Western Desert Campaign 1940-42 - Enter Rommel

1941

February 12
- Rommel arrives in Tripoli

February 14
- Arrives at Tripoli the Aufklarungs-Abteilung 3

February 15
- Aufklarungs-Abteilung 3 marchs to Sirte, to be held behind the Italian positions as a mobile reserve

February 21
- Rommel's Headquarters became DAK Stab

February 24
- A small force of German armoured cars and motorcycles made contact with a patrolof the King's Dragoon Guards, supported by some Australian anti-tank guns. In the skirmish that followed the German came off best

March 8-10
- Panzer-Regiment 5 completes its desembarkation, comprising 25x PzKpfw I Ausf A, 45x PzKpfw II, 61x PxKpfw II, and 17x PzKpfw IV, plus 7 command tanks

March 12
- Rommel sent a mixed force of German and Italian towards Murzuk, to protect the flank against activity from the Free French. Soon afterwards, he moved the complete Italian Brescia Inf Division into the line of Mugata, thus freeing 5 leichte for mobile employment

March 19
- Von Brauchitsch, Wermacht C-in-C, told Rommel he would not be permited to strike a significant blow against the British. His force was merely a Sperrverband (a blocking force), there to bolster up the Italians in Tripolitania and raise their morale. There would be no further reinforcements once the complete agrred DAK had arrived, and, while Rommel could attack as soon as 15 Panzer-Division was complete (end of May), he should only go as far as Benghazi

March 24
- Axis forces, Aufklarungs-Abteilung 3, occupy El Agheila

March 31
- 5 leichte Division began its advance on Mersa Brega and there was a fierce reaction, the British cruiser tanks engaging and holding the mix of German and Italian armour

April 1
- MG Battalion 8 put in a dashing attack, capturing the Mersa el Brega defile

April 2
- 5 leichte Division began to advance atride the Via Balbia and that afternoon not only took Agedabia but also pushed on to the Zuetina area
- Rommel's plan was to divide his forces into three columns: (1) on the left the Brescia Division led by Aufklarungs-Abteilung 3 would advance along the coast towards Benghazi; (2) on the right part of 5 leichte plus the recce battalion of the Ariete Div would strike across to Cyrenaica vis Ben Gania and Bir Tengeder, then turn northwards towards El Mechili and Derna, to cut the British escape route; (3) between these two prongs an armour-heavy force consisting of Panzer-Regiment 5 plus various units of the Ariete Div and 5 leichte would make for Msus and El Mechili

April 4
- Having taken Agedabia, the left-handed column then pushed to Benghazi

April 5
- Left-handed column pushed to Barce

April 6
- The centre column captured the important fuel dumps at Msus and Mechili
- General Gambier-Parry is taken prisioner at Mechili
- On the night Generals O'Connor and Neame are taken prisioner

April 7
- Centre column reached the coastal plain at Gazala
- Left-handed column pushed to Derna

April 8
- Rommel takes Mechili

April 10-11
- The British had been swept out of the whole of Cyrenaica, with the one exception of a small force in Tobruk, where two Australian brigades, plus the remnants of 3rd Armoured Brigade, were holed up
- Leading DAK troops reached the fortress but their hurried attack was beaten off

April 14
- 5 leicht tried again the assault on Tobruk but they were once again pushed back

April 25
- The germans struck at Halfaya Pass, pushing the British back once again to a line from Buq Buq on the coast to Sofafi

April 30
- Rommel tried another major assault on Tobruk but it had to be called off after four days of heavy fighting


References:

FORTY, George; "The Desert War"; Sutton Publishing; 2002