Panzer Regiment 5's first fire fights with 5th RTR

[ClintHardware]

Following on from the MGB8 topic I had a fresh look at the 6. Kompanie account and the DAK KTB referred to by Jentz for the 31st March 1941, and also the War Diaries of the KDG and 5th RTR.

This is from my Mersa Brega chapter and begins with listing the strength of II. Panzer Regiment 5 as a reminder to the reader. It then decribes Major Rau's advance before reaching Mersa Brega. All queries corrections welcome:

5. leichte Division Attacks

II. Abteilung Panzer Regiment 5 Order of Battle and Equipment
Stabs Kompanie 1.gr.Pz.Bef.Wg, 1 kl.Pz.Bef.Wg, 2 Pz. III
leichte Panzer Zug 5 Pz. II
leichte Panzer Zug 1 Pz. II, 7 Pz. I
5.leichte Kompanie 16 Pz. III, 5 Pz. II
6.leichte Kompanie 17 Pz. III, 5 Pz. II
8.mittlere Kompanie 10 Pz. IV, 3 Pz. II, 2 Pz. I

The panzers of I. Panzer Regiment 5 were not committed to the preliminary attack:

Wilhelm Durenborn. Panzer IV crew member, I. Panzer Regiment 5
“31st. – (Original.) March to a point 22 Km behind Agheila. Reach our position about 0215 hrs.” (WO 169/1436)

Wilhelm Durenborn’s diary has no further entry for the 31st March.

The panzers of 6. and 8. Kompanie with a kompanie from Panzerjäger Abteilung 605, began moving from an assembly area about nine kilometres west of El Agheila at about 0600 hours. A post-war German account provides an overview of the intended method of attack:

Parts I-II, Axis operations in North Africa, Feb 1941-Feb 1942
5 Light Division was deployed in two columns - consisting of Panzer Regiment 5 with M.G. Battalion 8, Reconnaissance Unit 3, anti-tank elements and artillery support to attack along both sides of the Via Balbia. A subsidiary column consisting of an anti-tank battalion and M.G. Battalion 2, would encircle the position to the south and thus facilitate the progress of the main column. (Fz.I(i) p.59). (CAB 146/10 page 20)

German and British timings of events do not closely match in respect of this first attack, but because reports were written up after battles it is more profitable to match events within a reasonable time of each other. Major Rau from Panzerjäger Abteilung 605 was in overall command of the leading column formed to attack Mersa Brega. Rau’s column was supported by a kompanie from Panzerjäger Abteilung 605. He had organised his force into two groups: 6. Kompanie’s 2. and 4. zugen on the right (south) and 1. and 3. zugen on the left (north) and the zugen from 8. Kompanie also on the left. Ahead of this formation was a zug probably of Panzer IIs in the role of panzeraufklärungs zug. Behind that zug was a towed 8.8cm Flak followed by a zug of Panzerjäger Abteilung 605’s 4.7 cm Pak(t) Sfl.(self propelled anti-tank guns). These self-propelled guns (selbstfahrlafette (abbr: Sfl.)) mounted the Czech 47mm anti-tank gun (German designation 4.7 cm Pak(t)). Each utilised the hull of a Panzer I and the fixed mounting allowed limited barrel traverse. The gun crew were protected by a light armoured shield to the front, and partly to the sides but they were otherwise exposed to blast, fragments and small arms fire.

Fire fights with the K.D.G and 5th R.T.R
West of Mersa Brega four of the 5th R.T.R’s A13s who were forward between the Via Balbia and Maaten Giofer under the command of ‘A’ Squadron’s commander Major T. K. D. Pritchett. Lieutenant R. Whetherly’s K.D.G. troop was present in support when the A13s opened fire on the leading zug of Major Rau’s column:

King’s Dragoon Guards
Marsa Brega Area 31.3.41.
“A” Sqn; No.2 Patrol (Lt. Whetherly) who were under orders of Major Pritchett R.T.R. and accompanied by four Cruiser Tanks met and engaged a body of enemy tanks NORTH of GIOFER at first light. The engagement was broken off when “A” Sqn. No. 1 Patrol (lt. Budden) reported a further small force of tanks advancing EASTWARDS up the road, with the idea of attacking this force in the rear. (WO 169/1384)

The 5th R.T.R. War Diary records their first sighting of the panzers at 0630 hours:

5th Royal Tank Regiment
0630 hrs. A Sqn (the four fit A.13s) encountered main force of enemy moving EAST. One tank of Sqn hit and turret jammed, so withdrew from action. Remaining three tanks stayed in position of observation. Enemy casualties uncertain, probably about three M.13 tanks. (WO 169/1414)

5th R.T.R’s War Diary entry above indicates that a fire fight took place after which three of the four A13s remained in position and therefore with sight of the damaged, if not destroyed, enemy tanks. The 6. Kompanie’s report makes no reference to any Italian presence but also does not comment on these losses.

