The Grand Alliance (113 page)

“Barham” Sunk — “Human Torpedoes” Attack in
Alexandria Harbour — “Queen Elizabeth” and

“Valiant” Heavily Damaged — “Force K” Stricken

— Loss of the “Neptune” — Virtual Elimination of
the British Eastern Mediterranean Fleet — Hitler
Brings Back Air Power from Russia to Sicily —

Our Nadir in the Mediterranean.

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D
ESCRIPTIONS OF MODERN BATTLES are apt to lose the sense of drama because they are spread over wide spaces and often take weeks to decide, whereas on the famous fields of history the fate of nations and empires was decided on a few square miles of ground in a few hours. The conflicts of fast-moving armoured and motorised forces in the Desert present this contrast with the past in an extreme form.

Tanks had replaced the cavalry of former wars with a vastly more powerful and far-ranging weapon, and in many aspects their manoeuvres resembled naval warfare, with seas of sand instead of salt water. The fighting quality of the armoured column, like that of a cruiser squadron, rather than the position where they met the enemy, or the part of the horizon on which he appeared, was the decisive feature. Tank divisions or brigades, and still more smaller units, could form fronts in any direction so swiftly that the perils of being outflanked or taken in rear or cut off had a greatly lessened significance. On the other hand, all depended from moment to moment upon fuel and ammunition, and the supply of both was far more complicated for armoured forces than for the self-contained ships and squadrons at sea. The principles on which the art of war is founded expressed themselves therefore in novel terms, and every encounter taught lessons of its own.

The magnitude of the war effort involved in these desert struggles must not be underrated. Although only about ninety or a hundred thousand fighting troops were engaged in each of the armies, these needed masses of men and material two or three times as large to sustain them in their trial of strength. The fierce clash of Sidi Rezegh, which marked the opening of General Auchinleck’s offensive, when viewed as a whole, presents many of the most vivid

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features of war. The personal interventions of the two Commanders-in-Chief were as dominant and decisive and the stakes on both sides were as high as in the olden times.

General Auchinleck’s task was first to recapture Cyrenaica, destroying in the process the enemy’s armour, and, secondly, if all went well, to capture Tripolitania. For these purposes General Cunningham, who was to command the newly-named Eighth Army, was given the XIIIth and the XXXth Corps, comprising, with the Tobruk garrison, about six divisions, and three brigades in reserve.
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The total British tank strength was 724, including 367 cruisers with another two hundred in reserve. The Royal Air Force was to intensify its action for a month beforehand, so as to harry the hostile communications and gain mastery in the air for the battle. Under Air Vice-Marshal Coningham, the Western Desert Air Force consisted of sixteen fighter squadrons, twelve medium bomber, five heavy bomber, and three Army Co-operation squadrons. Out of 1311 modern combat aircraft on the strength, 1072 were serviceable, in addition to ten squadrons operating from Malta.

Seventy miles behind Rommel’s front lay the garrison of Tobruk, comprising five brigade groups and an armoured brigade. This fortress was his constant preoccupation, and had hitherto prevented by its strategic threat any advance upon Egypt. To eliminate Tobruk was the settled purpose of the German High Command, and all preparations possible had been made to begin the assault upon it on November 23. Rommel’s army comprised the formidable Afrika Corps, consisting of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions and the 90th Light Division, and seven Italian divisions, of which one was armoured. The enemy tank strength was

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estimated at 388, but, as we now know from enemy records, was actually 558. Of the medium and heavy, two-thirds were German and carried heavier guns than the two-pounders of our tanks. The enemy were moreover markedly superior in anti-tank weapons. The Axis Air Force consisted of 190 German aircraft, of which only 120 were serviceable at the moment of attack, and over three hundred Italian aircraft, of which possibly two hundred were serviceable.

The Eighth Army, under General Cunningham, was to attack with its two corps and drive west and north towards Tobruk, whose garrison was at the same time to make a heavy and violent sortie towards them. For this purpose the XIIIth Corps was to engage and hold the enemy frontier defences from Halfaya to Sidi Omar, and outflank and surround them, thus cutting off all the troops who held them, and then march towards Tobruk. Meanwhile the XXXth Corps, which contained almost the whole of our armour, was to sweep widely on the desert flank, seeking to find and fight the mass of Rommel’s armour, and at least to occupy them so that the XIIIth Corps should be shielded.

In spite of the immense preparations, complete tactical surprise was achieved. The Axis army was in process of taking up fresh positions for the attack on Tobruk due for November 23. Rommel himself was actually in Rome when the attack began. In order to strike at the brain and nerve-centre of the enemy’s army at the critical moment, fifty men of the Scottish Commando, under Colonel Laycock, were carried, by submarine to a point on the coast two hundred

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miles behind the enemy’s line. The thirty who could be landed in the rough sea were formed into two parties, one to cut telephone and telegraph communications, and the other, under Lieutenant-Colonel Keyes, son of Admiral Keyes, to attack Rommel’s Headquarters house. At midnight on the 17th, one of the Headquarters houses was broken into and a number of Germans were shot. In the close fighting of a pitch-dark room Keyes was killed. The award of a posthumous Victoria Cross was the tribute to his conduct.
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Early on November 18, in heavy rain, the Eighth Army leapt forward, and, according to their plan, the XIIIth Corps curled round the enemy positions on the frontier, while the XXXth Corps, meeting at first with no resistance, pressed upwards from the south to Sidi Rezegh. This ridge, about a hundred feet high, is almost a cliff on its northern side, dominating the Capuzzo track, Rommel’s main line of communication from west to east. Near it lies a very large airfield.

Southward, although not a conspicuous feature, it gives a good view over the undulating desert. It was judged by both sides to be the key to the whole battle area and the essential step to the relief of Tobruk.

For the first three days all went well. On the 19th what was thought to be the bulk of the German armour moved south from the coastal zone where they had been lying, and next day met our 4th and 22d Armoured Brigades fifteen miles west of Sidi Omar. The British 7th Armoured Division in its search for the enemy became widely dispersed. One of its brigades (the 7th) and the support group took Sidi Rezegh.

These and other units were successfully attacked by the Afrika Corps, whose armour had been kept more

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concentrated. During the whole of the 21st and 22d a savage struggle raged, mainly around and upon the airfield.

Into this arena virtually all the armour on both sides was drawn, and surged to and fro in violent struggles under the fire of rival batteries. The stronger armament of the German tanks and the larger numbers they brought to the points of collision gave them the advantage. In spite of the heroic and brilliant leadership of Brigadier Jock Campbell, the Germans prevailed, and we suffered more heavily than they in tanks. On the night of the 22d the Germans recaptured Sidi Rezegh. General Norrie, commanding the XXXth Corps, having lost two-thirds of his armour, ordered a general withdrawal of twenty miles in order to reorganise his command in the area north of the El Abd track. This was a heavy setback.

On the night of the 19th Auchinleck telegraphed to me: “It now seems certain that the enemy was surprised and unaware of the imminence and weight of our blow.

Indications, though these have to be confirmed, are that he is now trying to withdraw from area of Bardia-Sollum. Until we know the area reached by our armoured troops today, it is not possible to read the battle further at the moment. I myself am happy about the situation….” Tedder also reported: “The present phase in the air battle appears to be going satisfactorily. The exceptional storms on the 17/18th upset our plans for neutralising the German fighters, but they also helped to limit enemy air action during the first two days. Another fourteen Ju. 87’s were burnt on the ground yesterday. There were fifty-six heavy bomber sorties at night. Malta included Benghazi among its targets. Ten tons of ammunition were flown up to the 4th Armoured Brigade.”