsaglitti Regimenl f2nd Motor-
cycle Battalion, 51h and 12th MOlorised Battalions '.
1]211d ArnlOurcd ArLiJlery Regimelll I I and 2nd
75/27 Groups, 3rd IOS'28 Group, 55151 anti 5S2nd
75,18 Armoured Groups:. 41h Granalieri di Sard-
eglla Anti-Tank Ballalion, plus di\'1gonal units.
Armorntd DiroioR Brigadier General May-
ncr; ,
3rd L"lIleicri di ;'\o\'ara Annoured Cavalr} Group.
133rd Tank Regiment (41h, 121h and 51 t Tank
B:ltlaliOllsl, 121h 8crsaglieri Regimenl (2 lSI MOlOr
cycle Baltalion, 23rd and 36th MOloriscd B.-It-
lalions), 133rd Armoured J\rtiltery Regiment (1st
alld 2nd 75/27 Groups, 5561h and 5571h 75/18
Armoured Croups), part of 3rd Armoured Artillery
Regiment, plus divisional units. (Nil: many of the
above unils had suffered heavy casualties and this
official CSlablishment docs not refieci the true
slrength of lhe di\ision.)
Moloru,d Infantry Dirision TriI.su (Brigadier General
La Feria
11th Tank Ballalion, 65th and 66lh Infanlry
Regiments, 91h Bersaglieri Regimenl (30th. 32nd
and 381h MOlorised Ballalioll!). 21St Artillery
Regiment 1St and 2nd 100/17 Croups, 3rd and 4th
F'onnorrt) Sonden'a"band '188. consmi"l of IWO baltalionll
C'thnic: Gf'I'1T\&Illi from Africa and thC' .\lrdilnnneon llfO .and OIJC'
baltalion ofloeal Anta.
e
Italian braoch cap badges rep ted aD officers'
black houlder-boanls: (a) l.n.fantry (b) Ina or-
ed iDIi try (c) Bersag.lieri (d) colonial infantry
(e) tanb (I) divisional artillery (g) motori eel
(armoured) a.rtillery' (b) ppu (i) para-
trooper .
Typica1divi iODaJarrn- hields- irt"", 'Tr"'nto'
and '23 Marzo. Sre conunrnlari aD colour
plat A2 and Bit for deta.Us.
21 ( b rst Hans- eorg Hild bl" ndt)
Pam r-Regim >l1l5, Panzer rcnadi r-R im nt 104
till 'ric-R gim Ol (mOl) 155, 2./Flak- btcilung
25 ufldarun - blcilung 580 plus divi i nal
unils.
10 Plm;:.u-DivifioTl ( '0 ralmaj r Fritz Fr ill rr v n
Emi h)
Panz'r-Re im nl 7 (n ballali n), Panz r r n-
adi('r-R gim nL !) (n ballaIion) Panz rgr n-
adier-R 'gim 'nl 8 (n baltali n), pan rtill ri '-
R gim nl (moL) go. Panz rjagr- bt iJung (m I)
9 rad hlitz n-Btl 10 pJu divi ional unil"
75/27 roup', Ih 75/5 r up) plus divisi n
units,
PIlTachule DiuisioTl Folgor (Major n ral F'rauini)
1R51h 186th and 187th Para hUl Infanll. Regi-
ments, plu di i i nal unil of un crlain Ir
XXlllnlian Corp (Lieul nant ol'ral n a tlvarini)
H%n'sfd Dim ion Trrnlo [Brig-adier eneral
fasina)
6r land 62nd Infanl Re imcnl , 7lh B ' li'ri
R 'm nL (b. tl. lion un rtain al Ihi ,lage).16Ih
nil!' , Regimenl ( quipm nL un enain al thi
'lage). plu clivi ional unil ,
Irifatll1J' DilJi.lion Bologl/a ( aj r G n'ral loria)
Ih , nd 40lh Infanlry R 2 51h till ry
R gim nl ( quipm 'Ill un erlain al lhi .le g ,plu
divi i n (unil .
MA 0
R H J. 43
I, 17
ank
roup,
roup
lJon On
alit um!)
'aIls hirmja er-R gim nt B r nlhin. F Id- bt'il-
un T3 ar ch- bl ilung 3 I I rtilJ ri -
R 'm nl (m I) 2 Fall chirmjager-Pioni 'I' Bat-
lali n (m l) r I llali n r th B r agli ri R gim nl
(2 th 34lh and 3rd Ballali n) plu min r
clivi. i nal unit..
33/ ftifaillen'r-Dillisioll ( -neralm.i r Fri nri h
renadi r-R 'gim nl754,
ren di'r-R gim nl 756
334, hn1I bt ilung 33
d in-
am-
urtil
II ri
Iud d or
pani s but
:nclud d:
23
t-
Mo t Italian infantry units wore collar patche
of one of th' e three de ign ; a few - e.g. me
Liguria Brigade - wore patch hal eel along
their length. Rep enta've designs WOni by
unit which ervecl in North Africa are as
follow:
Cirene Division, Liguria Brigade (157 & 158
Rgt. .) - halYed orange oyer blue
8me Di Ancona Brig., (fig & 70 Rgts.) - bbck,
thr yellow strip
vOna Div., aVOo.a Brig. (15 & 16 R .)-
whit one black strip
Sabratha Diy. Vero a Brig., (85 & 86 Rgts.) -
blue, two yellow trip
Superga Diy., Ba llicata Brig., (91 & 901 Rgts.) -
crim on, one white stripe
Br scia Diy. Bre cia Brig., (19 & 010 Rgt .) -
crimson, ODe bl ck tripe
Pavia Diy. Pavia Brig., (27 & 28 Rgu.) - green,
ouered trip
Trento Div. Sicilia Brig. (61 & 62 Rgts.) -
cadet, two gr en stripe ,blue patch
Trie te DiY., Valtellina Brig., (65 & 66 Rgts.)-
black, three white tripe blue patch
Bologna Diy. Bologna. Brig., (39 & 40 Rgt .) -
white, one red stripe
Pi toi.. Div., Pisl:oia Bri. (35" J6 R .)-
orao e, one black stripe.
< rn d and th dj i i n \
m f th \'ari
~ f r i tlJZ cS r ~ iCl of
qerJJZan 'Divi iOIl
and urr nd r
finv I 'ment
5 leichtc Division was lhe title h s n for the 'blocking
for c nl 10 ITi a in arl I 41. 1 t of i urU'
" ere in fact drawn from 3 Panz r- ivi ion. Til unil
arri ed in Tripoli from I F bruary 194' om ard , the
armour di embarking on 20 ebruar '. rter continu-
ous active service as the. p arhead of the D K I he
di ision wa rcdc ignated on I ctob r 1 4' a 21
Panz'I'-Divi ion ( .(' bdow).
10 Pall rr-Dim iorl w rc vet ran of P land, Franc.
and u ia. and afler a p ri d in III ulh fFran
w r hipp d t Tuni. ia in lat . ov mb T , 42,
being imm dial I rnmitt d t balll in Lh bridg-
h>ad. th [r h I and best- quipp d divi i n
a ailabl it w. u cd on'lantl)' t b th nd r the
brid h 'ad, until it Wal' fI I' d t . urr nd r in the hill.
