II. The History
As a wargamer and a history buff myself interested in the Desert War, names and battles like Alamein, Tobruk and Crusader are certainly familiar. But details of the events and the order of things tend to become less clear when one has been playing games and reading on other fronts. And while there are numerous published sources anyone could access at a public library, I thought it prudent to include a very brief synopsis of events leading up to the period covered by this game and a few brief facts to help frame the action and scenarios included in Alamein '42.
For this I would like to thank Garreth Hughes from "World War 2 Timeline" ( http://www.worldwar-2.net/ ) for the use of his dates and facts. Players interested in all the details are encouraged to visit the full list of events at his website under Timelines => War in the Desert, and then select the year.
Events leading up to Alamein '42
1940
August:
Five Italian divisions and 200 tanks in Cyrenaica under Marshal Graziani, cross the Libyan/Egyptian border and advance toward Sidi Barrani in Egypt. Italian advance in Egypt continues as they capture Sidi Barrani, 60 miles from frontier. At this point the Italians halt their offensive and begin to construct a number of fortified camps.
December:
The Western Desert Force which is 30,000 strong and under the command of Wavell takes to the offensive 'Operation Compass'. While pursuing the retreating Italians, the British forces in North Africa take Sollum, Fort Capuzzo and several other crucial Italian defensive positions. They also capture another 38,000 Italians along the way. Mussolini requests German assistance for his hard-pressed troops in Cyrenaica, asking for a Panzer Division, Luftwaffe units and various logistical support.
1941
January:
Tobruk surrenders to British and Australian troops who capture 25,000 Italians, along with 208 guns and 87 tanks. Combined British and Australian losses were about 450. The British government now orders Wavells XIII Corps to capture Benghazi.
February:
Italian forces make repeated attempts to break through the weak British blocking forces at Beda Fomm, but cannot. Lieutenant General Erwin Rommel is appointed to command the German forces being sent to Africa. The Italians surrender 20,000 men, 200 guns and 120 tanks to just 3,000 British troops.
Lieutenant General Rommel arrives in Tripoli and two weeks later, reconnaissance elements of the German 5th Light Division clash with British forces for the first time in Africa, at Nofilia near El Agheila.
March:
Rommel, conducts a limited offensive to recapture El Agheila from the British, which succeeds with startling ease. This encourages Rommel to push forward towards Mersa Brega.
April:
Elements of the 5th Light Division capture Mechili and threaten to cut of the 9th Australian Division which is withdrawing at speed towards Tobruk along the coast. Derna is captured the 5th Light Division along with Generals Neame and O'Connor later in the day.
Rommel makes an attempt to capture Tobruk off the march. However, the 9th Australian Division repulses the attack, forcing the Germans to think again. By now the Germans are pretty exhausted after 3 weeks of continuous action and their vehicles in serious need of an overhaul
German advance spearheads capture Sollum. Rommel receives orders from Berlin that he is to consolidate on the Egyptian frontier and concentrate of capturing Tobruk. Only then will he be allowed to push into Egypt. But the German troops cross the Egyptian border and capture the Halfaya Pass, forcing the British to pull back to a defensive line running from Buq Buq on the coast to Sofafi, some 50km in to the desert. The British also begin construction of a major defensive line in front of Mersa Matruh. (This Defensive line will play a role in the Alamein '42 game 14 months later)
May:
The British Army under Auchinleck, launch an offensive, operation 'Brevity' against the Afrika Korps and manage to recapture Halfaya Pass, Sollum and Capuzzo.
The Afrika Korps counter-attack against the British and retake Sollum and Capuzzo, although the Halfaya Pass remains in British hands. Berlin orders Rommel to leave Tobruk to the Italians and to concentrate the Afrika Korps near the Egyptian border.
June:
The British Army begins 'Operation Battleaxe' to relieve Australian held Tobruk and then advance towards Derna. However, they meet fierce counter attacks by the Afrika Korps and are unable to make any headway.
July:
General Wavell is relieved of his command as C-in-C of the Middle East, by General Sir Claude Auchinleck.
August:
A brigade of the 9th Australian Division which is besieged at Tobruk is relieved by sea, as Polish reinforcements arrive. After demands from the Australian Prime Minister, the British agree to relieve the remainder of the 9th Australian Division from Tobruk.
September:
General Sir Claude Auchinleck begins planning forthcoming British Offensive, 'Operation Crusader'
November:
'Operation Crusader', the British Eighth Army's offensive to relieve Tobruk begins. Rommel, who arrives back from Rome that day, is caught by surprise, allowing the British XXX Corps to advance 50-miles and capture the axis airfield 10 miles south of Sidi Rezegh.
The Tobruk garrison links up with the Eighth Army and the Siege is lifted
December:
The German and Italian forces withdraw to a defensive position at Gazala. The Eighth Army attacks. Rommel, fearful that the British will outflank him, orders the retreat. The British retake Benghazi.
1942
January:
Rommel's battered forces reach the Tripolitanian frontier having evaded all British attempts to cut them off.
