Tobruk Axis POWs

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ClintHardware
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Tobruk Axis POWs

#1

Post by ClintHardware » 09 May 2016, 10:28

Looking back over various WDF files I noticed that WO 169/1242 ('A' Branch WDF/CYRCOM) has an entry on the 8th April that 1500 POWs were evacuated by sea.

Any ideas on their composition and units?
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MarkN
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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#2

Post by MarkN » 09 May 2016, 11:57

ClintHardware wrote:Looking back over various WDF files I noticed that WO 169/1242 ('A' Branch WDF/CYRCOM) has an entry on the 8th April that 1500 POWs were evacuated by sea.

Any ideas on their composition and units?
Italian 10th Army.


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ClintHardware
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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#3

Post by ClintHardware » 09 May 2016, 15:17

MarkN wrote:
ClintHardware wrote:Looking back over various WDF files I noticed that WO 169/1242 ('A' Branch WDF/CYRCOM) has an entry on the 8th April that 1500 POWs were evacuated by sea.

Any ideas on their composition and units?
Italian 10th Army.
Mostly perhaps or is it? You have not given a reference and the data would be more complicated than that by the 8th April.
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Pips
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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#4

Post by Pips » 10 May 2016, 04:51

Interesting. I hadn't given any thought to German and Italian POW's caught during the siege of Tobruk in 1941.

Where were they kept after capture? How long were they kept within Tobruk's perimeter before being shipped out (always by sea I guess)? And any idea of how many Axis were caught during the siege?

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Urmel
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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#5

Post by Urmel » 10 May 2016, 13:18

Technically the siege had not started on 8 April, these would have been POWs taken during COMPASS and kept on site for e.g. work assistance I guess, and maybe some POWs taken during the retreat.

POWs taken during the siege itself were shipped out. I doubt there were many, until the start of CRUSADER. One of the more infamous instances relating to POWs at the time of CRUSADER was the sinking of ABV Chakdina, with General von Ravenstein on board (who was fished out).
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=22858
The enemy had superiority in numbers, his tanks were more heavily armoured, they had larger calibre guns with nearly twice the effective range of ours, and their telescopes were superior. 5 RTR 19/11/41

The CRUSADER Project - The Winter Battle 1941/42

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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#6

Post by RedQXRat » 01 Jul 2016, 23:05

Pips wrote:Interesting. I hadn't given any thought to German and Italian POW's caught during the siege of Tobruk in 1941.

Where were they kept after capture? How long were they kept within Tobruk's perimeter before being shipped out (always by sea I guess)? And any idea of how many Axis were caught during the siege?
The AIF & British troops took 27000 Italian POWs Jan 1941 when they took Tobruk. This is why Hitler appointed General Rommel to the Afrika Korps.
Italian 10th army, 27th Brescia Div. , 102nd Trento Motorised Div. , 132nd Ariete Div. ????
Not too sure of evacuation etc... Palestine maybe, I don't think too many PoWs were taken thereafter during the seige, more of a shoot first, question later policy. But they had makeshift camp initially.
In 2 mths, Wavell's forces advanced 600 miles defeated 10 divisions of Italians, took 1300000 prisoners for the loss of 600 men. So they could have been moved anywhere, Cairo, Alexandria... .. ... .

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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#7

Post by MarkN » 03 Jul 2016, 16:30

ClintHardware wrote:
MarkN wrote:
ClintHardware wrote:Looking back over various WDF files I noticed that WO 169/1242 ('A' Branch WDF/CYRCOM) has an entry on the 8th April that 1500 POWs were evacuated by sea.

Any ideas on their composition and units?
Italian 10th Army.
Mostly perhaps or is it? You have not given a reference and the data would be more complicated than that by the 8th April.
I don't think references are needed when stating common sense and the bleedin' obvious.

Now, you claim the "data would be more complicated". So where is your evidence that any of the number mentionned were anything other than part of the tens of thousands of Italian 10th Army captured during Op Compass? Or is it your wishful thinking coming into play again?

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ClintHardware
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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#8

Post by ClintHardware » 04 Jul 2016, 20:44

Mark are you able to get to Kew?
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MarkN
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Re: Tobruk Axis POWs

#9

Post by MarkN » 04 Jul 2016, 22:13

ClintHardware wrote:Mark are you able to get to Kew?
What a strange question to follow on with....

Nevertheless, of course I am able to get to Kew. Everybody is. However, it's not very convenient to do so as it's a 3-hour flight away.

Something for you to chomp on. Probably not relevant. But enjoy!

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