Ilorth fBiz rta n 9 fa ,
/5 POfl.<er-Division \ a born n 1 0 emb r I 40,
wb n il was re-form d a a Panzer formati n after
in I'rance a th 33 lnfanreri -Divi ion.
rn In in frica fr m late April to mid-Jun I,p.
am of ir:s clem n \ er ru. hed imm dialc1 to the
front Lin oul ide Tobruk and took parI in alta k. n
III port on pri!. Rcavil 'engaged in th 'Battleaxe'
baul ,and th rcafter n land in act1 n a. part f
D. rm ured pcarh ad paru ipating in all
m j r ngag menl. until ay I 4 wh n il ur-
rend red in lh n nh rn Tuni. ian po kel.
form d fr m 5 I i III Di i i n
od lh r aft r er d \ ilO 15
ommentary n nlour plate I for d mils f
mOlon 'd infantry insi nino
w r
1.9tll olld 20th Flak-Dit,j ;ions
itb lhr Flak-Regim nts nd LIm: d lachecl
gr up"
24
IICfilJoFL ROFH
2
3
1 Sergent Libico, mrd Libyan Battalion 1940
2 Vice Capo quadra, M.V.S.N. t Division
23 Marzo', '940
3 Bersagliere Motor-cyclist, 1941
A
B
, Private, Liguria Brigade 63rd 'Ciren.e'
Infantry Divi ion '941
2 Caporale, Ancona Brigade, 61St 'Sirte'
Infantry ])jvisioD '94'
3 Tenente ColonelJo Motori ed Arri1lery, '94'
3
11CHAfl Ror f
, Tenentt< Sicilia Brigade .02:lld 'Trento'
otori ed Infantry Divi ion '942
" Sergente Maggiore 'Fol or 'Parachute
Division '942
3 Private Giovani Fa ci ti Division t94
HA l RO FE
3
"
c
o
1 GCDer-dle eli Brigata, 194
1
-43
2 General der Panzertruppc Erwin Ronunel
194
2
3 Major, Panzer DivisioD Staff 194'-4
2
2
3
to"rCHMl R
...11CHAH ROFI f
, Ob rg.,rcit r Aulkliirung -Abt iling (MoL)
3, '94'
2 Si aJ mechanic, Transport Work hop, '94-2
3 F ldwebel, Feld- endarmerie '942
E
F
3
nleroflizier panzergrenadiere 1942
2 G freiler Infanrerie 1943
3 chune, lnfanlerie. 1 9 4 2 ~ " 3
, CHII
o f
HCHAEL ROFFE
2
Oberleutnant Artillerie 1941-43
2 Panzer chiitz 1941 3
:l Tenente, Italian tank regim.ent , '941-43
G
H
ot roffizi"r Luftwaffe Flak-artill ri
'94
1
-4-2
2 Haupl.rnann, Luftwaffe Flak-artiJJerie,
194-2-43
3 Of roffizi"r, Luftwaffe Ramcke Parachute
Bri ade, '94-2-43
3
MICHAEL A FFf
Italian collar patche and 'BaIne ': lop Ie/I, tank troop - red
Hames on blue patch; top right, motorind artillery - black
8ame outlined yellow on blue patch' centTe kfl, divisional
artillery - black Bame outlined yellow on green-aver-yellow
patch; centre righI, example of motori ed infantry - balf
brigade patch on blue hacking patcb; boltom left, Bersaglieri
- crimson Hames; bottom right, MVSN- gold fasci. on black
8ames. All stars white.
Officers' in black cloth for wear on tropical
uniform. {aJ In.fa.ntry colone1- red outer piping, gold inner
braid, gold branch badge and raDk star . (b) Tank lieutenant
- blue outer piping, DO inner braid, gold branch badge and
stars. In ign.ia of various ranks are described in the colour
plate com.rnentaries. Majors' and second lieutenants' Ring e
tar were placed centrally below the branch badge j triple
star oC captains and coloneb were arranged in a triangle,
with OD.e centralJy inboard of a rOw oC two. Photos how
branch badges ometirne witb a grey backing patch.
Paratroopers' 'collar' patch of 1942 - silver star and word
blade, gold hilt and wing, on blue patch.
DiviriOTl VOII Broich/VOrl Monletdlel \ a an ad Iwc formati [l
form d from all unil in lh Biz rta bridg -h d n 18
v mb r '942, fi hting in n rth rn Tunisia und r
Pz. K 5 and b ming Divi i n on anI uffel on
7 ebruar 194-3 wh D Oberst von Broich wa trans-
fliT d to 10 Pz-Di . In luding Luftwaffi para-
troop r Italian Bel' agli i and G rman rm Idi I' ,
it was IinaU for d to surrcnd I' on ay.
ntually surround d b
b twe'n at ur and
was 'Loll top Hill . It w'
Briti h fore in th hill
T bourba.
999 fe-icltle Ifi ikfl-Divisioll w f th
p('n lat in 1942 ( riginall urt-
martiall d erman oldi r oAi I' d and I d at N
I vel b hand-picked p rsonne!. R d d a
i i. i n in ar h I 43 it snt two regiment to Tunis
in ar hI pril - Afrik, - hlitz n-R gim nt (mot)
9 I and 9 2. Ita h d to ri u omb t groups,
th $e regim n fought with elisliD in' join d by
om eli i i nal unit Jat rin pril, the er alIa h d
I AK at tJ,e tim r th final urr nd r.
Div ion Hermann CiiTing w tll
Ii Id divisi n. EJ m nt weI'
bridg -h ad rr m ovemb I' I 42 onward
aHa hed 1 whi h m st ne dcci th m. By
arly Mar h m t of the divi i n had arri d and this
a sembI r unjts was I rmed Kampfgrupp chmid
Vorkommand Divisi n H and fought witJl d I r-
mination on Lh south rn perimeterofth bridg -h ad.
On 12 a all but a vcr fc surviv r. surrcndl'red,
Pz-Di ision as th(' vital armourd striking-fore' of
Romm J's arm. [t was ommitl d to 'vcr maj I'
series of engagcm n fj'om th . ru ad I' ballJ s of
o ember '94-1 I th la't 'urr nder in Tunisia n
13 Ma '943.
90 leichle lfrika-Divinon TV d in Ih de n as AJriko-
Division z.b. . ('z.b.. = for p ial duties) fr m
ugu I 19 ,until v mb I' wh n it b'cam' 9
J i ht Di i ion; it was fanned fT m various in-
el pend nt uni already in fri a plu rinG rc m 'nlS
whi h arrived pi c m a1. It fought al T bruk in
mber 194"in th azala and Bir akeim bat Is
of spring I 2 (having r eiv d Ih d finiliv v rsion
ofitstit.l in March) b fir th lam inlin inJuly,
at lam I HaIfa and lam in, a a I' ar-guard in
Tuni ia and finally urI' nder d on t May I 43 near
Enfida ilJc.
/64 leic/ue AJrika-Division f fm d in 0
164 hr-Infant rie-Divi'ion, fou ht il
summer '94' served a garrison lTOOpS in
lime, and arriv d in frica early in Jul '942. It
rec ived i final tiLle short! afterwards first se in
action in a raid on u tralian positions before Alamein.
Jt was heavily en aged at AJam in r fitt d and motor-
is db Januar t 43 and fought at areth and adi
karit b for surr nd ring on '3 a.
33-1 bifolllerie-Division fi rmed in autumn 1942 in
erman ; t.h di i i n arriv d in Afri a fr rn lat
De emb I' nward and was assign d I Pz. 5 in
Tunisia. II fought c ntinuaJly until in' ur-
rcnd r n 8 a and among the po ilion it clef! nd d
25
r
in unit
I / Dili, ion
mior Maj r
,mll/ll01ll' - .aplain
apo \lonipo{()-
Lieul nant
apo quadra - rgcant
f la apo, quadra -
rp ral
amicin ' TO ulta-
('niar pnval
amicU) ,/\'"a
(Black hin')
Pri at
nt
f. r.
of th tro( p w r till in
in Tuni ia n labl in
r Lip' Lind r I t It lian
ivi i n - ona
Brigad - truppo
R giment - Lrgiol/
atlalion - .uur/('
, rnpany - mlllnn
PIal n - \lallipolo
li n - qundra
Logolllmlt
tnlral - 1aj r-
Of/ olt 11'1/(1'01(-
Brigadier
,Uf/ olr - 01 nd
f
apti n d
on ript d fr m D m-
b nward fr m th Fa i t uth
rgani ali n. ft r pa ing [r m til i vani
fa i ti 1 lh m mb r hip orth Part prop r t
Ighting- a ain
'T'he 'Plot
unit
AI
In I
26
Examples oftbe famou: ttopical6eld cap oItbe
GerlDaDforces in Africa and the Mediterranean;
the colour varied from olive-green through aU
hades of bl'own to pale and yellow and 08'-
white. Many were deliberately blea.ched.. The
turn-up was permaneudy ewo in place, being
imply a doubled thickness of material; note
the two ventilation holes On each ide of the cap.
