Axis rail line in Libya

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Urmel
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Re: Axis rail line in Libya

#16

Post by Urmel » 16 Feb 2016, 14:59

There were holding cases relating to Benghazi in late 1941, so it did occur. But this was during high-intensity operations, and related to delays in shipping schedules brought about in the first instance due to the British interception campaign, which led to stacking up in the first instance.

So it did happen, but it wasn't a fundamental, but rather temporarily quite restricted problem.
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

Dili
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Re: Axis rail line in Libya

#17

Post by Dili » 19 Feb 2016, 18:42

Yep, i agree.


Freebird
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Re: Axis rail line in Libya

#18

Post by Freebird » 25 Feb 2020, 06:08

Dili wrote:
16 Feb 2016, 14:44
Freebird wrote:
pugsville wrote:
Dili wrote:And?

Sure did, as it hampered efforts to bring in supplies, including trucks & fuel.
When ships were hold in Italy because the Libyan ports were full and could not handle them?

I know of none.
I think i remember 2 or 3 instance were ships had to wait before being unloaded but that are small situations in 2-3 years of war. A rare occurrence doesn't translate to a pervasive occurrence.
Which doesn't really prove anything.
Ships weren't piling up because they didn't send them.

Just Tripoli and Benghazi should have provided 4,000 tons a day, or 120,000 tons per month, but only managed about 80,000 per month in early 1941.
On April 4, the Axis reoccupied the port of Benghazi, in Cyrenaica, only 300 miles from the Egyptian border. Though designed to handle 2,700 tons a day, the port’s actual unloading capacity was 700 to 800 tons a day, or 24,000 tons a month
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/2018/ ... logistics/

The low capacity of Libyan ports Tripoli and especially Benghazi which was much closer COMBINED with the weak Axis transport capacity both contributed to the logistical failure

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Urmel
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Re: Axis rail line in Libya

#19

Post by Urmel » 26 Feb 2020, 09:08

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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