Operation Compass After Action Reports

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nmao
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Operation Compass After Action Reports

#1

Post by nmao » 16 Apr 2013, 21:07

Hello.

I'm looking for After Action Reports of the Operation Compass. Does this kind of document exist?
Are there documents with materiel captured, POW's, etc?
Did the units involved write some kind of "lessons learned" documents?

I'm very interested in any reports on the capture of Nibeiwa, Bardia, Tobruk, etc.

Does this kind of material exist, and if so where is available?

Thank you for any help or pointers.

regards,

-nuno

nmao
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#2

Post by nmao » 17 Apr 2013, 18:42

Answering my own question :)
WO 106/2136 Operation "COMPASS": situation and operational reports 1940 Dec.-1941 Mar.
WO 201/349 Situation reports on current operations: Operation "Compass" 1940 Dec.-1941 Jan.

they might be a goldmine...anyone knows it's content?

From the italian side is there anything?

regards,

-nuno


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Urmel
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#3

Post by Urmel » 17 Apr 2013, 22:02

They are probably the same document. WO201 is a series with specific reports that go beyond war diaries, they are mostly narrative in nature. I think CAB 106 (shouldn't be WO 106) is containing further info of this type. Both are very useful.
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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ClintHardware
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#4

Post by ClintHardware » 22 Apr 2013, 17:53

Hi nmao

I have taken this from my hopefully soon to be in print book. Only the heading and section 4 of this Summary from WO 169/1258 are quoted below:

CYRENAICA COMMAND INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY NO. 5 AND XIII CORPS INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY NO. 18

Based On information received at Corps H.Q. up to 2000 Hrs 15 Feb

4. ENEMY TANKS.

(a) Tactics.

One of the causes of the defeat of the Italian Medium Tank Bns (Battalions) near BEDA FOMM was the fact that they were used in small batches at a time instead of in mass. It was therefore possible for our tanks to knock them out piecemeal. The reason for these tactics was probably twofold: first their distribution at intervals along the MT colns (Motor Transport columns), secondly, lack of wireless intercomns between tanks making their employment in large numbers extremely difficult. Italian prisoners state that lack of W/T (Wireless Telegraphy) was one of their main handicaps.

It was noticeable that gunnery on the move by 6 and 21 Tank Bns was bad whereas that of 3 and 5 Bns when engaged at MECHILI was reported to have been good. This was probably due to the fact that 6 and 21 Bns have only recently received M.13 tanks, and were insufficiently trained in their use.

(b) Armour.

Experiments have been carried out to test the effect of our own projectiles on the M.13 tank. The official report is not yet available but the following unofficial results have been reported.

Projectile Effect
(i) 25 Pdr at 800 yds A.P. Shell. Straight through both sides of tank
“ “ “ “ “ with instantaneous fuse Made a large hole in one side of tank
“ “ “ “ “ with short delay fuse Shell burst inside tank

(ii) Boyes A.Tk Rifle at 500 yds Dented armour but did not penetrate

It was noticeable after the battle that a hit of the fighting compartment of a M.13 had almost invariably resulted in the death of the whole crew. The reason for this is not yet apparent.





(c) Numbers captured or destroyed.

The latest count of medium tanks on the battle field SOUTH of BENGASI is 107. It is calculated therefore that only 9 medium tanks escaped from the action, but these may later be found in localities not yet searched. (WO 169/1258)

A week later the numbers of Italian and Libyan prisoners and their tanks and guns had been calculated (quoted from WO 169/1258):

APPENDIX ‘E’ H.Q. CYRENAICA COMMAND INTELLIGENCE
SUMMARY NO. 6 DATED 23 FEB 41.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

APPROXIMATE TOTAL OF P.WS, GUNS AND TANKS CAPTURED IN
WESTERN DESERT AND CYRENAICA – 9.12.40 TO 8.2.41
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.............................. Prisoners................ Tanks...........Guns
SIDI BARRANI...................38,298....................73...........237
SIDI OMAR.........................900..................... -.............8
BARDIA.........................42,000....................130..........275
TOBRUK........................25,000.....................87..........208
MECHILI............................100.....................13.......... -
DERNA - BENGASI...............2,000.....................10..........24
BENGASI - AGEDABIA..........25,000...................107...........93
.......................... ----------------------------------------------------------------------
................................133,298 (1) ............. 420 (2).......845 (3)
..........................----------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Of which about 15,000 Libyan
(2) 237 Light Tanks. 183 Med Tanks.
(3) Excluding guns less than 75 mm.


The above document was composed by Brigadier Harding. Brigadier John Harding had held the G.S.O. 1 role of Brigadier General Staff (Chief of Staff) in Lieutenant-General Richard O’Connor’s XIII Corps since 20th December 1940. In his role, he had managed the Operations and Intelligence tasks of XIII Corps. Harding was chosen by O’Connor because of his skills, and both men were well matched in being quick witted, lively, bold and impatient of delay. Brigadier Nares covered the G.S.O. 1 Q.M.G. (Quarter Master General) tasks within XIII Corps (54). Both Harding and Nares retained their roles within CYRCOM.
Imperialism and Re-Armament NOW !

nmao
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#5

Post by nmao » 22 Apr 2013, 20:11

wow! :)
thanks!!

Be sure to warn us of your new book!

regards

-nuno

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ClintHardware
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#6

Post by ClintHardware » 22 Apr 2013, 20:20

Yes I promise I will.

It is 550 pages A4 packed with evidence based firefights and battles with Axis troops in Libya and on the Egyptian border February - May 14th 1941. The last battle/firefight is on the 13th May between Panzer Abteilung Hohmann and troops of the 3rd and 4th RHA with the KRRC in support in one of the Columns.
Imperialism and Re-Armament NOW !

Dili
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#7

Post by Dili » 22 Apr 2013, 23:56

That's wonderful. I should post this at Comando Supremo Forum. If you can't for some reason i can post it there if you have no problem with that.

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ClintHardware
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#8

Post by ClintHardware » 23 Apr 2013, 09:41

Dili

No problem you sharing the data of news of my book.

Clint
Imperialism and Re-Armament NOW !

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David W
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#9

Post by David W » 24 Apr 2013, 02:01

Nice work Clint.

tackleberry6
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#10

Post by tackleberry6 » 30 Aug 2013, 19:45

ClintHardware wrote:Dili

No problem you sharing the data of news of my book.

Clint
If it's ok with you, I'd also like to post this data from your book.
Have you decided on a name for your book? I'd like to give it a appropriate plug. :thumbsup:

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David W
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Re: Operation Compass After Action Reports

#11

Post by David W » 04 Jan 2018, 22:29

How goes the book?

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