The Battle for North Africa by Glyn Harper

The Battle for North Africa by Glyn Harper

Author:Glyn Harper [Harper, Glyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780253031433
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Published: 2017-01-15T07:00:00+00:00


Frontline troops

220,476

110,000 (53,736 Germans)

Tanks

1,020 (170 Grants, 252 Shermans, 216 Crusader II, 78 Crusader III, 119 Stuarts, 194 Valentines)

600 (249 German, of which only 129 were “heavy” tanks)

Armored cars

400

200

Artillery

892

552 (including 26 heavy guns)

Anti-tank guns

1,350 (800 six-pounders, 550 two-pounders)

1,063 (86 were the notorious 88 mm dual-purpose gun)

Mines

500,000

Aircraft

530

350

1 Figures vary in different accounts of the battle. I have used figures from Walker, 249–250 and Barr, 276.

* * *

Eighth Army was not “immensely superior” in force, as Rommel alleged, either. Senior staff officer Generalmajor Alfred Toppe later admitted that during this period “the strengths of both sides were about equal. Neither the Eighth British Army nor the German forces had any appreciable measure of superiority.”98 The comparative strengths on the eve of battle can be seen in table 5.1.

From the figures in table 5.1, in terms of men, armor, and artillery, Eighth Army appeared to have a crushing superiority. It may therefore seem surprising that Panzerarmee managed to stave off defeat for as long as it did. This is especially true when Panzerarmee’s fuel shortage was considered. In September, only 20 percent of Panzerarmee’s supplies had been lost en route to North Africa. In October, though, this figure had reached “no less than 44 per cent.”99 Rommel’s supply lines were being steadily strangled by Allied planes and submarines, which were well-informed about when shipments were being made to him. On the eve of the offensive, Panzerarmee had three consumption units on hand, which gave it enough fuel for just over four days’ battle supply.100 During the battle, Mussolini admitted to the senior Italian commander that the problem of fuel for Panzerarmee “gnawed at his liver, day and night.”101

But fuel shortages aside, Eighth Army’s numerical superiority was not as great as the numbers would suggest. In most areas, Eighth Army had a two-to-one advantage over Panzerarmee. When attacking, a three-to-one advantage is the general rule of thumb used. Walker, the New Zealand official historian, wrote of Eighth Army’s two-to-one superiority: “The course of military history shows that such a ratio is not sufficient on its own to ensure victory to the attackers.”102 Eighth Army had often enjoyed this numerical advantage before and had still not been able to defeat Rommel.

Eighth Army’s strength in infantry and armor was deceptive. The infantry divisions of 30 Corps had the task of making the breach in the Axis line. There were five divisions but one, the 4th Indian Division, was not ready to take part in a major assault. It had only two brigades and the Corps Commander assessed it as “only capable of holding the line and could only be relied on provided they were very well mined and wired in.”103 It had been planned that 4th Indian Division would carry out a series of raids around Ruweisat Ridge, but these had to be abandoned. Two of the five divisions were below strength and had no replacements available. These were the 1st South African Division and the 2nd New Zealand Division. The New Zealanders would receive no reinforcements in 1942, which meant that their two infantry brigades were well below strength.



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