Without consulting higher authority, Rommel launches a counter-offensive against the 8th Army. The 21st Panzer Division quickly seizes Mersa Brega,
German troops capture Msus, which threatens the 4th Indian Divisions position at Benghazi. Lieutenant General Ritchie, orders the 4th Indian Division to withdraw to a line running from Derna to Mechili, but this order is countermanded by General Auchinleck who wanted the 8th Army to counter-attack. However, the 8th Army was to widely dispersed and Rommel’s forces were advancing to quickly.
February:
After just over 2 weeks of frenetic action, Rommel's counter-offensive comes to a halt in front of the Gazala line, a series of self supporting fortified boxes running south from Gazala for a hundred miles to Bir Hacheim. Although not complete, it presents too much of an obstacle for the Afrika Korps who by this time are running low on fuel and reserves.
Events covered in Alamein '42
1942
May:
The battle for the Gazala line begins (Operation Venezia), as the Afrika Korps thrusts around the southern end of the Eighth Army's defensive positions towards Tobruk. However the Free French forces at Bir Hacheim manage hold up this advance.
The battle of the 'Cauldron' begins as Rommel attacks the fortified box in the Gazala line that is held by the 150th Brigade of the British 50th Division. The Italians attack from the west as elements of the Afrika Korps attack from the east. Meanwhile Rommel's anti-tank gunners, repulse a number of British armoured counter-attacks against his position in the 'Cauldron'. However, Lieutenant General Ritchie is hampered by his inability to concentrate his armour and so is unable to relieve the 150th Brigade.
June:
The Eighth Army launches a counter-attack against the Afrika Korps forces that are inside the 'Cauldron. This is codenamed 'Aberdeen', but went disastrously wrong from the start, with an infantry tank brigade being destroyed in minefields and an Indian infantry brigade attacking the wrong positions. This left the remainder of the force, the 22nd Armoured Brigade to be repulsed easily by the untouched German defenses. British losses for this operation were 150 tanks, 133 guns and 6,000 troops
German and Italian troops captures Bir Hacheim finally from the Free French, who had been totally cut off since the 26 May 1942.
Lieutenant General Ritchie gives General Norrie permission to withdraw XXX Corps past Tobruk and as far as Mersa Matruh to re-equip. General Gott's XIII is ordered to take up defensive positions on the Egyptian frontier. This left the city exposed to another siege, for which its defenses were inadequate, having been allowed to deteriorate during the winter.
The Eighth Army's withdrawal reaches the Egyptian frontier, leaving behind the 2nd South African Division to form the basis of a 30,000 strong garrison at Tobruk.
The Germans isolates Tobruk by cutting the coast road at Gambut.
Rommel turns and launches a surprise against Tobruk. This throws the garrison into confusion which allows German troops to breach the outer defenses. The fortress falls in one day with the capture of 32,000 prisoners and tons of fuel and food
German advanced elements reach the Egyptian border. Rommel signals Kesselring for permission to continue the advance in to Egypt, pointing out that at Tobruk his forces has captured large quantities of fuel and supplies.
Rommel is made a Field Marshal and launches attacks against Mersa Matruh. Meanwhile, Kesselring, Cavallero (Italian Chief of Staff in Rome) and Bastico (Italian C-in-C in Libya) arrive at Rommel's HQ and give permission for him to continue his advance in to Egypt. Mersa Matruh falls after heavy fighting
Rommel spearheads reaches El Alamein.
July:
Rommel captures 2,000 prisoners from the El Alamein 'box' but loses 18 of his 55 remaining tanks.
The British hold El Alamein despite heavy attacks, Rommel is now down to 26 tanks.
Due to exhaustion and lack of supplies, especially fuel for the armoured divisions, Rommel orders his German and Italian forces to suspend all offensive operations before El Alamein and begin constructing defensive positions.
August:
Montgomery takes command of Eighth Army.
The Afrika Korps fails to break through the British 8th Army's lines and advance toward Alexandria, 120km away in the battle of Alam Halfa. The German lose about 30 tanks and are forced to withdraw
September:
Rommel is back to the positions held on the 31st August, having lost a tenth of his panzer force.
Field Marshal Rommel takes a medical leave and hands over command to General von Thoma.
October:
Montgomery issues the final plan to senior commanders for the Second battle of El Alamein.
The Second Battle of El Alamein begins with a 1,000-gun bombardment. The Eighth Army gains ground on a 6-mile front and repulses Axis counter-attacks.
Rommel returns to take command of the Afrika Korps!
November:
Operation 'Supercharge', the breakout at El Alamein gets under way. Rommel has only 32 Panzer's left intact
Rejecting out of hand Field Marshal Rommel's proposal to withdraw the Afrika Korps, now down to about 40 tanks, to the Fuka line, Hitler orders him to stand and fight.
The Italian 20th Motorised Corps is destroyed. Rommel re-issues his orders for retreat with only 12 tanks left. 10,724 Axis prisoners are taken by the British, including nine generals.
The British attack Rommel's rearguard, which is now almost 100 miles to west of El Alamein.
Meanwhile, to the west in Morocco and Algeria, Operation 'Torch' begins with Anglo-American forces under Lieutenant General Eisenhower landing against minimal Vichy French resistance. On the same day on the Alamein front, Mersa Matruh is re-taken by British and the long run back across the desert begins.
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