Some further details of this or another short fire fight were recorded in the following report:

Report on action of the 2nd Armoured Division during withdrawal from Cyrenaica
Early on 31st March patrols of 1st K.D.G. found and engaged five enemy tanks advancing from EL AGHEILA south of the main road; while another patrol of 5th R.T.R., which had gone out to look for trouble among enemy patrols on the road itself, returned and reported having damaged two out of ten enemy tanks. By 0800 hours, 1st K.D.G. reported that the enemy was advancing in some strength both along the main road and south round the SEGHIR salt-marsh, led by armoured cars, light tanks and motor cycle combinations. (WO 106/2149)

The above statement was likely to have been made by Major Uniacke, the Brigade Major of 3rd Armoured Brigade, who was one of more than eight officers interviewed during May- June to gather evidence of events concerning CYRCOM and 2nd Armoured Division in particular.

The War Diary of the King’s Dragoon Guards continues with the moments following the first fire fight:

King’s Dragoon Guards
The engagement was broken off when “A” Sqn. No. 1 Patrol (Lt. Budden) reported a further small force of tanks advancing EASTWARDS up the road, with the idea of attacking this force in the rear. (WO 169/1384)

It is clear from the above that Major Pritchett’s remaining A13 commanders were intending to inflict further losses and that Lieutenant Budden was going to use his No. 1 patrol covering the road, to attack the rear of the next oncoming group of German vehicles. Intentions were overtaken by events:

King’s Dragoon Guards
However, Lieut. Budden later reported that many lorries and several guns were accompanying the tanks so the Cruiser force withdrew after a further short battle with some enemy tanks which turned SOUTH along the edge of the MARSA BREGA Marsh. In this engagement one of Lieut. Whetherly’s A/Cs; was destroyed though the crew was uninjured. (WO 169/1384)

The panzers turning south that were the second group to come under fire from the A13s may be the two zugen group that split from the road column as recorded in the 6. Kompanie account. They would have normally amounted to ten in number, and perhaps they are the same ten referred to by Major Uniacke.

The 6. Kompanie account does not refer to either exchanges of fire, but does state that the right-hand group were ordered to go south to recce a route through the Sebcha el Seghira salt marsh and that the there was a fire fight at 0800 hours after the column opened fire from Kilometre 6. The fire fight the account refers to involved the head of the column being attacked by four or five enemy tanks at Kilometre 3 on the Via Balbia. It is possible that all the above separate and limited events became conflated into one within the 6. Kompanie account.

Because of the differences in timings and recorded details between surviving German and British accounts, it is possible that Major Rau was partially deviated by the first fire fight from keeping his column concentrated on the road and that his right-hand group was sent to deal with any threat from the south and to follow the routes being used by the enemy. However, it is also possible that the intention and orders given to split off the right hand group to undertake the recce had been given earlier regardless of the first fire fight.

6. Kompanie’s account notes that in the firefight at 0800 hours the 8.8 cm Flak went into action and dispersed the British attack although no tanks were hit, and that the British pulled back six kilometres and then made another attack. Lieutenant Budden’s patrol was not recorded as attacking the column however the Carriers of ‘C’ Company’s Scout Platoon did have a fire fight with the leading elements of Major Rau’s column before 1000 hours.

Those German elements that ventured south would encounter the salt marsh of Sebcha es Seghira. This marsh was a full ten miles long from north to south and roughly five miles wide. Bir es Suera lay on its southern tip. There was a track across the middle of the salt marsh from Bir Sueicher situated some seven miles / 11 kilometres south of the Via Balbia.

Oberstleutnant Gustav Ponath, Maschinengewehr Bataillon 8
31 Mar. Order to attack. Panzerjäger Abteilung 605 at BREGA. Outflanking movement in the south by Aufklärungs Abteilung 3. (WO 201/353)

It is not clear when Aufklärungs Abteilung 3 attempted its outflanking movement south towards Bir es Suera as recorded in the D.A.K. Kriegstagebuch (10) but it may have been in the morning as the diary entry includes a reference to a tank attack being repulsed. Other than Major Pritchett’s fire fights, 3rd Armoured Brigade did not record making any further attacks during the 31st.

[ClintHardware]

I have improved the above text and have included the following from the 3rd Hussars who became aware of what had happened but were not eye witnesses.

3rd King’s Own Hussars
5 RTR had patrol forward in BIR SUERA Area; reported large body of troops MET (Mechanised Enemy Transport) and tanks advancing up main road to Mersa Brega & SE down W[est] of Marsh. Battle joined by [the 5th’s] Cruisers & 2 Enemy Tanks laid out. 3 H Patrol at B Suera recalled. (WO 169/1385)

Major Uniacke may have based his comments about panzers hit on the above.

