Tobruk 1941 (Battle Story) by Desconhecido(a)

Author:Desconhecido(a) [Desconhecido(a)]
Language: por
Format: epub
Published: 2014-06-15T23:00:00+00:00

36. German Panzers and armoured cars advancing. Apart from the single paved road, the via Balbia, and a few tracks, these columns had to rely on unmarked tracks which made orientation quite difficult.

The situation was not much better on the other side of the hill. General Norrie decided to regroup what was left of the XXX Corps around the 1st South African Division in order to refit and reorganise the 7th Armoured Division, and the 6th New Zealand Brigade was tasked with leading the advance towards Tobruk. Cunningham, however, was becoming increasingly anxious. In the morning of 23 November reports indicated that XXX Corps was left with only forty-four tanks while the enemy still had approximately 120, and Auchinleck was forced to fly in from Cairo. The meeting took place in the afternoon, and Cunningham gave his pessimistic view of the situation: given the enemy superiority in armour, Eighth Army’s infantry was exposed to tank attack and it was even possible that the Germans might be able to cut off the British formations in the Sidi Rezegh area, leaving nothing available to prevent any further advance into Egypt. Cunningham then asked Auchinleck whether it was time to halt the offensive and turn to the defensive. Auchinleck took the bold decision to continue with the offensive, which was sanctioned by a subsequent directive: ‘You will therefore continue to attack the enemy relentlessly using all your resources even to the last tank. Your main objective will be as always to destroy the enemy tank forces. Your ultimate objective remains the conquest of Cyrenaica and then to advance on Tripoli …’16 Immediately, Cunningham issued new orders; XIII Corps was to take over responsibility for the attack toward Tobruk, which also included the encircled garrison, and was given the immediate task of capturing Sidi Rezegh and Ed Duda. XXX Corps was to reorganise, deploying one South African brigade to relieve the Indian units along the frontier, while getting ready to protect the 1st South African Brigade and the advancing New Zealand Division from enemy tank attacks.

Rommel wanted the Afrika Korps to be ready to move at 10 a.m., which was indeed asking too much from men that had been fighting relentlessly until late the previous day. Nevertheless, the delay was minimal and at 10.30 a.m. the 21st Panzer Division set off, followed at 12.30 p.m. by the 15th Panzer Division. Both divisions were stretched out in long columns with open flanks, and were soon attacked by 7th Armoured Division’s units, while the 1st South African Brigade halted the advance of the Ariete Division on the Trigh El Abd, east of Bir El Gubi. At 4 p.m. the spearheads of the 21st Panzer Division reached the frontier at Gasr El Abid, the division stretched over a distance of 70km, and the 15th Panzer Division approached the area south of Sidi Omar. Rommel, moving along with Gause in a staff car, was joined by Crüwell, himself moving in a staff car without protection, and both were

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