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both tanks and armoured cars, with a quantity of M.T., evidently containing that part of the German garrison of the Halfaya position which it had been possible to withdraw, moved westward along the Trigh Capuzzo.
At about 1500 hours, the column reached a point 12 miles south of Gambut where it was engaged by our armoured forces with 120 tanks. The battle continued throughout the afternoon and night; 14 enemy tanks being destroyed.
250 M.T. vehicles were, however, believed to have escaped westwards.
Operations on the 28th November.
23. At 1400 hours the tank battle was still in progress 5 miles east of Sidi Rezegh between the British armoured forces in the area and about 70 German and Italian tanks, whose object was evidently to drive back the New Zealand troops from the Sidi Rezegh-Bir El Hamed area. It is not yet clear how General Rommel had managed to augment his tank force for this battle. By the afternoon over 600 German prisoners had been captured, including the Commander of 21st Armoured Division.
Meanwhile, a force of about 45 tanks from the Italian Ariete Division was located during the morning some 30 miles east of El Gobi moving northwards. A mobile column was detailed to prevent the junction of this force with the enemy east of Sidi Rezegh.
By this time Tobruk was being used as a base for the supply of the forces about Sidi Rezegh.
24. In the frontier area our troops north and west of Sollum were heavily attacked about Capuzzo and Sidi Azeiz by an enemy force from the Sidi Omar- Sollum-Halfaya triangle. Touch was lost with the Formation Headquarters and it was feared that our losses in this area had been heavy. Meanwhile, a force was being concentrated in the Sheferzen-Sidi Omar area, with a view to restoring the situation and severing the supply line between the Bardia area and the enemy's forces in the Sollum triangle.
25. By this time over 4,000 German and Italian prisoners had been evacuated from Cyrenaica.
Operations on the 29th and the morning of the 30th November.
26. The battle about Sidi Rezegh continued throughout the 29th November and the following night.
On the afternoon of the 29th November the New Zealanders were attacked from the north-east by what have now been identified as the remnants of the 21st Armoured Division, directed on Bir El Hamed, and from the south-west by part of the 15th German Armoured Division, directed on El Duda. enemy's aim was evidently to encircle our forces in the area and cut them off from Tobruk.
In the evening, the enemy succeeded in capturing El Duda, but was driven out by a counter-attack during the night. A strong force of tanks was operating against the southern flank of the German force attacking from the west while the 21st Armoured Division was continuously and successfully attacked in the rear by mobile columns detailed for the purpose.
27. Earlier in the day, the Ariete Armoured Division had been located some 8 miles south-east of Sidi Rezegh moving northwards to support the German 21st Armoured Division. In an engagement on the afternoon of the 30th November, with a force of 60 of our tanks, the Ariete Division suffered heavy casualties and 19 tanks are said to have been seen burning.
28. In the frontier area, the situation was being progressively cleared up and contact was gained with the troops in the Sidi Azeiz-Capuzzo area, who were found to be intact, but who had been out of wireless touch since the 26th November.
Operations on the 1st and the 2nd December.
29. On the 1st December, by attacking with all his available tanks on a narrow front, the enemy succeeded in recapturing Sidi Rezegh and Bir El Hamed, thus bringing about a junction of the two German armoured divisions and severing the Tobruk corridor.
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