In TCinNA the 6. Kompanie account misses out all the action between about 0800 and 1200 and yet a lot happened.

[Brevity]

Hey Clint

In TCinNA the 6. Kompanie account misses out all the action between about 0800 and 1200 and yet a lot happened.

I disagree, nothing really happened besides occasional long range fire fights.

Here's the map that shows how fast Kampfgruppe Rau supposedly advanced...


They knew about the the anti-tank ditch near Brega, so it's safe to say the basic layout of British HKL was known. From various sources I gather their primary mission for the first few hours was to secure the area W of the salt lake, hence they advanced on the wide front...


It's entirely impossible any DAK troops made it to Brega before afternoon. The tank group was leading and the timing of its advance is reasonable. In fact the infantry attack could happen only because the tank groups and AA 3 managed to mop up the whole area first.



I checked the battle sector with google maps and noticed couple interesting things


Reading Gruen literally, the British outpost attacked at midday was somewhere close to point B... However there is a distinctive hill at point A, right where the road turns


The British accounts mention various hills playing role in defense but the remaining area is flat and I haven't found any other hills close to the road. The point A is a perfect ambush spot, because it's right in the choke point between 2 salt lakes and quicksands to the NW... I believe this is where the “midday skirmish” actually took place. Do you have any British accounts about this encounter?

Moving forward, Gruen recorded “6 Sqn took to the road again and came arty fire. The main concentration of fire came down about 100 yds from the curve to the left situated about 4 kms S of Brega.” “About 2 000 yds WESTWARDS (should mean eastwards) a strongly fortified position was percieved, apparently the enemy HKL.”

There is only one “curve to the left” in this area, it's a point C and by accident, it's also ca. 3-4 km S of Brega. The British main defence line on Via Balbia was approximately at point D.

Regards

[ClintHardware]

Nice Maps. It is a fascinating battle. A friend who works at Mersa Brega has not yet been able to locate Cemetery Hill nor the positions mentioned like French Hill with any great certainty. The road is the best reference point as is the white dune area.

Gunner Tutt's account seems to fit the 2nd April better than the 31st March in most places.

Oberleutnant Werner Grün is a good source but I only have him from TCinNA in an Americanised form and Jentz states nothing between about 0800 and midday.

Once Rau's troops had reached Cemetery Hill they were in contact with the forward positions of MB and under fire from them.

Most of what Jentz's Grün missed out was the first attack hitting 'C' Company and the 1st RNF platoon on Cemetery Hill about 0930 - 1130 and their retreat to Kilo 800 to take up new positions leaving 'A' and 'B' Companies in their now forward positions, and the 104th hitting the attackers which Hurst-Brown says included infantry carried on tanks. But as I have said I am open as to what unit they were from. My money is still on these being about a kompanie from MGB8 but only because that bataillon seems more forward then MGB2 in the CAB 146/10 page 20 account and they would have been more likely to climb onto panzers than AA3 or the crews of Pzjgr 605.

Very sadly we are missing the 3rd RHA account from Major H. L. Lewin commanding ‘J’ Battery. But Rifleman Spencer of 'C' Company saw them "Firing like mad".

Other than Jentz's Grün what sources have you looked at?

Grun's account and that of Lewin would be seriously good to find. I am going to keep looking at the NA at Kew. Firepower at Woolwich does not have Major Lewin's account - shame.

[ClintHardware]

In addition to the above response to Brevity, I also realised on re-reading the 104th's War Diary that it seems that elements of AA3 or others may have got through the salt marsh to the south because the 104th RHA had an OP that saw the following which seems to refer to being SW of the OP's forward position:

104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
1325. “D” .O.P.2 reports vehicles, presumed tanks, moving East to West on bearing 160o from French Hill. Too far away to identify or count.

1335. “D” O.P.2 reports 4 AFVs on a bearing of 120 degrees from French Hill. Out of range. (WO 169/1431)

3rd Armd Bde make no mention of contact and yet they would have been watching for the outflanking attack. Whoever these troops were they did not get involved in the afternoon part of the battle and they do not seem to be referred to by anyone else.

[Brevity]

Most of what Jentz's Grün missed out was the first attack hitting 'C' Company and the 1st RNF platoon on Cemetery Hill about 0930 - 1130 and their retreat to Kilo 800 to take up new positions leaving 'A' and 'B' Companies in their now forward positions.

This totally sounds like the midday skirmish!


Gruen says "towards mid-day" which apparently actually means "before noon". Kilo 800 is approximately a few km behind the HKL.