The lining was carlet. (A) i a Panzergrenadier
officer's cap, tamped 1941, in tan brown with
silver piping; the eagle i silver on brown, the
cockade a rai ed. black- iJver-red pattern, and
the outacbe gras green. (B) is an Other Ranks'
cap without WaH'enfarbe soutache, olive drab in
colour' the ea Ie i blue-grey on tan, and the Bat
black-white-red cockade is woven On a tan
diamond. (C) and (D) are two view of a pale
andy drill Other RankjJ' cap with blue-grey on
tan eagle and black-white-red cockade On a tan
diamond. The outsche i pale green, indicating
a Gebirgsjiiger. It is known that Gebirgsjager-
Regiment 756 fought in Tunisia in January-
February J 943, and photo enst which bow thi
type of cap being worn complete with the
Edelweiss badge ofthi branch On the left ide of
the band. (AU Biwandi Collection)
D
I' Sp tivel, in plac of the black and gold of the
rm hi orporal ha two thin r d h vron
and ne thi k r an war one thi k 0 er all
thin. iJv r, and enior prj ates on thi k er one
thin I' d. Ab til ch r n on th I ft arm
appal's th pinn d- n m tal divisional badg in
bla k and gal I. The e w r not gen rally w rn in
th rant line. he ba i din i impl an
adaptation or th rm quival nt; th e rorma-
tion badg app ar d in ariou v rion in m tal
and c1 th alik andth r s ms to hay b 11 no
. firm regulation as t th ir us . Drawing of th
b dg a compan the text. Th da ger w rn n
the left fron t f th bell was a feature of M. . .
and Young Fa ci t unit it e m t have be 0
r tain d even wh n full ombal ham s was w rn.
immediat I b twe n th bayon t abbard and
th ammunition pou h .
h _ Marzo omprised the I02nd and 23Srd
th a frw nry-on a y uth wh did n tJ 1I1
th army that ear mit d into th
M. ... rn 1939 th If.. . L gion was
mad up of tw battaJi n ; on f y ung Bla k-
hircs ag d bet n twent - nand thirt -six
th th r of T rritorial up t fifty-fi r
age. a legions and an arLiller r giment
form d a Bla kshirt ivi ion. II units tend d to
b und I' strength but a era e pea clime tab-
Jisbmenr was 650 rank and file and twen
offi er p r battalion. ix divisions w r rai ed for
th by inian campai n. and ther for the
pani h Ci il ar but b th outbreak of the
eond orld ar only three remained in bein :
the 1st (23 arzo). the 2nd (28 Ottobr ) and the
4th (3 Gennaio). (Like lh azi Party and lik
r volutionary oup t thi da, th Fa ci t
commemorated in their unit litl days of gr at
i nifican e in lh ir offi ial hi t r - or p rhap .
m lh log would be the mar a ural t rm.) All
lhr e w I' ba ed in Lib a in lal 19 . th 23
arz er d und I' 11 . ral' I tri hisk r
Bel' onzoli XXIII orps in th ltalian 5th
I'm . It wa th fir t unil inl idi Barrani n 16
pt mber 194 , but wa nnihilaled al the ap-
lure of Bardia b the 6th u tralian Divi ion on
3-s]anuar J T.
niIi rmiry of dr s as n t n tic able in an
of th d S rt armi and th I tali n \ ere no
x p60n. hi 19ure b dial' lyon a Del
judie pIal displa s on major departure from
th tandard rmy tropical dress wlli h wa the
regulation for Black hin unit. Th tropical tuni
ha been replac d by a ahariana a popular form
ofbu h-jack t wh.ich was us d b all ranks of th
Ttalian fore in frica with a urprising degree of
fre dam' it wa par 'cularl fav ured b offi r'
and b all rank of the a ci r rrulitia. It hara-
tcristic are the iogle [aIlio ollar oft n worn
pen at the ne k and th ap d .If, (on the
h SL The M. . . . I ion in fri all war
thatorgani ation' p ciaJ ollar; adg. : a d ubi
hla k flame bearing a go.ld fa i in pIa th>
I'm tar. Th fa i in bras, abo a battaJjon
or I gion number within a ir I ,wa h l'egula-
ti a ap badg ,and was s m tim ppli d to th '
'ull-h 1m t. The CO war ch vron of COIl-
v otionaJ Italian rm de ign on ach upper arm
but in red and silv r for junior and s nior ranks
27
pint d fal e uR!' it i orn 0 er an op non k d
hin. h ollar flam of th whole B )" agli ri
branch in burgund r d with a ilv r tar ar
ewn in the u ual plac h very pal lin n
tr us rs, 10 in llt and pal a -gr D a to
balm t off-\'(hite ar tu k d into high black
I a h r .gait rs with two- uckJe fast ning n th
ut id I w rn with can otional la ed ankle
b ts. he chara t ristic Itauan belt and harne
unu ual in that iL has a be - trap loop d around
lh n k rath r th n th - trap adopt db, rno
oth r armi i in mid-gre leather and uppal'
two ammunirion pouche on th front ntrc of the
b It. he aluminium canteen i lung from the
left h uld r. bayon l abbard i worn; th
w ap n is th fi Idin -ba on l arbine v ion of
the .9(/ 8 6"SffiJT1. riii. rvi e dre s h adgear
fth Ber agLi ri wa red fi zwiLh a hang.in blue
ta 1- e 3 for hap .
63"d Ci7't!1le Infantry Bt Private
Division
,
Front and ide view of Luftwaft'e tropical ide
cap dift'ering from Anny model in having a
mooth, UDSCOOped edge to the turn-up. Note
Luftwatre eagle in white or very faded blue-
grey OD tan triangle, and raised black-while-red
cock.ade. The e caps were Dot lined scarlet, un-
like Army pattern. {Auth.or's and Biwandi
CoUecno }
ions and 1h 20 I st rtill ry' the 28 Quobre
th 231 t and 2 2nd L ion and L11 '2 2nd
rtill ry' and !.he 4 nnai!.h 270th and 4 111
gion and the 204111 till ry.
Side and Croot views oftropical idec:ap ofAnny
pattern - oote scooped froot to turn-up. Pale
slUldy drilJ, regulation badges, pink Panzer
Waffeofarbe outache. (Biwandi CoUection)
A3 Bersaglicre falor-cyclist, [94 [
h fam u light troop weI' a parat bran h
f Lh infantT and w r attach d nly r
arm ured mOlori d and I r . di isioo . in
the later ta of th amp ign aut nom u
b ttalion r also draft d t i a. Th fir t
r 1m n w r th 8Lh and th B a-
gli ri with th ri Land Tri t Oi i ion
r pecti ely, Each in luded a bat alion of motor-
I r onnai an e tro p and thi 19ur i
t k n from a I Giudi plate aid nem d. n
of the photo raph in thi bo k in Iud a r ar
\ 'ew fon f he tr op r.
hun-helm t icon nLiolJal but th B rsa-
!j traditional plum of r dark r n 0 k
Gath r ha b en add d t th ri ht id . thi
plum wa worn on all h adgear ilJ luding tbe
t I h 1m 1. Th branch badg i w rn on th
fr ot of th sun-h Ime in bra . un go gl s ha e
b n push d to th sid in th u uat fa hion. The
drab khaki tuni is of imiJar ut t Lh u uaJ
and-coloured tropicaJ ISSU , apart from he
28
usual Slar at lhe fool. The grey lealher belt and
harness support two ammunilion pouches and the
bayonet for the MannlicherCarcano M.91/38
riAe, a 6smm. weapon which had a stormy binh
in the late 1930$. Until that timc the standard
weapon of the infantry was the long 1891
MannlichcrCarcano of similar calibre. This
obsolete weapon was to be replaced by a shorter
de\'elopment of Ihe basic - and sound - design,
rc-chambered to 7'350101. for new and more
efficient ammunition. When the rcequipment
programme was already under way it was dis-
covered that somcone had blundered: industrial
capacity was quitc unequal to producing enough
of the new ammunition in time, and the new riAe
was completed to the old 6'50101. calibre! It thus
represented little advance over the elderly M.91.
Jt was loaded with a sixround clip, the entire
charger being inserted into the fixed magazine;
when all six rounds had been fired the clip fell
OUI through the large hole in the oottom of the
magazine. 1t has been reliably reponed that this
hole also provided a most convenient path for the
pass."l.ge of sand, gravel, and venturesome desert
beasts into the working parlS oflhe rifle.
The aluminium canteen is standard lIalian
issue; the canvas gas-mask bag is here used as a
convenient musette or havcrs.:'l.ck - a widespread
practice.
