How many divisions did Rommel have?
How many divisions did Rommel have?
Just wondering.. I've always heard Rommel didn't have any "reinforcements" coming in North Africa but how bad was it?
- D. von Staberg
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When?
For example on the 15th of august 1942 Rommel had the following divisions/units under his command:
German:
15th Panzer Division
21st Panzer Division
90th Light Division
164th Light Division
Parachute Brigade "Ramcke"
Italian:
Ariete Armoured Division
Littorio Armoured Division
Trieste Motorised Division
Folgore Parachute Division
Bolonga Infantry Division
Trento Infantry Division
Brescia Infantry Division
Pavia Infantry Division
There were also numerous supporting units of battalion and company size attached at army and corps level.
Regards
Daniel
For example on the 15th of august 1942 Rommel had the following divisions/units under his command:
German:
15th Panzer Division
21st Panzer Division
90th Light Division
164th Light Division
Parachute Brigade "Ramcke"
Italian:
Ariete Armoured Division
Littorio Armoured Division
Trieste Motorised Division
Folgore Parachute Division
Bolonga Infantry Division
Trento Infantry Division
Brescia Infantry Division
Pavia Infantry Division
There were also numerous supporting units of battalion and company size attached at army and corps level.
Regards
Daniel
Unless Germany chnaged its strategic thinking, then Rommel would never recieve enough divisions to seriously challenge the Allies in North Africa.
Rommels main problem was his logistic chain. Though he compalined about the Italians, the Italians succedded in delivering a very high % (85+) of the men & materials sent. The main problem was the relative poor capacity of the ports and the long distances from these ports to the front line, which caused large quantities to be used in transportation etc
Abu El Banat
Rommels main problem was his logistic chain. Though he compalined about the Italians, the Italians succedded in delivering a very high % (85+) of the men & materials sent. The main problem was the relative poor capacity of the ports and the long distances from these ports to the front line, which caused large quantities to be used in transportation etc
Abu El Banat
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Nucleicacidman wrote:
You may well argue that the extra say 5-10% of supplies reaching Rommel could have been enough to turn the battle. Well the flipside of this, is that with the British would no longer have to support Malta, and thus these supplies would be feed into the 8th Army etc.
Everyone thinks that once Rommel reached the Suez the British would simply fold. Britain had more than ample resources within the area to regroup and force Rommel back, be it from the Levant or SE Africa.
Given Germany's strategic stance, the best Rommel could have hoped for was a strategic draw in the short term, and a long defensive campaign in the long term.
Andy H
Abu El Banat
I don't follow your logic. I've already stated that 85%+ of the men & materials sent to North Africa arrived. Even without Malta, some supplies would have still been lost from submarines etc.I believe that would have Rommel had the green light to wipe out Malta, at no matter what the cost, the ample amount of logistical support would have arrived from Europe to allow him to completely destroy the Eigth Army in North Africa.
You may well argue that the extra say 5-10% of supplies reaching Rommel could have been enough to turn the battle. Well the flipside of this, is that with the British would no longer have to support Malta, and thus these supplies would be feed into the 8th Army etc.
Everyone thinks that once Rommel reached the Suez the British would simply fold. Britain had more than ample resources within the area to regroup and force Rommel back, be it from the Levant or SE Africa.
Given Germany's strategic stance, the best Rommel could have hoped for was a strategic draw in the short term, and a long defensive campaign in the long term.
Andy H
Abu El Banat
- Christian W.
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And what was his strenght in 1941?
Last edited by Christian W. on 25 Sep 2004, 17:31, edited 1 time in total.
Actually, he did. He instead persuaded Kesselring his immediate superior and in turn also Hitler that they should instead allow him to press on with his 1942 advance to the wire and further, Rommel hoped, to the Nile.Nucleicacidman wrote:I believe that would have Rommel had the green light to wipe out Malta,
There was plenty of logistical support at Tripolis, a mere 1200 miles away from El Alamein J. F. C. Fuller IIRC estimated that if Rommel had been 50% stronger in 1942, he would have made it all the way to Alexandria. Not that I agree with this assessment.at no matter what the cost, the ample amount of logistical support would have arrived from Europe to allow him to completely destroy the Eigth Army in North Africa.
- Lupo Solitario
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- Lupo Solitario
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DAK since II/14/1941 up to Jan,1942:
15th Panzer Division ,
5th light division and
supporting units
DAK, Jan 42-Alamein:
15th Pz div.
21st Pz.div, 5th light div. was reinforced up to a strength of a "real" Pz div. and renamed
90.light div., created by reorganisation of large number of smaller inf. units, strong in arty and mobile infantry, but without tanks
"Ramcke's" brigade
164th light div.
DAK in Tripolis-Tunisia period:
15.Pz div
90.light div.
164.light div.
FJ brigade "Ramcke"
last charge of DAK, KG "Irkens":
5.Pz reg., before part of 5.th light and 21.Pz
8.Pz reg., earlier in 15.Pz
7.Pz reg., earlier in 10.Pz div.
2.battalion of 47. grenadier reg.
2 platoons from "Army Group C-i-C escort"
one ATG detachement
2 detachements of 88s
several Italian tanks, assault guns and armoured cars
Italian army:
Ariete Armoured Division
Littorio Armoured Division
Trieste Motorised Division
Folgore Parachute Division since Alamein
Bolonga Infantry Division
Trento Infantry Division
Brescia Infantry Division
Pavia Infantry Division
15th Panzer Division ,
5th light division and
supporting units
DAK, Jan 42-Alamein:
15th Pz div.
21st Pz.div, 5th light div. was reinforced up to a strength of a "real" Pz div. and renamed
90.light div., created by reorganisation of large number of smaller inf. units, strong in arty and mobile infantry, but without tanks
"Ramcke's" brigade
164th light div.
DAK in Tripolis-Tunisia period:
15.Pz div
90.light div.
164.light div.
FJ brigade "Ramcke"
last charge of DAK, KG "Irkens":
5.Pz reg., before part of 5.th light and 21.Pz
8.Pz reg., earlier in 15.Pz
7.Pz reg., earlier in 10.Pz div.
2.battalion of 47. grenadier reg.
2 platoons from "Army Group C-i-C escort"
one ATG detachement
2 detachements of 88s
several Italian tanks, assault guns and armoured cars
Italian army:
Ariete Armoured Division
Littorio Armoured Division
Trieste Motorised Division
Folgore Parachute Division since Alamein
Bolonga Infantry Division
Trento Infantry Division
Brescia Infantry Division
Pavia Infantry Division
- Alter Mann
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Rommel's Chances
Andy, I'm getting irked by the continued insistence that Rommel's supply problems were imagined. Please set me straight. What sources should I look at?