Can it be, that "cemetery hill" is actually a point A?

Other than Jentz's Grün what sources have you looked at?

None, I just keep rereading 6. coy report, and keep finding extra hints all the time. My maps are not supposed to be very accurate, just to give some general overview

[ClintHardware]

Yes the 6. Kompanie report sounds as though it is referring to the retreat of the last elements of 'C' Company at about 1130 and the fire power attack ties in with the second attack.

The first attack is when Hurst-Brown was with a reporter at 0830 that included troops seen on panzers dropping off into firing positions and these would have come over or around Cemetery Hill to bump 'A' Company and thus confront Hurst-Brown's position from a distance. The distance was kept possibly because mines were expected. I have pasted him in above somewhere in this topic or in the MGB8 topic.

Mersa Brega was heavily cultivated post-war but not before the war (according to my friend) and there has been a lot of bulldozing to lay the runway for the airport and also to prepare the ground for the oil tank farm. The new road follows the old mostly and you can see the old thinner lighter grey tarmac line running parallel to the new road surface and being crossed by it on Google Earth.

Brigadier Latham puts Cemetery Hill some 2000 metres west of your point C not far from the runway. I'll have a better look tomorrow.

Having looked at the original translation of Gruen's report you very kindly sent me Brevity there are subtle changes to be made to the account of the first fire fight with 5th RTR.

[Oasis]

just a couple of particulars about topography...

[ClintHardware]

Having now read Brevity's supplied 1941 translation of the 6. Kompanie report probably written by Oberleutnant Werner Grün - Grün states that only one "hy pl" from 8. Kompanie joined Major Rau's column. Jentz's version states "platoons" So it now looks like just 5 Panzer IVs from 8. Kompanie joined the four zugen of 6. Kompanie on the road to Mersa Brega. 2. and 4. left the column to go south at some point before the fire fight with the 5th RTR troop and the KDG troop west of MB.

This has an impact on the infantry present that Hurst-Brown saw mounted on the panzers because only 1. and 3. zugen and the above Panzer IV zug were present at 0830 at MB. Grün states "Engrs" were with the column but does not mention them in the first description of the column so it may be that the infantry seen were pionere from MGB8. But that is only a guess on my part.

I also now believe that most of MGB8 did not come forward in any great numbers until the afternoon to be ready for what was the last attack was launched at 1700 on the 31/3. Although they could not have been stopped by the limited actions of the 5th RTR and KDG the threat was there. but in addition there seems insufficient transport seen near MB in the morning to place MGB 8 there.

The conversation between Morshead, Dill, Wavell and Neame on the 17th March (IIRC the date) had Morshead stating that he wanted troops forward as per the map Oasis has added above however:
a) they would need supplies dumped well forward to enable this position held
b) the supplies could be lost if overrun
c) his battalions lacked all the transport they needed and might be overrun with the supplies
d) his battalions would need to be rescued by 2nd Armd Div if attacked by armour and therefore curtail what 2nd Armd Div could do to fight a mobile battle
he therefore believed Mersa Brega was the better position held while El Agheila should be patrolled

He then persuaded Dill and Wavell that his 20th Brigade would need to be rescued by 2nd Armoured Division if it remained forward and that only 2nd Armoured Divison should therefore be left to hold Mersa Brega. His logic was undeniable and he got his way. Neame is often then presented as blustering about getting 2nd Support Group forward to take over from 20th Brigade but Neame was very logical and logistics and firepower were his measures (he was an Engineer not ex-Cavalry). Therefore his statement that it would take a week surely had more to do with transport and supplies and the time needed to get units forward in position, than anything to do with reluctance to cover MB. The three battalions of 20th Brigade were replaced with just three companies from the 1st THR (A,B,C) because D Company remained at Agedabia to cover tasks such as digging positions and assisting dumping supplies. Their platoons each had a company's area to cover on the 31st March.

[ClintHardware]

I had another look at the 5th RTR War Diary entry and realised I had under estimated what was being stated:

5th Royal Tank Regiment
0630 hrs. A Sqn (the four fit A.13s) encountered main force of enemy moving EAST. One tank of Sqn hit and turret jammed, so withdrew from action. Remaining three tanks stayed in position of observation. Enemy casualties uncertain, probably about three M.13 tanks. (WO 169/1414)

This indicates that the three A13s remained in position and in sight of the damaged, if not destroyed, panzers and that more than three panzers were hit by their fire and of those hit, three were more definitely damaged by their fire. 6. Kompanie’s account makes no reference to any losses probably because they were all recovered or repaired in the field.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a complement......................................

Marsa Brega 1941.

Source: https://www.tradera.com/item/341315/356 ... m-category

Which unit? Cheers. Raúl M .