Battle for Northern Africa-interesting info

This one actually in Italy...

The army after Italy surrendered Sept 1943
( loyal to Mussolini ):

The four divisions were trained in Germany, and started to arrive in Italy the summer of 1944. These divisions were named "Italia" which was trained in Heuberg, "Littorio" trained in Sennelager in Wurttemberg, "Monterosa", trained in Munzingen nel Baden, and "San Marco", trained in Grafenwoer.

The Monterosa division would see the most action in the remaining year of the war. They beat back an attack by Brazilian forces on 2 October 1944.

http://www.comandosupremo.com/RSI.html

During the last year of war in Northern Italy, the ANR had the only Axis aircraft flying in the region. During the period it flew Macchis, the Iº Gruppo Caccia claimed 100 Allied aircraft with the same amount of losses. It downed more aircraft than any other Italian unit of its size.

 

The Italians placed greater emphasis on their war in Greece and Albania than that in Africa. Some other examples are the shipment of 2500 vehicles to Libya versus over 10,000 to Albania. The Trieste Motorized Division was intended for Albania, but the Albanian port of Durazzo couldn't handle its vehicles and it was sent to Africa instead.

Between Benghazi and Sidi el Barrani Graziani had only 2700 vehicles to tow 1100 guns and to transport 104,500 men on the eve of the British attack. By late February 1941 the Italians in Albania had two-thirds as many vehicles as Libya (9132 to 5270) and two and a half times as many motorcycles (4170 to 1714).

http://www.ordersofbattle.darkscape.net/site/sturmvogel/italpriorities.html

 

Kai,

By Feb 1941 most of the vehicles the Italians had in Africa had been captured by O'Connors men!

It is interesting though that Mussolini placed such emphasis on Albania/Greece.

 

Amongst the black Italian stations set up to ‘encourage’ the surrender of the Italian Navy, the most important became Radio Livorno (Leghorn).

Supposedly run by an Italian naval officer and a naval wireless operator, from the radio cabin of an Italian warship,the station gave the nightly impression of transmitting to other ships on behalf of the Italian Resistance. Broadcasts were themed so as to prevent any action by Resistance members, unless cleared though the station. The implication was made that negotiations were in hand with the Allies to liberate the Italian navy from German command.

On September 10th, 1943, following Italy’s unconditional collapse, Livorno became the instrument by which the order to sail was given. From Spezia and Genoa, the Italian battle fleet then duly sailed forth, to surrender to Admiral Cunningham at Malta!

http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/emerson00/miton%20bryan_3.html

 

Pics from the Italian front:

http://members.aol.com/Custermen/PHOTOS/WW2Photo.html

 

Good pics Kai

Recently I came across the one below taken in the vicinity of the Arno Valley. One thing that struck me about it was how well it illustrates the statement that Italy greatly favoured the defender over the attacker. Consider the thoughts of the men advancing in such a terrain, where it's very evident that after they have cleared the ridge in front of them, there’s another beyond that, then another, and another……..and all the while the enemy is somewhere up there watching their every move.


No.9

 

From Beevor´s Crete book

Nick names given during the failed operations in Greece and Crete

RAF= Rare As Fairies

BEF= Back Every Fortnight

 

François Darlan and Eisenhower and FDR



http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/writers/heijen/works/africa.htm

Darlan was the head of the French navy appointed by Daladier. At the time of the military debacle in June 1940, this “democrat” thought only of a deal with Hitler, rallied to Petain, subsequently became “Chief of Government” in Vichy and Petain’s “heir. “ In order to find more easily a common language with Hitler, he subjected France to a reign of terror. Now, this ex-democrat turned fascist has become an ex-fascist democrat and he works, we were assured November 18 by Major Akers, one of the American military chiefs of North Africa, to “free” France.

On November 14 finally came the official announcement by the American command that Darlan and Eisenhower “would act in cooperation for the defense of North Africa.”

The final commentary on Roosevelt’s statement came in a dispatch from North Africa on November 18, announcing that “the local administration will, wherever possible, be entrusted to the same persons who handled it before the campaign.” Since the head of the central African administration is also the same as before, namely Darlan, everyone can see the great change brought about by the passage from the fascist to the democratic camp!