82 Caporalt, Ancona Brigade, 61St Sirtr Infantry
Diuision, /941
Photographs show that in cold wcalher (not un-
known in Nonh Africa) the standard I lalian Army
service uniform of grey-green was widely worn by
all ranks. This figure, partly based on a Del
Giudice plale, but with certain additions, iIlus-
lrates a typical infanlryman in regulation dress.
The flapped sidecap is worn square on the head,
and bears the branch badge in black Ihread or
wire embroidery on the upper frOnl- here, that of
the infantry. These service quality badges were in
silhouette only, Jacking the detail of me full-dress
gold version. The tunic is worn over a shirt and
tie; it has an integral cloth belt fastened with
buttons rather than a buckle. The wearing of the
bayonet in the manner shown seems to have been
normal with service dress. The shoulder straps are
plain. The black chevrons ofcorporal's rank - one
Ihick ovt'r one thin - arc worn on both arms.
Corporal.majors wore one thick black chevron
above IWO thin: sergea.nts, one thick above one
thin gold; scrgcant.majors, one tllick above two
thin gold. The diyisional badge, in yellow em
broidery on red cloth, is worn on the left arm.
This does not seem to have been a very widespread
practice, certainly not in the fighting areas.
Originally infantry unjts wore blue shields, and
red was reserved for armoured and motorised
divisions; bUI the classification was widened 10
include nine divisions which were theoretically
'autotransponable', and the picture thus becomes
extremely complicated. Sine is known to have
worn a red shield, and Brescia, for instance, a
blue one.
The collar patches demand some explanation.
In 1815 the infantry regimentsoftheold Sardinjan
Army were brigaded in twos under the same title,
and the two-regiment named brigade remained
the basis of infimtfy organisation ever since. In
1935 divisions were created by adding a field
artillery regiment to a brigade of infantry, Ur
gether with service units. The infantry of each
division all wore lhe same collar patch, which
identified Ihe brigade. From about 1940 onwards
Ihe artillery and service unit.s of a division sewed
their own collar insignia - in the form of'f1amcs',
distinguishing the branch but not the unit - on to
the division's infantry brigade POlICh, halfofwhich
remained visible at the top or rear of the com
bined insignia; thus any divisional troops can be
exactly identified by their collar insignia. A rep-
resentative listing of c o l l ~ n pOlIch colours worn by
divisions which fought in Nonh Africa will be
found elsewhere II1lhis bookj that arSirte was the
black with three yellow stripes of its Ancona In-
fan try Brigade, made up of the 691h and 70th
Regiments. The 43rd Artillery eompleled the
division. The star was always worn at lhe bottom
or front of the patch. These patches were worn by
all ranks of the infantry brigade, officers included.
Sirte was wiped out on '21 January 1941 at
Tobruk; the division 'went into the bag' after the
successful assault by 6th Australian Division sup-
ported by elements of 7th Armoured Division.

B3 Tmrntr Colonello, Motoristd Artillu.1. /941


The mOlorised artillery regiments were pan of the
29
establishment of the Italian armoured divisions;
they provided the suPPOrt of fast towed and,
eventually, armoured self-propelled guns (Sl77I0-
vet/ti) for the hardpressed Italian tanks. These
latter were first used to any effect in Rommel's
push at the El Agheila 'ine in January 1942; they
were to become one of the most uscfultools in his
arsenal, far superior in cffectiveness to the ob-
solesccnt 'baltic tanks'. The Ariete Oivision
l
the
crack armoured fonnatjon, numbered lhe 132nd
Motorised Artillery Regimellt among its units,
and the 133rd served with the Littorio Division.
This impeccable senior officer is dressed in the
Italian Army's standard tropical service uniform
for commissioned ranks, which differs in small
details of tunic cut frOIll that of the olher ranks,
and of course in quality. The shape of the collar
is noticeably diflcrcnl. The uniform is worn with
riding breeches, brown top boots
l
and a Sam
Browne belt supporting thc small holster for the
Beretta MI934 automatic. The sand-coloured
tropical wcight sidecap bears the motorised
artillery branch badge on thc front flap, in gold
embroidery on black; this flap can be turned
down to make a peak. Bctwecn the flap and the
buttonover earpiece is an 'open box' ofgold braid
containing two gold stars - this is a rank insi nia.
Thesequence wasas follows: 2nd licutenanl, single
star; lieutenant, two stars; 1St lieutenant, two
stan; over a bar; captain, three stars; 1st captain,
three stars over a bar; major, onc star in a box;
lieutenantcolonel, t\\lO stars in a box; colonel,
threcstars in a box. The ranksof 1st lieutenant and
1st captain were granled automatically if an
officer reached twenty years' service from his
commission \\Ihile still a lieutcnant or captain, or
twelve years' service in one of those ranks.
The collar insignia of the motorised artillery
branch, a single black 'flame' piped all round in
yellow with a silver star, is sewn on to a backing of
the blue branch colour of the armoured divisions,
which shows at the top or rcar of the whole in-
signia. The shoulder boards, dctails of which arc
illustrated elsewhere in this book, were black
when worn with the tropical uniform. These we'e
the only indications of rank 011 the tunic - the
sleeve badges of the European service dress were
(usually) omitted. They arc piped a1l round the
edge in branch colour - here, thc yellow of the
30
artillery - and in this case have the inner edging of
gold braid worn by majors and upwards. The
branch badge appears in the celllre in gold, and
the two stars of this rank at the bUll end. Medal
ribbons include the blue with a silver star of the
Silver Medal of Military Valour, the five black
slripes on blue of the Ethiopian campaign medal,
the red and white of the France 1940 campaign
medal, and the black.white.red.white.green ver-
tical stripes of the Axis Africa medal.
CI Tmentt, Sicilia Brigade, I02nd Trmto MotoriStiI
hr!anlry Divisio1l, 1942
This junior officer. in commst to the preceding
figure, wears a lypical officer's combat uniform.
The breeches and tOp boots seem lO have becn
discarded in place of trousers and puttees like
those of the men in most cases. The sand-paimed
steel helmet bears on lhe front a black slencilled
silhouetle of the branch badge - a practice ob-
served among officers and rankers alike - and the
only other insignia worn arc the collar patches and
shoulder boards. Note the pointed fabe cuffs oflhe
tunic. The tie has been replaced by a sweatrag.
The Sam Browne belt is worn, with a canvas
threesection pouch for the shon twentyrollnd
magazines of the Beretta gmm. M 1938A sub-
machine gun - considered by many to be one of
the finest weapons in its class in the world, and the
best of all Italian Army small arms. Magazines of
10, 20, 30 and 40 rounds c.tpacity were manu-
raclurcd.
As Trento and Trieste were motorised forma-
tions, the shoulder boards arc edged in the blue
piping of the armoured and motorised corps. This
junior officer docs not have the strip of gold braid
around lhe inner edge of the black board, in
contrasl to the preceding figure. He wears the
gold badge of the motorised infantry in the middle
of the board, with the two gold stars of his rank at
the outer end. Captains wore tJ,ree stars, two in a
row and the third above the gap belween them.
immediately below the branch badge. The Sicilia
Brigade collar patch was scarlet wilh two light
green stripes; it is worn here sewn on to a blue
backing, and CUt down in size, to indicate the
motorised function, with the usual silvcr star. The
Trieste infantry component was the Valteltina
Brigade, whose black patch with three white
lDtf!restiBl Luftwaffe IIroup in the desert. Left ...d
5!u,"" wear Itali.aD riaoaj.eke..., popular witlo Germ.aJll
persoD..Oel; left we E.. i ....., Other
RaaktI' ,id., cap, aDd ,ee,al..... bas Hm., kitld of priV1lt.,ly
.cqui.....l ......b.,l.m.,t wilb p"uar-. H., al... wean ..
Oth.,r RaUl' b.....11 "Sl., lliU Oa it. friaDplu' facto..,.
bado:in!. (imperial War M.....um)
stripes was displayed in the same way. The
Sicilia comprised the 6'st and 62nd, the Valtellina
the 65th and 66th Infantry Rcgiments. Both
motorised divisions fought throughout '941-42
and at 1 Alamein.
