1/11/2024 0 Comments German battle axeBrevity began on 15 May and looked initially successful, with Fort Capuzzo and Halfaya Pass being captured. Wavell quickly prepared Operation Brevity, a limited operation with the intention of seizing Sollum, the Halfaya Pass, and Fort Capuzzo, then continuing to advance on to Sidi Aziez and towards Tobruk as far as supply would allow while not risking the forces committed its objective was to destroy as much Axis equipment as possible and secure a foothold for the larger Operation Battleaxe to be launched from once the new tanks were made available. Through Ultra intercepts, the British also received Paulus′ report and Churchill, believing that one strong push would dislodge German forces, began to increase the pressure on General Wavell to immediately go on the offensive. In response to this and with the imminent invasion of the Soviet Union, Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch-the Commander-in-Chief of the German Army-ordered Rommel not to advance further or attack Tobruk again he was ordered to hold his position and conserve his forces. Īlso on 12 May General Paulus, after witnessing one of Rommel's failed attempts to assault Tobruk, sent a report to OKW describing Rommel's position as weak, with critical shortages of both fuel and ammunition. Following Compass, many of the division′s personnel had been dispersed to other tasks, meaning the division would also have to be fully reorganized and retrained to become battle ready. These tanks were intended for the rebuilding of the 7th Armoured Division, which had been out of action since February as the division was essentially tankless after losing most of its tanks to wear and tear during Operation Compass. There were delays in unloading the tanks, which also had to be modified for desert warfare and given necessary overhauls, which meant that the earliest day for Battleaxe to be launched was pushed back to 10 June. A total of 57 tanks and 10 Hurricanes had been lost when the Empire Song struck a mine in the Mediterranean although the crew was saved. On 12 May, the Tiger convoy arrived in Alexandria carrying 238 tanks and 43 Hurricanes. The German Armed Forces High Command ( Oberkommando der Wehrmacht)-also concerned by Rommel′s actions-sent General Friedrich Paulus to Africa to investigate the situation.Įrwin Rommel in his command halftrack, SdKfz.250/3. Having been informed by General Wavell that the Western Desert Force was vastly inferior to the Axis forces now in Africa, Churchill ordered that a convoy of tanks and Hawker Hurricanes, Convoy WS 58 (codenamed Tiger), be sailed through the Mediterranean instead of having it sail around the Cape of Good Hope a move that would save 40 days of sailing. The Allied response was restricted primarily to harassment by the Royal Air Force. The sole remaining Allied position in Libya was the heavily fortified port of Tobruk, which Rommel had surrounded and placed under siege. He then went on an offensive which, by mid-April, had reached as far as Sallum, Egypt. In late March 1941, soon after the arrival of German forces (the Afrika Korps) in Tripoli, Libya to reinforce the Italians, their commander (General Erwin Rommel)-although ordered to remain on the defensive-quickly captured the British front line position at El Agheila. 3.3 Day 3: 17 June - The British narrowly escape encirclementīackground Events leading up to Battleaxe.3.2.4 Outcome of day 2 and plans for day 3.3.2.3 Running battle on the western flank.3.2.2 German counter-attack repelled at Capuzzo.
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