On November 15, General Clark, Eisenhower’s second in command, expressed his “pleasure” in dealing with Darlan and “disclaimed any purpose to interfere in French affairs.” Eisenhower himself had previously declared, in order to explain his arrangement with Darlan, that “political developments had no place at present.” Keeping Darlan in office is explained as “abstention from politics,” and especially from interference in French affairs!

---------

The final interesting thing is that FDR condemned the murder of Darlan as “first degree murder.”

BTW, is this something that later on made the nazis think they could stay in power after the war???


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Darlan

 

Wow!! I had no idea thanks Kai

 

The pics from Italy are exellent. What the Allies needed was divisions of Jaegers (like myself ) The terrain is superb for mountain divs, but horrible for motorised/mechanised divs. Advancing along the few (poor) roads with Jerry shooting down your throat.. No wonder it was a tough campaign. (To top it the media was probably filled with stories of unopposed drives across France)

 

They did,

10th US Mountain Div, arrived a bit late though.

4,8 & 10 Indian Divs included men who grew up on Mountains that made the Italian Alps look like mole hills.

The French Tobors of Goums and 3rd Algerian & 9th Moroccan from the Atlas.

The problem is that the attacker in such terrain is always at a disadvantage, but dont forget the Allies continually pushed the Wermacht out of such fantastic defensive positions.

Plus, the Allies were poorly generalled and incorrectly equipped for a campaign in a country like Italy.

 

I agree on the Indian divs and the French colonials. They infiltrated through the mountains rather than 'round the clock bombing and massive artillery barrages followed by motorised/mech forces.

I do however disagree with the attacker always beeing at a disadvantage in such terrain. The allied armies were not suited to warfare in Italy (not counting the previously mentioned divs) What was really lacking was a commander like Slim, that took the consequence of fighting in rugged terrain. That is trimming the army's equipment and grouping.

As an officer with the Jaegers (now serving in the Home Guards...) the pictures from Italy are superb. Plenty of infiltration routes. None possible for an Army that operate conventionally.

I have nothing but the deepest respect for the men who fought in the 'forgotten' campaign in Italy. The fault rest on the superior commanders.

PS The attacker is always at an disadvantage isn't he??

 

Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert served as the commanding officer of IV./JG 27 in the West and was the top scoring ace of the Tunisian campaign, claiming 51 victories between January and April 1943. ( The pic is from the net!)

 

Haven´t seen many Afrika Korps postcards but I guess here´s one ?!

 

My old man was the duty signaller at 78 Div HQ who took the message that Darlan had been killed.

 

My old man was the duty signaller at 78 Div HQ who took the message that Darlan had been killed. </font>[/QUOTE]Its interesting to see how much Darlan did to keep Vichy more on the Allied side than the German. Th biggest problem for Vichy was Laval, who was 99% pro German.(Even he didnt totally kow-tow to the German requests

 

Darlan was even allowed to keep several anti-semitic laws in North Africa created earlier in the Vichy period according to the document I mentioned so I am more amazed how much Ike et co let take place really in order to minimize their men losses, if that was the true reason for making the deal with Darlan. I can see however how much the French and especially De Gaulle and his men were irritated and must say that PERHAPS one of the reasons to deal with Darlan was to have some kinda deal but only Darlan was "ok with enough authority " at the time even if persona non grata really.

 

For Rommel´s binoculars and field glasses you have to visit El Alamein military museum ( lower section of the site ):

http://www.destoop.com/trip/3%20DAYBYDAY/020320-Alex/3-MedEgypt.HTM

 

From " Tank destroyers " by Yeide

American observers in Africa reported that emplaced British AT guns often survived only long enough to fire 4-8 rounds...( June 1942 )

 

I've read reinert had 59 med kills. Here's the poop on JG 77 vs the Amies around Tunisia I believe.


at least 151 Allied aircraft shot down and destroyed versus 32 German fighters shot down and destroyed.








Generally, the number of fighters pilot casualties were close to the number of shot down and destroyed fighters. So we can assume, on fairly good grounds, that JG 77 had a victory-to-loss ratio of around 5:1 in Africa. (I don't have the time to sit down and go through the whole list.)