C2 Sergt11ft Maggiort, Fo/gore Pararhute Division,
/94
2
Major-General Frattini's Folgore (Lightning)
Parachutc Division comprised the /85th, ,86th
and 187th Parachute Infantry Regimcnts. It was
formed in the wintcr of 1941-42, and served in
North Africa - purely as infantry, rather than in
its nominal role - from the spring of ,g42 until
November of that year. It was virtually anni-
hilated at EI Alamein. This figure is taken from a
Del Giudice plate, with the addition of the
camouAaged helmet and smock and the automatic
rifle.
Thesand-coloured bushjacket echoes lhcshape
of the European uniform of Ihe paratroopers of
this and the Nembo Division; the caped chest
recalls the sah",iaua, and the shirt collar is worn
outside the collarless neck of the jacket. The beret
was peculiar to this branch of the army; note the
small loop of tape at the top centre. The loose
trousers arc gathcred at thc ankle over ankle-
boots. The paratroopers' branch badge - a silver
Roman sword beneath a gold crown between
gold wings - is WOI'll ccnlrally; lhe practice of
wearing a set of chevrons on the beret is thought to
have been peculiar to scnior NCOs of the airborne
corps. The blue collar patches, illustrated in de-
tail elsewhere in lhis book, bear a silver star at the
bottom, beneath a silver sword with a gold hilt on
a gold wing. A gold parachutc-wings badge is
worn on the left breast, the wings supporting a
parachute in white and blue beneath a gold crown
picked out with rcd. The rank chevrons. two thin
gold chevrons beneath one thick, are worn on both
arms. The Del Giudice platc docs nOt show the
arm badge of the branch, sometimes but not in-
31
variably worn on the len upper armj it consistcd
ofa gold deployed parachutc, its shrouds uniting
in an open gold ring at the bouom, sometimes on a
blue background overall.
The parachute helmet, with its more extensive
leather harness, echoed the shape of the infantry
helmet very closely. Itwas oncn worn wi th a cloth
camouflage covcr in a serpentine pauern of
chestnut and forest green, and a smock in the
same pattern was also issued. This thigh-length
garment, with a single falling collar and a fly
front, bore a cloth star in white on both sides of me
collar. The fighting knifc seems to have been a
characteristic of the airborne branch. The weapon
illustrated is the semi-automatic Berelta M 1935
rille, a 6'50101. calibre weapon of sound design
which was issued only in small numbers to
specialist troops. (Its illustration in the hands ofa
paratrooper is pure speculation on the author's
pan, but seems feasible.)
C3 Private, G;ovall; Fascist; Diuision, '942-43
Asmall division oftwo or three infantry battalions,
this unit was held in army reserve at EI Alamein.
It had been intended to build an armoured
division around them, but this nevcr took place.
They werc still present, under the same title, in
the fighting for Tunisia the following year, but by
that time tile two remaining battalions were
fleshed out with Bcrsaglicri and anillcry units to
produce an ad hoc formation owing only the most
nominal allegiance to the Pany yOUlh organisa-
tion from which it took its namc. Thc 'Young
Fascists' were boys of between scventeen and
lwenty-one years of agc, who in this instance were
drafted straight into the fighting forces through
lack of alternative manpower.
The service dress headgear was a small fez worn
all thc back of the head, in black with a black
tassel. The sahariana was favoured by these units
and was very widely worn. This young soldier
wears the collar insignia of the Rome GGFF
battalion - a double scarlet 'flame' outlined in
yellow; the organisation was territorial in basis.
Thc equipment is conventional, and the weapon is
the M.gI/38 rifle. The figure is a composite of two
plates from Del Giudice and Mollo. Note the
Party dagger worn on the belt between pouches
and bayonet frog.
32
Df Gtntrale di Brigata, f94f-43
This Italian general wears a typical front-line
service uniform; considering the laxity of uniform
regulations, however, it should not be taken as in'
any way definitive. The tropical sidecap/ficldcap
is worn with the front nap down. On the front' of
thc crown is the cap badge of the general officer
corps - an ornate silver eagle on a red backing.
with a silver cross on a central red lozenge on the
eagle's chest. The rank is indicated b)' the single
gold star of Brigadier on a red backing, sewn to a
strip of patlerned silver braid with red backing.
The sahariana bears silver national star insignia
on the collar, and rank insignia on attached
shoulder-straps. These comprise the generals'
silver-on-red cagle and the single star of rank.
Mcdal ribbons include First and Second World
War campaign and gallantry decorations, to-
gether with Fascist and Spanish awards.
D2 Gnural der Erwin Rommel, f942
Rommel, promoted full general on I July 194'
and holding the rank until his promotion to
Generalobersl on I February 1942, wore a
variety of uniforms in the field, but all were
characterised by an unfussy and practical appear-
ance. This figure is taken from a colour photo-
graph of the 'desert fox' dating from early 1942.
The tunic and breeches are of the usual light-
weight material worn by Cerman officers in the
tropics; colours varied from a distinctly green
shade of olive, through every shade of brown, to
almost off-white sand-yellow. Most photographs
of Rommel in the summcr and autumn of 1942
show him in a uniform of similar cut to this onc,
but much paler - a very washed-out sand-yellow
drill. It also appears to have genuine turned-back
cuffs, white this tunic has false cuffs. The straight
pocket flaps are llnusual - three-pointed flaps
were more common in the Deutsches Afrika
Korps. The tunic is worn over a soft-collarcd
shirt; the cavalry-cut breeches arc confined by the
normal black topboots ofa Cerman officer.
When photographcd in this, and in the paler
uniform worn in later months, Rommel seems
always to wear a minimum of insignia. He was
entitled to wear the Knight's Cross with Oaklcaves
and Swords and his First World War POllr Miriu
at the throat, and these seem 10 have been in
evidence on most occasions; but his Iron Cross 1St
Class, his Panzer Assauh Badge and his Wound
Badge seem to have been packed away except for
vcr)' formal occasions, as were the substantial row
of medal ribbons above the left breast pocket. He
usually wore only his cpauletlcs and collar patches
of rank. and the national cagle breast insignia.
The eagle is in gold bullion embroidery on a black
backing, the regulation colours for a Panzer
general. (Generals of other branches often wore
their silver bullion on dark green breast eagles on
the tropical uniform.) The collar patches arc in
gold on bright red, and are the normal insignia of
this rank. The epaulellcs are on a red underlay;
for a general lhey .....ere made of interlaced triple
lace, a silver double thickness between two gold,
with two silver 'pips' equally spaced on the long
dimension.
The service cap is the normal field grey
model of the European uniform - no special
&hirmmiit<t was produced for tropical wear. It has
a black peak, a dark green velvet band, and - for
generals - gold piping round the crown seam and
the (OP and bottom of the band. Prior toJanuary
1943 the eagle and swastika upper insignia and
the wreath of the lower insignia were worn in
silver; the national cockade in the wreath is of
the usual sequence - black/silver/red reading
inwards. For generals the double cap cords were
of gold lace, secured with gold bUllons. Rommel
habitually wore a pair of cheap British cellophane
sand goggles, which he surprisingly found more
convenient and effective than anyone of the
several efficient and carefully designed models of
DAK issue goggles.
Note that Rommel seldom wore a belt with this
uniform. Over his hands he holds a tropical model
greatco.'\t in drab khaki-brown, double-breasted,
with two rows of four gold bUllons. This coat
lacked the coloured collar and facings of the
European generals' model. The only insignia are
the epauleltes of rank. He was also frequently
photographed wearing a black leather greatcoat
of similar cut. His famous brown tweed scarf is
also illustrated here. Note the absence of red
generals' Stripes on the breeches - some German
generals in Africa wore this distinction, others
omilted it.
<lfenna.n.a Meyer' tropical fidd cap of Laftwa.ffe combat
tll'OClpSl He col.... r plate commPOcary H). or saJldy drill
witll tile cap ..... baU_.1tCk..s.p 6nU1& oyer
tile .tnp boott-. ..d _e ee.tn.I b.ut-. aD brow-.
pJ.q:dc: Hre bot HmetUn" I"Y ...etaL Flat _ ....hite
badR;e. aDd blacll.... cod.ade _ pale IM"tcloa,
.tnp _ .c._mm" brow-.. nu. .lyle of cap __
_ meUm" ....0 ... by all ......Ju, ..d ill oecui--.lly ot.-rved
with officers' cap-c:ordll eitMr .over or rnatt white.
