#20
Post
by Urmel » 13 Sep 2011, 10:36
I now have an indication that 13./LRB Brandenburg that was requested in Africa, and that von Koehnen could have belonged to it. Most of the company remained outside Africa in 1941, with only his detachment in Benghazi. My indication is that they were to be used in the attack on Tobruk planned for November 41.
Strength would have been:
von Koehnen Detachment 1 Off, ? NCO, 31 OR
Remainder 3 Off, 31 NCO, 159 OR, 17 trucks, 8 cars, 3 tractors
There is also an indication that a reinforced half-company was flown to North Africa on 14/15 Nov from Catania, and 1 Off, 11 NCO, 70 OR were transported on by road. I am not sure how this relates to von Koehnen, since the strength of his detachment seems low for a reinforced half company, but there is another detachment in Agedabia, called DOEHRING, maybe this had the other half of the half company?
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