(DIutid R...e CoUectioa)
D3 Major, Panztr DjrJision Siaff, '94'-42
Thi staff officer, perhaps the Divisional Ib or
lIa of 15th or Panzer Division, wears the
standard tropical uniform, and tile tropical side-
cap with officer's distinctions. The cap is not very
frequently seen in pholographs and seems to have
been almost entirely confined to Panzer per-
sonnel, who might find the peaked field c.'\p
awkward in the confines of the vehicles. It was of
thill olive drab material, lined scarlet, with a
single metal ventilation hole immediatcly abovc
the point of the 'turn-up'. The upper section is
slightly dinerent in shapc to the usual European
version, being flatter and shallower. For all ranks
it bore the eagle and swastika and the national
cockade insignia. Officers might or might not
wear the prescribed silver-an-tan version of the
former and the raised black/silver/red officers'
quality l.ockade; other ranks' insignia were some-
times worn, in blue-grey on tan, and in flat black/
while/red weaving on a tan diamond patch reo
spectively. The silver piping around the crown
and in lhe fronl cutaway of the tum-up were the
33
distinctiOns of commissioned rank.
The uniform was similar in cut for officers and
men, and although the colour varied from olive
drab, through brown, to pale sand, there is no
particular significance in this; different manu-
f.1cturers' batches werc ofslightly differing shades,
and weathering took care of the rest. It is worn
here over a shirt and tic of similar colour. Some
of the man)' variations of upper and lowcr
garments and footwear are illustrated in these
plates; herc,the major wears Iighlweight breeches
and the high-laced canvas and leather desert
boots. Breeches were not confmed to officers in
North Africa, bcing frequcntly seen in thc ranks in
combination with the high boot. The webbing
belt is worn here with the prescribed officers'
buckle; many officers rctained the standard brown
leather service dress belt with double-claw buckle.
The map-<:ase was not issued in a special tropical
version, but the black leather was often painted
over with a tan shade.
The epaulcttcs of major's rank. in a double-
thickness twisted pattern ofdullsilvercord \\;thoul
'pips', arc worn on the underlay panel of branch
colour WoJfttlfarbt: here, the pink of armoured
troops. The gold Cothic 'D' identifies a divisional
staffofficer. All commissioned nlnks belowgeneral
rank wore the same collar-patch d e s i ~ n with the
sole distinction of nnrrow lines of lace in the
appropriatc \\'afrenfarbe down the centre of each
of the two silver bars, which were mounted on a
dark green backing. Panzer personnel of all ranks
wore pinned to the lower lapel of thc tropical
jacket the small silver skull badges from their
Europcan uniform collar-patches. Many officers
did nOI bothcr to rcplace the othcl" ranks' cagle
brcast badgc with the silVl'r badgcs from theil"
European uniform, and continucd to wear - as
hcrc- the bluc-grey cagle on its tan backing. This
officer wears the I ron Cross 2nd Class ribbon in his
buttonhole, the Iron Cross 1st Class pinned to his
left breast pocket, and a Panzer Assault badge
below it, indicating that he had seen combat in
tank actions on i.H least three separate occasions.
Above his pocket arc the ribbons of a Long
Service medaJ and the ItalianCerman Africa
campaign medal, issued by the I lalians early
in 194-2.
34
1 Obergifreiler, Aujkliirullgs.Ahleilung (,'o'/ot.) 3,
'94'
The standard tropical uniform of rank and file of
the OAK, as it would have been worn im-
mediately on arrival in Africa and before Ihe
practicalities ofdesert warfare forced its modifica-
tion by individuals. This corporal is dressed and
equipped as he would have been for one of the
parades and inspections in Tripoli in mid-
February '941, and his insignia agree with those
of one of the first units of5 leithte Dicision to arrive
- the motorised reconnaissance battalion.
The sun-helmet wa an issue item. but did not
enjo) much popularity, although it is still seen in
photographs of the late stages of the desert war.
Jt bore two mctal pin-on badges on the side ill the
form of shields of similar design to the decals
applied to the steel helmel - a silver eagle and
swastika on black on the left, and a national
tricolour shield on the right. The jacket, exactly
as in D3 as regards cut, bc..1rs the usual grey-on-
tan breast eagle. The collar ban. worn by all
non-commissionecl ranks. arc of dull grey with
dull khaki-oc:hre details; Ihey were sewn direct to
the material ofthc collar without a backing patch.
The shoulder straps of ldnks below UnteroJli-!.iu
were plain apart from the edges, piped in the
branch's Walrenfarbe: for motoriscd reconnais-
sance units, copper brown. The black Wound
IL"ldgc worn on Ihe pocket signifies that the
wearer has bcen wounded in action oncc. The
double chevrons of Obergifreilers rank, in dull
khaki-ochre on olive. arc sewn to the left upper
arm only. The webbing belt, with olive-paillled
metal buckle af thc standard Cerman Army
design, is fittcd with the minimum of equipment
far pnradc purposes. Two SCIS af three black
leathcr pouches arc fittcd one on cach side of the
bucklc; thcse European issue items were some-
times pnintcd over "'ith a tan shade at a later
stage. The Mauser 84/g8 bayonet, with wooden
grips and a blued melal sheath. is attached to lhe
belt on the left hip by a webbing frog with a
retaining strap. Breeches and high laced boots
arc \\'orn. The rifle is the standard IVLhrma(hJ
weapon, the MausergBK of792mm. calibre.
2 Signals methanic, Transport Workshop, 1942
The famous tropical field cap, which appeared in
Four views of a panzergrenadier Obergefreiter' tropical
tunic in faded olive-greenfkhaki drillmatcriaJ. Gras green
piping on houlder traps' dull ochre on olive drab rank
chevrons; olive-painted buttons; grey.blue on tan brea t
eagle; General Assault badge on left brean. The belt and
webbing Y."trap are of dull khaki with steel and brown
leather fittiD s and the backle i painted green. The faint
PG on the back bows that the wearer was once a prisoner in
the hands of Fr ch troop : PrisonDi de Guerre. (Biwandi
CoUection)
Officer's pattern tropical belt - dull brown metal
buckle On khaki webbing. Many om er retained
their normal brown leather ervice belt with a
double-claw frame buckle. (Biwandi Collection)
m an.
This figur r pre ot lh
able and Gruffy appearan
a' . Th ja k l i w rn h r
m
lhan
rs
Ld
er
35
widely worn in Africa -as, indeed, were European
rank chevrons, etc.
Below the trade badge is sewn the famous cuff
title authorised on 28 July '941 for all German
Army personnel, of whatever rank or branch,
who had served in the theatre of operations for at
least tWO months. The single word AFRIKA-
KORPSin silver block capitaJs was embroidered
On a dark green band with 301m. silver edges,
with light brown ouler edges.
/:..3 Fddwtbtl, Ftldgmdamltrie, /942
The Feldgendarmeric or military police per-
formed the usual disciplinary and traffic duties in
Africa as in other theatres; each division had a
troop, and further detachments served under
Army Headquarters. The NCO illustrated is
dressed for a lQwn patrol in the rear areas. He
wears the sunhc1met with conventional insignia,
with shorts and shirtsleeve order. The tropical
issue shirt was of light sandcoloured drill,
strongly made and finished. It was of pullover
type, with four bUllons on the front and twO
pleated patch pocket's, and buttons and loops on
the shoulder for attachment of straps. The straps
shown here are of the usual olive tropical type,
piped in the orange of the branch, and with an
inner border of gmm.-wide Tresse, or lace, in a
dull khaki.ochre. This replaced the silver lace
worn by NCOs on European uniform. The rank
is identified by the exact design; here, the Trcsse
lines all three edges of the strap, and a single
white metal pip is worn centrally. The Feldgen-
darmerie gorget was always worn when on duty;
of dull white metal, suspended by a chain with
flat masked links, it bears an cagle and swastika in
yellowish luminous paint. Below this is a scroll
with the word 'Feldgendarmerie' picked out in
lhe same colour, on a grey background. The
bosses at each upper corner were also painted.
Note that it forbidden to apply the breast
cagle to the tropical shirt, and that the usual
orange military police eagle and swastika arm
badge is also omitted.
Fr Unttrq/fiv'tf, 1942
The OAK's tanks and artillery were supported
by Motorised Infantry regiments until mid-1942,
which saw the arFival of lhe 164 leichte Afrika-
36
Division and its three regiments of Panze.r-
grenadiere - Nos. 125, 382 and 433. While these
were still motorised units, without many half
track armoured personnel carriers for infantry
usc, the troops were distinguished by the grass-
green Waffenfarhe of the armoured infantry
branch - seen herc around the shoulder strap.
The strap also bears the dull ochre Tresse around
the long edges and the rounded end (inside the
Waffenrarbc piping) which identifies the rank of
Unteroffizier, or sergeant. (There are no exact
British equivalents of the rather large number of
German NCO ranks.) All ranks from Unteroffizier
lip wore the Trcsse around lhe upper part of the
collar, as illustrated, but the design of the collar
patches themselves did nOt alter. This squad
leader wears the I nfantry Assault Badge in silver
on the left breast, the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd
Class in his buuonhole, and the usual breast
cagle.
Belt and double shoulder braces are of olive-
khaki webbing. On the belt are worn the triple
magazine pouches for the excellent MP. 38/40
series gmm. sllbmachi!1e gun, long adopted as
the Wehnnacht's standard light automatic for
junior leaders. (The universal but erroneous usc
of the popular name 'Schmeisser' for this weapon
docs a serious injustice LO the actual designers, the
Erma factory.) The outside left pouch has a small
pocket at the bOllom for the magazine loading
tool. Sets of these pouches in both black leather
and webbing were used in Africa. Most of the
assault pack equipment is obscured in this view,
but is illustrated in the next pain(ing.
The standard Wehrmacht steel helmet was
camouflaged for desert usc by the individual
soldier, using the sandyellow paint issued for
vehicles. Sometimes the finish was matted by
mixing in sand with the paint; sometimes the
paint covered the decals, sometimes not; and
sometimes it was applied in an incomplete
'splotch' pattern over the original field grey sur-
face. Here the right hand decal, the nationaltri-
colour shield in black, white and red, is exposed.
Sunandsand goggles, of some half a dozen dif-
ferent designs, were widely used by troops of aU
ranks and all branches in North Africa.
F2 Gifrtiltr, InfOllltrit, '943
An infantry lance-corporal in the standard assault
equipment of the Cerman soldier in Africa. His
helmel is covered in hessian from a sand-bag. He
wears Ihe usual jacket, and field trousers bloused
al Ihe ankle over brown leather bools. The belt
supports an enlrenching tool hanging reversed in
a webbing case on the left hip, with the webbing
frogged bayonet scabbard tucked into its straps.
Behind the right hip is the 'bread-bag', containing
rations, washing kit, eating utensils, field cap.
and small personal kit. Above it is the canteen,
here the European model with an oval cup and a
brown fell cover; this shade has 110 significance to
Ihe theatre of opcratiomi, as manufacturers sup
plied them with brown, grey, or greenish covers
indiscriminately. Another Iype which saw service
had a smaller, round cup of black plastic. and yet
a third had a brown, smooth finish owing to a
coal of plastic.impregnated wood over the alu
minium. The capacity was a quart. The last
mentioned type had a cruciform web cradle, as
opposed to the single vertical strap shown here.
The gasmask canister is of metal, painted tan,
and slung round the body on a web strap. The
JrOup olCe........ pri_e... clisplay QI.lUlIy dec::aih
of aaiform IUId kil; Dote pop....rily of ... lUte IUId
pUe field eaptJ. (Imperial War MII_m)
canvas assault frame clips to the O-rings on the
Ystraps behind the shoulder, and is held at the
bottom corners by clips at the ends of the pack
straps which pass over the shoulder and round
and back under the arms. Behind the top of the
frame was strapped the mess-tin, with belo"' it the
camouflaged shelter quarter, and (obscured here)
a canvas bag holding rope and pegs for making a
tent out ofsheltcr quarters; a sweater; and iron
rations.
Thc thaI excellent and versatile
container SO eagerly captured and liner copied by
the British and Americans, was marked with a
white cross when it contained water. NOle the
silver-on-brown 'AFRIKA wilh palms' curf title
on the left forearm, which rcplac<:d - officially -
the earlier style worn on the right arm. II was
issued to personnel who had served for six months
in the theatre; who were wounded in combat in
the theatre; or who had been evacuated because
of disease afler serving at least three months.
Winners of major gallantry awards received il
irrespective of service duration. Like the carHer
37
pattern, it was also worn on the greatcoat sleeve.
It was instituted by order of the Fuhrer on 15
January 1943.
F3 Sclu'il<.t, bfanlerie, 194'-43
This infantry private is the squad machine
gunner, and carries the superb MC.34, the quick
firing 792mm. light machine gun which was
standard issue to the '<\'ehrmacht until the ap
pearanee in 194-3 of the cheaper and equally
efficient MC42. The MC.34 had a cyclic rate of
between 800 and 900 rounds per minute; it
measured 48 inches long, weighed just over 251b,
and was fed either by a 250-round belt or a 50-
round drum. A sling \o,'as clipped to the bollom of
the pistol-grip and to an attachment halfway up
the barrel, but it is usually seen carried in this
manner. A metal case for twO spare barrels is
slung on the gunner's back, and he also carries an
ammunition box. Machine-gunners were not
issued with riAes, for obvious reasons, and so did
1I0t wear ammunition pouches. Instead they car-
ried a leather case of MG.34 stripping and clean-
ing tools, and an anti-aircraft sight, 011 the right
frOllt of the belt; and a P.oS or P.38 pist.ol in a
holster on the left side, for personal defence.
Here, the holsler is obscured as the gunner has
looped the Slrap of his sand-paintcd stecl helmct
over it. Note the silvcr-eagle-ona-blackshield
decal, the normal decoration of the left sidc of this
helmet.
The field cap bears the usual badges, and an
invened Vee of white Waffenfarbc piping, indi-
cating infantry. The same piping edges the shoul-
der straps of the tropical issuc khaki-drab great-
coat, cut exactly as the field grey European
model.
GI Oher/eufnollf, Arfi/lerie, '941-43
This officer is a Ritlerkreuztrager; the Knight's
Cross was a highly honoured decoration for
gallantry and would be worn at all times. It was
worn on a ribbon (cemral red stripe with outer
white stripes and black edges) under the shirt
collar, and the shirt was thus buttoned 10 the neck
to allow the medal to be displayed. It was only
awarded to officers and men who already held
both classes of the Iron Cross; thus this officer
wears the ribbon of the 2nd Class in his button-
38
hole, and the medal of the 1st Class pinned to his
Icft breast pocket. Beneath the latter are the black
Wound Badgc, and the General Assault Badge, to
which the artillery were cntitled; it rcatures an
eagle and swastika abovc a crossed grenade and
bayonet. The AFRI KAKORPS cuff Litle is worn
on the right arm.
The uniform is entirely conventional. The pale
field cap has officers' silver piping at the crown
and in the rront scoop of the turn-up seam. The
silver-on-tan officers' cagle badge is worn on the
front of the crown, and a red artillery Waffen
farbe soutache encloses the national cockade. Some
officers worc this in the rank and rile version, in
flat weaving on a brown diamond; others wore
thc black-silver.rcd raised version or their rank.
without a backing patch. The breast cagle is the
regulation European model for offieers, silver on
dark green. The standard officers' collar patch
has "cd distinctions. and the epaulcttes have a rcd
underlay. They arc the junior officers' model. of
ribbed silver braid, with the single gold 'pip' of an
Ober!eutnanl; Leutnal1le wore no pips, and
Hauptmanne worc two. The long field trousers
are bloused at 'the ankle over desert sneakers. A
leather shouldcr strap and cradle suppOrt the
canteen (for officers and other personnel who did
not normally wear the standard assault equip-
ment) and a map case is slung on the brown
leather field service belt with a doubledaw
buckle.
G2 Pa"t.erschiilt.f, '94'-43
The true appearance or the Afrika Korps old
sweat, up the desert! The tank crewman illu-
strated hcre during a halt is wearing the black
Panzcr rankers' sidecap, which was quite often
retained in North Africa. It has the regulation
pale greyonblack eagle and swastika badge
abovc a national cockade cnclosed in a Vee of
pink f1/tljJe1ifarbe. The shirt is worn with rolled
sleeves - note the dog-tag, and the desert goggle1i
allowed to hang at the throat. The shorts afC
rolled high. Regulations insisted Ihat to protecl
the legs from the ever-present desen sores, flies,
ctc., only the high-lacing desen boots should be
worn when shorts were used; photos prove that
this sensible order was more often honoured in the
breach than the execution. The ankle-length
desert sncakers, in esscncc simply cut..cJown vcr
siam of the descrt boot. were vcry widely worn
by all personnel. Thissoldier is carrying mess tins,
thcir handles looped togcther, and reading the
latest issue of the Afrika Korps newspaper, Dit
Oim. The only insignia worn arc the pink-piped
olive drab shoulder straps. and even these were
very often omitted. All clothing is faded and worn,
and shorts and shirt were often bleached deliber
atel)' in the same way as the cap.
Gj Tenentt, Itolion tonk rtgimrnts, 1941-43
The padded leather protective helmet with at
tached neck-flap and the threcquarter.length
leather coat were issued to all Italian armoured
crews. The rank was sometimes indicated on thl'
left breast, in the same style as on the side cap.
although junior officers seem sometimes to have
pinned the stars of their rank dircctl)' to the
leather. The collar insignia of the ~ I - t a n k
regiments was as illustrated - a double scarlet
'flame' with the usual silver star. sewn to a backing
p'ltch in blue -the branch colour of the armoured
and motorised troops. The epauletlcs would have
been piped in blue, when worn with the tropical
service dress; the)' were not applied to the leather
coat. This figure is taken from Mollo. with some
additional insignia.
II I Untmljji<.irr, LuftwajJt F{okl1rtillrrit, 1941 42
Rommel's deadly 88mm. dual-purpose guns,
designed as antiaircraft weapons but used with
devastating crfect as anti-tank and medium field
guns. were largely manned by the Flak.anillerie.
the Luftwaffe's anti-aircraft branch. l\lany units
of this branch serv('d in thc desert wnr. from the
earlit."St intervention of the German forces up 10
the final collapse in Tunisia. By the lime or El
.'\lamein the importance of this branch was
recognised b)' nssembling two regiments the
J02nd and 135th into the 19th Flak Division.
Further details will be found in this author's
previous tiLle in the Menal .'\rms series, Luftwaffi
Airhornt' and Fitfd Unils.
Early in the campaign the Luftwaffe officers
and men seem to have worn army tropical uni-
forms with partial addition of Luftwaffe insignia;
photos exist showing this uniform worn with Flak
shoulder straps and collar patches, and retaining
the army breast cagle (sec illustration FI, Lufi
Itatia.ot. pri....~ puttias their dOC1l.lD.... u: La tIoar earn (or
Wpeca_i UOfe seaenoJ 1_ oul1iae o( u..uoruu, &Del
ICOUar ....d .Iee..., iasipia. (Imperia! War MIlft1UQ)
lla.fft Airbornt ond Fitlti Units.) Later they received
a distinct tropical uniform of their own (sec next
illustration.) This sergeant, who is helping out as
an ammunition-number in an emergency. wears
the usual arm) field cap with the insignia from
European headgear a white cagle and swastika
of the unique Luftwaffe shape on a dark blue
background, lIbove a raised national cockade. His
breast cagle is also from a European uniform, as
are his shoulder straps - Luftwaffe blue. with lhe
silver Tresse of his rank. and the red piping of the
Flakartillerie. His n:d collar patches bear a single
stylised 'wing' ofwhitc metal, nnd arc framed by
a short Lshapcd section ofsilver NCO Tresse, the
whole being sewn 10 the tropical uniform, which
lacks the usual dull ochre tropical TressI:.'. (We
havc tnken this combination of insignia from a
wartime photogrnph of a Flak NCO in the
desert.) The Flak bndgc on thc left breast is the
cCjuivalent ill this branch of all Assault badge, and
signifies meritorious service at the fronl. It is in
dull silvcr, and fcature!> an antiaircraft gun bc-
neath a Luftwall'e caglc. the whole within, and
breaking the edge of, an oval wreath. The rest of
the uniform is conventional. The basket is the
threcround ammunition container used for
88mm. ammunition; the sergeant carries a round
ofarmour-piercing.
112 Hauptman", Luftwa.fft Flakartillmt, 19P--43
This figure illustrates the Luftwaffe tropical uni.
form. identical in cut for officers and men, which
\,'as issued in 1942. While officers had wom their
collar patches of rank and branch on the army
39
tunic, this practice was not followed with the new
tunic, and epauleucs became the only means of
identification. This officer wears the usual ribbed
silver braid epauleltes of a German junior
officer, with his branch's red Waffenfarbe under-
lay and the two gold pips of his rank. His breast
eagle is an other ranks' white-on-blue model -
officers seem very frequently to have worn this
insignia rather than the silver-on-blue style of
commissioned rank. The Luftwaffe Ground Com-
bat badge in whjte metal is pinned to his left
breast pocket and the rron Cross 2nd Class ribbon
is worn through the bUtlonhole. He wears the
usual plain leather bell with double-claw buckle
of a German officer's field service dress, with a
holstered Walther P.38 as a personal weapon. The
loose trousers of this uniform, bloused over ordin-
ary soldiers' boots, have a large left thigh pocket.
The Luftwaffe officer's whitc-topped summer and
tropical peaked cap is worn, with conventional
badges, the upper insignia being ofsilver on white
backing. With the appcaranceofthis uniform also
came a sand-coloured sidccap of similar shape to
the Luftwaffe's European side cap, and a blue-
grey or white eagle and swastika cap insignia on a
tan triangular background patch, which was
applied to the peaked field cap and the side cap,
above the raised black-white-red cockade used on
European headgear. Photographs accompany the
texl.
Ifj Unterqjizier, Luftwaffi Ramcke Parae/lUte
Brigade, 1942-43
(We have illustrated an NCO in order toshow the
rank insignia worn on the smock, but in fact this
rank would almost certainly have been armed with
the MP-4o.) The famous FaUschirm-Brigade Rameke,
led by Generalmajor Bernhard Ramcke, arrived
in Africa to bolstcr Rommcl's forces before 1
Alamein in July and August 1942; it comprised
three rifle battal,ions with small supporting
elemellls, but had no vehicles. The brigade fouglll
fiercely on the southern sector of the Axis line in
the battle of 23 October-3 November, and made
40
an epic retreat to the Fuka line, capturing British
transport, fuel and rations 011 lhe way. After a
period in the rear, this unit was again committed
to action in Tunisia, where its survivors were
captured.
The paratroopers were issued the standard
Luftwaffe tropical uniform (see H2 above) over
which they wore their distinctive, generously-cut
jump-smock. All three patterns are known to have
been used in Africa: that illustrated, with a
splinter pattern; the later 'water pattern' with a
softer mingling of colours; and the tan type pre-
pared for the invasion of Malta. The only insignia
worn were the stylised rank 'wings' on cloth
patches sewn to the arm, by NCOs from Unter-
offizierupwardsand by officers ; and the character-
istic Luftwaffe breast eagle. Jump-boots, ordinary
brown leather service boots, and desert sneakers
were all used. The leather equipment - belt, y.
straps, pO\lches, etc. - was observed in black and
brown, and some olive webbing was also issued.
The paratroopers' extra ammunition bandolier,
slung round the neck, was used in camouflaged
and plain tan patterns, and probably in blue-grey
as well. Thc distinctive paratroopers' helmct was
paintcd tan. This NCO has the standard Mauser
rifle, and canvas grenade-bags - each holding
three stick-grenades - slung round his body like
water-wings; a web strap passed behind the neck
joining the top centre of each bag, and twO others
weill across the back under the arms, joining the
centre of the inner edges of the bags.
The odd-looking c10lh peaked cap, with bUI
lOned-on neck flap, was known as the Hermann
Meyer, a joking reference to Goring. I t was used
in Africa and other Mediterranean areas, from
April '942 onwards, by some parachute units and
by clements of tile Hermann Goring Division. The
insignia was in white, flat-woven on a sand
coloured backing, and followed the usual Lufl-
waAe design. \o\lhile photos exist of this cap being
worn, the light sand-coloured tropical sidecap was
more common. The Meyer was sometimes fitted
with cap-cords by officers.
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